In Order to Be Irreplaceable One Must Always Be Different

Module #202 Positioning & #203 USP

“In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different”

Coco Chanel, Fashion designer

• Head & Shoulders: "Get rid of dandruff.

• Domino's Pizza: "You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less -- or it's free."
• FedEx: "When your package absolutely, positively has to get there overnight"
• M&M's: "Melts in your mouth, not in your hand"

1. Positioning – claiming an extreme ranking for a category you have created
2. What you are “Not”
3. Guarantee of performance or result
4. Irresistible Offer
5. Education
6. The product itself is superior quality – Auckland, New Zealand’s leading university
7. Process being used, the process may reduce risk or increase performance, minimise waste e.g. 30 seconds ‘Just Spray and walk away”
8. Service – faster, quicker, less hassle. “On time or it is free” Southern Plumbing
9. Smarter marketing – better articulation of the problem and the solution. Natural Glow – ‘with it’s luminous spheres
10. Personality – they know you, they like you, they trust you – Richie McCaw, Steve Fleming, Mark Ellis, Mad Butcher?
11. Results(MTV) – a) If you can lay all your competitors side by side and you win, then this is hard to beat. b) Sometimes your only competition is being better than where the client is currently. c) Guarantee.
12. Your location or relationship with your client, e.g. we are property investors too, located right in the city.
13. Defining yourself by what you are NOT e.g. Zero calories, NO B.S. Zero fees, Southern Institute (Southland)
14. Pricing - low entry option, premium price, payment terms
15. Positioning eg as the experts, educators, first, last
16. Packaging – repurposing the product eg tea as a gift eg t-leaf, Cadburys chocolate becomes Easter eggs, Father Xmas, Freddo frog, changing shape of Cyclops yoghurt container so it stands out on the shelf

• Only expect people to retain ONE thing and only if you have done a great job.
• Each advertisement must say to each reader: "Buy this product, and you will getthis specific result."
• The proposition must be one that the competition either cannot, or does not, offer.
• The proposition must be so strong that it can pull over new customers to you
• If you are not selling something unique then you are selling as much for your competitors as yourself
• It is hard to resist the temptation to drop all others and hang your hat on just ONE.

Notes

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Richard Petrie

EXERCISE: Positioning Module #202

Positioning – claiming an extreme ranking for a category you have created

STRATEGY #1 “Own the hill” Take the #1 position in something – grab a ‘ST’

NB If you are not unique in just ONE broad category, then combine TWO and become #1 in the new category.

e.g. New Zealand’s largest direct response training academy. Speed marketing may not be the only direct response agency nor the largest educational training provider but is probably the only one describing themselves with this combined category.

Be #1 in a category by choosing a word that ends in ‘ST’. All ST words sit at the extreme end of the range, or #1

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EXERCISE: USP Module #203

“Why should I choose you over and above ALL other options, including the option of doing nothing”.

STRATEGY #2Define your reason based on what you are NOT

If every other bank is owned by Australians then make sure everyone knows you are the ONLY kiwi owned bank.

• M&Ms “The milk chocolate melts in your mouth not in your hands”
• Zero calories
• Zero Fees for Southern Institute (Southland)

“Why should I choose you over and above ALL other options, including the option of doing nothing”.

STRATEGY #3 GUARANTEE: Define your reason based on your guarantee.

• Dominos Pizza “Fresh hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less or it’s free”
• Southern Plumbing “ On time or its free”
• “If you can find a cheaper tire we’ll beat it by 10%”

STRATEGY #4 Define your reason based on your IRRESISTIBLE OFFER

How can you get your ideal clients to sample a small easy to sell portion or trial your service?

The sample or trial needs to easily lead to the up sellof a bigger or regular purchase.

• Free puncture repair Tony’s tyre service.
• Columbia House Records “3 CD’s for $1”
• McDonalds loose change men

STRATEGY #5 Define your reason based on your EXPERT STATUS or EDUCATION provided

“Who ever educates the market owns the market”

The shoe clinic – The fitting specialists

Dick Smith – the Techsperts

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“Why should I choose you over and above ALL other options, including the option of doing nothing”.

Apply the five strategies to the key areas

1. Positioning

1. What you are “Not”

1. Guarantee of result

1. Irresistible Offer

1. Education

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