• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Submissions
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Jun 1, 2023
  • Startup
    • Creating a Plan
    • Funding a Startup
    • Franchise Center
    • Getting Your Office Ready
    • Making Your Business Official
    • Marketing Your New Business
    • Personal Readiness
  • Run & Grow
    • Customer Service
    • Human Resources
    • Innovation
    • Legal
    • Operations
    • Risk Management
  • Leadership
    • Best Practices
    • Communication
    • Green Initiatives
    • Open Culture
    • Strategic Planning
    • People Skills
  • Sales & Marketing
    • Advertising and Lead Generation
    • Marketing Innovations
    • Marketing Plans
    • Online Marketing
    • Relationships
    • Sales Activities
  • Finance
    • Budgeting and Personal Finance
    • Payments and Collections
    • Tax and Accounting
    • Pricing Strategy
    • Working with Investors
    • Working with Lenders
  • Tech
    • eCommerce
    • Hardware
    • Software
    • Security
    • Tech Reviews
    • Telecom
  • Shop

SmallBizClub

Helping You Succeed

taxbandits banner
Home / Finance / Pricing Strategy / The Wrong Hero
The Wrong Hero

The Wrong Hero

1623 Views

Apr 17, 2014 By Dale Furtwengler

Marketing messages must be great stories…

 
…about the true hero.
 
I wish I could remember the source of this elegant language, for the person certainly deserves the credit for this incredible bit of wisdom. I’m paraphrasing, but after reading a marketing piece, the individual said “that’s a great story, but it’s the wrong hero.”
 
The marketing piece had discussed the company, not its customers. That’s why it was about “the wrong hero.”
 
If you want your marketing messages to translate into sales at premium prices, tell stories in which customers and prospects can experience the joy of your offerings—even if they haven’t tried them yet.  
 
One of the fascinating aspects of the human mind is that we can experience emotions as vividly today as when we first experienced them. Tie your offerings to an experience that everyone has had that elicits joy. 
 
Remember, there are only three things that any of us sells: image, innovation and time-savings. So when you’re selling image, help them experience the joy of having others admire and emulate them.
 
With innovation, make the story about the fun and excitement of playing with the latest, greatest toys or our childhood curiosity when everything was fascinating.
 
For time-savings, the story highlights the joy of spending more time with family and friends, traveling or just kicking back in a hammock on a beautiful spring day. If you’re selling business to business and the time savings translates into greater revenue-generating capabilities, make the story about the joy of growing a successful business—one that’s the envy of their competitors.
 
The keys to effective marketing messages are:
 
  • Identifying the emotional triggers that cause people to buy your offerings.
  • Targeting them with messages that trigger those emotions.
  • Using language that allows them to experience the joy of owning your product or service before using it.
  • Making it easy for them to make the purchase.
 
It’s counter-intuitive, but the less said about your company and what you do, the greater the likelihood that your marketing messages will bring buyers through the doors. More buyers, mores sales, at your price. Now that’s an experience that’ll bring a smile to your face.
 
This post originally appeared at PricingForProfitBook.com.

Filed Under: Pricing Strategy Tagged With: Dale Furtwengler, Differentiation, Pricing, Relevant Benefits, Solving Problems

Dale Furtwengler

Dale Furtwengler

Dale Furtwengler helps businesses get higher prices regardless of what their competitors or the economy are doing.  His latest book, Pricing for Profit, was recently translated into Chinese.  Visit Dale’s Pricing for Profit blog where he highlights, often irreverently, the best and worst pricing/branding/marketing/sales strategies.

Related Posts

  • Beware the 3 Most Common, Small Business Growing Pains
  • Attract Clients and Grow Your Business by Tackling Issues Head On
  • a-sane-approach-to-pricing-for-someone-new-to-freelanceHow to Design a High Converting Price List on Your Website

Primary Sidebar

bottom line ad

Random

15 Reasons No One Cares About Your Small Business Right Now

May 31, 2023 By Jeremy Bowler

4 Things to Keep In Mind When Choosing Your Next Vehicle

May 30, 2023 By Becky Wilson

How to Compare Guaranteed Investment Certificates

May 30, 2023 By Paul Williams Short

Why Is It Important To Tell A Story In Your Marketing?

May 26, 2023 By Dan Alvin

The Power of Collaboration: Why It’s Essential for Small Businesses

May 25, 2023 By SmallBizClub

Footer

About Us

Small Biz Club is the premier destination for small business owners and entrepreneurs. To succeed in business, you have to constantly learn about new things, evaluate what you’re doing, and look for ways to improve—that’s what we’re here to help you do.

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2023 by Tarkenton Institute, Inc. All Rights Reserved | Terms | Privacy