Brighton rock is rock, and it comes from Brighton; It has the same message all the way through, unsurprisingly, “just like a stick of rock”
A lot of small businesses are not like a stick of rock and don’t communicate the same messages to potential customers during each stage of their buyers’ journey as they voyage across media. People get confused , it makes your business difficult to understand and will affect your ability to convert potential customers into customers.
Let’s look at a simple three-stage buyers journey. At the awareness stage your potential customer is trying to identify and understand their problem. They will be in research mode looking for sources that can help them. The business that helps the most and resonates the strongest is the one chosen for the next stage. The second stage sees potential customers researching approaches that will address their needs most closely. Naturally the business that appears to fit best will make it onto a long list for the final stage. The last step is the decision stage which includes all the activities required to help people buy.
What happens if you don’t have a focussed, clear, consistent message at each stage? You won’t get on the radar during the awareness stage, and you will be knocked out in each of the following steps; Its no sale for you.
How can you prevent this? Two crucial elements are focus and consistency. Focus on the needs and problems people have and demonstrate how you satisfy their requirements and address their issues. Brighton rock is consistent, it has the same message all the way through. Be just like rock and have the same message throughout your buyer's journey and across media.
Focus needs some analysis to make it works for your business. Who are your best customers? Can you describe them in a way that helps you get more? Once you have worked out who they are, and there are probably more that one type; try to see your business through their eyes. What are their goals? What are their challenges? What do they think? What do they hear? What do they say and do? What do they see? Use the answers to these questions to shape your strategy. Not sure what their challenges are? I came across a really simple way to find out thanks to Neil Patel, the digital marketer.
Go to Amazon books.
Search for books in your business area.
Look at the reviews; five stars will tell you what readers liked
Three stars and below will tell you what they didn’t like, often things missing from the book that they have read.
Make a list of what people liked and what was missing.
Consistency might be easy for Brighton rock, but it needs continual effort for small businesses. Once you understand your value to people communicate it clearly over time and media. Small companies often change shape in early years and, if you have created a digital footprint across media, you may be sending mixed messages to your marketplace. Try googling yourself and see what turns up; you may be surprised. Once you have recovered start work on updating and being like Brighton rock and SELL MORE!