Back To The Basics.
It’s always good to stop and reflect on what it is we’re all trying to achieve through our marketing efforts. Often is easy to become so entrenched in the effort that we lose our way and neglect the basics. Have you been exposed to the four steps of selling?
Last year a colleague asked me that question, but before I could answer he swiftly said: “Diagnose the pain. Differentiate your claims. Demonstrate the gain. Sell to the old brain.” He had just attended a breifing on that process as it is outlined in the book : Neuromarketing: Understanding the Buy Buttons in Your Customer’s Brain.
The book is a good read and a great reminder of what it is we should focus on every single day … position our efforts toward the resolution of the target’s pain. The authors of the book talk about increasing your selling probability as follows:
Where P is the PAIN Factor which assesses the nature and intensity of specific “tensions” that can be eliminated by your solution. These PAINS can be financial, strategic or personal. Your Customer’s PAIN P can vary from 0 to 1. 0 means that your customer has really no conscious PAIN, and 1 means that he/she is aware of an acute and most urgent problem to solve.
Where C is the CLAIM Factor of one or more functions, features, or services that no competitor can offer or that no other alternative could circumvent. Your CLAIM Factor C varies from 0 to 1. A claim Factor of 0 means that you have a commodity product with absolutely no differentiation and 1 means that you are offering a product or service that is totally distinctive.
Where G is the Proof of GAIN that demonstrates beyond reasonable doubt how your customer will benefit from your solution. Your Proof of GAIN G varies from 0 to 1. 0 means that you really cannot prove the GAIN even if your solution provides some. 1 means that you can present an undisputed proof of the GAIN offered by your solution.
Where B is the Impact Factor to the OLD BRAIN which describes the effectiveness by which you communicate your message to the decision-making portion of the brain so your customer understands and remembers your unique CLAIMS. It is the most difficult factor to measure in the equation, yet it is the single most critical parameter– hence its cubic function. Your Delivery to the OLD BRAIN can vary from 0 to 1 and so its cubic function also varies from 0 to 1. Zero means you have no impact, 1 means that you achieve maximum impact.
Today, when every marketing dollar is being scrutinized, and demand for demonstrated return on marketing investment is ever increasing, it is good time to question our efforts and ensure we remember the basics.
