Who/What is your customer’s “bad guy”?
We see that pre-election time is “bad guy” season. But every day your customer is doing battle with an enemy.
Politicians have it down to a science. Demonize your opponent. Make them out to be so bad that they must run to you/your party for deliverance.
It’s a tale as old as time.
But…it’s also a proven technique to help your customers understand your value.
People will pay providers to help defeat their biggest enemies.
Your customer may not be able to articulate it, but they are up against something much bigger and badder than them. Some barrier that is in the way, preventing success. Perceived demons.
So, we use drama, not just facts, to sell. You are there to help slay Goliath.
Common “bad guy” examples? They are legion:
Foreign competition
Big ____ (Oil, Government, Pharma, etc)
Bureaucratic inertia
Political left/right
Institutional church
Food additives
That other company
NY Yankees
Identifying the bad guy - yours AND your clients - is key to effective positioning.
And, of course, you are there as the knight in shining armor, to do battle and help gain victory.
Paint the picture of the customer's worst opposition
Part of the sales and marketing process is painting the picture (in words) of your customer’s bad guy, showing that you understand their biggest challenges.
Identify your customer’s “bad guy” - then describe how you will help them succeed.
I sell my clarity stuff against one honking, huge bad guy - the noise and confusion that keeps people from getting the message. Clarity helps fix that. But, I’ve recently determined that there is also a far less glamorous enemy I’m actually selling against.
Boredom with existing providers. We want something/someone fresh!
One of my coffee shop friends helps people sell the rights to their intellectual property catalogs. This morning, while writing this post, I asked him what his bad guy is. It’s the existing business managers who don’t really understand the IP value, and therefore don’t negotiate maximum dollars for their clients.
Specialists often have generalists as their bad guy. Niche players often position mega-expensive and impersonal firms as the enemy.
The marketplace’s bad guys may not be dyed-in-wool evil, but they are a poor choice compared to you.
Who is your customer’s bad guy? Can you paint that picture? When you come alongside them to do battle, you become a valued partner, not just another vendor.
If you’re looking for a clarity expert to help you break through the noise, contact me.
Subscribe to my weekly LinkedIn newsletter, the Clarity Blend