A few years ago, the host of a local networking event posted in their Facebook group asking who they could talk to about blogging. When I logged on later, I hadn’t seen the original post, but noticed lots of people had tagged me and found that my name had been the answer to the question. It was a great feeling. The way I work and talk about my services has changed since then, and I’ve been wondering what my customers remember me for. What question will my name be the answer to now?
Working out your own version of that can help make your marketing more focused. Here are a few questions to help you think about what you want your customers to remember about you.
What do people come to you for?
You might already have a service that’s central to your business and that you talk about all the time. It’s also worth thinking about the questions people ask you most often and how they describe you. If there’s a particular service you get lots of questions about, it’s probably because you’re the first person people think of. You can also get some useful insights from thinking about how people introduce you at networking events or talk about your work during conversations. Of course, this isn’t always a positive. I once spoke to someone who said she split up with her partner after he described her as a bookkeeper one too many times. Not because there’s anything wrong with being a bookkeeper, but because she was the head of a finance department.
You might find that there’s a big difference between the thing people know you for and what you talk about in your marketing.
What problem do you solve?
What your customers remember about you might be how you made them feel when you solved a problem, which makes it worth highlighting in your marketing. Emotional marketing is powerful because people can imagine the feeling of relief when you help them overcome a challenge. Think about what people say when you work together. What makes them breathe a sigh of relief? What feels difficult before they work with you and easy afterwards?
Understanding the problem you solve can really help you stand out.
What do you love talking about?
Is there a topic you could talk about all day and into the night without getting bored? What’s your favourite service that you look forward to delivering every time? Hopefully, it’s the thing people remember you for. You might dread the idea of your marketing becoming, but a clear central message helps people remember you. Your life will be much more fun if you can spend your time doing something you love and talking about it in your marketing. It helps you keep going without getting bored.
What do you want people to say about you?
A lot of my work comes from networking and referrals. At networking events, you usually only have a few seconds to describe what you do, and it might be the only thing some people remember about you. When it comes to referrals, it’s much easier for someone to recommend you when they know exactly what you offer. Give them a sentence they can use to describe what you do, or that has key words they’ll recognise when someone asks for a recommendation, and you’ll get more customers.
Does all of this match your business goals?
Whatever you’re known for, remember it’s your business, and you can build it however you want. If you’ve realised your customers remember you for something you don’t enjoy or don’t want to do anymore, you can change it. Think about what you want your life and business to look like, and whether that matches the reality. Will the thing you’re remembered for bring you the kind of clients you love working with and suit the way you want to work? Your marketing and the way you talk about your business should ultimately reflect your personality and values, and bring you work that makes you happy.
Ready for a chat?
What would you like your customers to remember you for? If you need help refining your message, I offer content clarity sessions to help you plan your content, whether you’re building a new website or planning your marketing for the year ahead.
Or, I can write for you. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business and write content that showcases your best self to help you connect with your ideal customers.
You can email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.
Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you. It also includes hints and tips to help you structure your posts if you’re currently writing your content yourself.
