Sell With KISS, As In Keep It Simple, Stupid

One of the most useful and fundamental communications lessons that has been repeated to me over the years, ever since my earliest days of formal business training, is the fabled, famous, and fabulous "KISS" formula.

In my college marketing class we were told "Keep It Simple, Stupid!" When I entered my three-month sales-training orientation at New York Telephone way back in 1968, it was a more refined "Keep It Short and Simple." New York Telephone didn't want us recruits to hear negative words like stupid. In Army OCS we were given a variation of KISS. KIFSS wasn't quite as short and simple, but it left its firm, indelible training mark with a greater sense of, uh, military bearing. Even though he was never in the service, I see from recent news items that Veep Dick Cheney has picked up that same military jargon.

However we choose to use it, simple messages have the greatest impact. That is why concept slogans like "Intel Inside" are so successful.

Think about how the major players in today's highly successful technology sector apply the KISS formu-la. Microsoft simplifies its message in its definitive product names: Word, Office, At Work, Excel. These are all KISS names that don't require you to think too much to figure out what the products are about.

If your product or service is not already a household word in your vertical niche market, rather than rely on words like fast and easy, what you really need to convey is a word that you can brand that tells it all.

Which brings us to your message. Here's are four steps for simplifying your marketing message and defining your market position.

STEP ONE

Think of all the things you do and sell as accommodations to meet customer demands, and then work up a more narrowly defined, focused list of those things you prefer to sell to make money.

When you get right down to it, you probably offer a lot more products and ser-vices than you want to, but you have to, in order to meet certain customer expectations.

This is fine, but let's face it. Unless you're a distributor like Wal-Mart or Costco, you don't really want to promote everything you sell, do you? I know I don't. Loss leaders are not a part of the value-added service niche that we are comfortable with, although dozens of Internet companies are willing to lose money to buy market share in the hopes of selling, not profitable products, but their own stock on Wall Street. I've been read-ing the red-ink quar-terly financials of the latest of these short-term wonders.

STEP TWO

Determine who your com-petition is and what makes him/her better.

Determine why other people buy from him and not from you.

How does a fresh competitive analysis assist you in simpli-fying your message and improve your chance of success? First, it's a reality check to determine if you have chosen the right niche to domi-nate, or if you merely are suffering the after-effects of second-hand smoke from Cheech and Chong's cigarettes. (If you don't understand this, ask your folks and I guess I am older than I think).

Second, how can you even con-sider communicating a competitive positioning message unless and until you can verbalize what you are competing against?

STEP THREE

Now, let's discuss what you bring to the marketplace that's newer, cheaper, stronger, better tasting, less filling, fat free, or otherwise truly unique.

Under no cir-cumstances are you allowed to say that you "care more" than the com-petition, or that you are "more service oriented". Everybody says that.

You are not all things to all people, but you are all things to some people, sort of like Rush Limbaugh or Ralph Nader. You probably fit the same description. If you take the time to write down what you do that is all things to some people, you can take it all the way to the bank.

STEP FOUR

You've defined your focus, decided where you can't beat the competition, and determined where you can beat them cold. Now tie it up in a neat verbal bundle.

Remember, the point of all this is not to see how cute you can write; that's my job. Instead, just try to communicate simply and directly what you do and what you want the reader to do (like call you). Most importantly, don't forget to test your message on the unsuspecting to see if what they read is the same as what you think you wrote.

A winning message is one that can be read on Monday and recalled on Tuesday or, dare we hope it, Wednesday. I test my mate-rial out on friends, relatives and the guy who owns the local diner - people not in the business.

I figure that if those outside the business can easily understand what I'm talking about without explanation, then I won't have to worry that my message is too obscure or cryptic. That's the heart and soul of the KISS formula.

(From "Smart Marketing ? What big companies practice and you should learn about marketing branding and business development" by Stan Rosenzweig).

About The Author

Stan Rosenzweig is a sales trainer, marketing consultant and author. He creates customized corporate sales training and directs strategic marketing, product development and cost management consulting for large and middle sized companies.

For ten years, he was senior contributing editor for a major computer trade publication, writing over 120 articles on sales and marketing management. He has published five books, including "Smart Selling", "Smart Telemarketing", and "Smart Marketing" which can be sampled at http://www.salestipwebsite.com.

Rosenzweig has written and collaborated in writing of monographs for clients, including "Engineering a Technologically Superior Building", "Technology Construction Planing - Completing The Project Management Mission", and a series of self-paced training courses for specific clients.

This article is copyright 2004, Stan Rosenzweig. Reprint permitted only if in entirety with attribution and web address. For more articles go to his website.

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Improve Your Sales Closing Ratio

Occasionally EGOPOWER readers send me questions or topic suggestions that... Read More

Sales 101: Handling The Angry Customer

I am often reminded of the following true story whenever... Read More

Sell With KISS, As In Keep It Simple, Stupid

One of the most useful and fundamental communications lessons that... Read More

I Don?t Want To Be Sold; I Want To Buy

I went shopping for clothes today.My plan was to buy... Read More

Dead Silence From Your Prospect: The Worst Sound Of All

Could this be the worst moment in your selling cycle?You've... Read More

Sales People have an advantage as entrepreneurs

Zig Ziglar use to say in seminars and on tapes... Read More

Everyones Favorite Topic - 3 Tips for How To

I believe that everyone understands that no matter what business... Read More

Diverting the Flow of Customers to Your Business

I was a lucky kid when I grew up. Lucky,... Read More

Are You Selling What They Want To Buy? Is It An Appropriate Solution?

Let me tell you about my friend Peter who has... Read More

How to Write Effective Selling Proposals

Depending upon how much you enjoy writing, writing sales proposals... Read More

Packaging Maketh the Person

The multi million pound cosmetics industry is acutely aware of... Read More

Selling Your Way To Success

I wonder when we decided to become a sales person.... Read More

Aikido and The Art of Cold Calling

Imagine being in a crowded concert or bar. All of... Read More

Making the Sale When the Customer Wont Buy

Ever had a party online or offline, and had guests... Read More

Losing the Big-One: Salvaging Lost Accounts

After careful consideration, we have chosen our vendor, and it's... Read More

The Force That Drives Buying Decisions

What do people buy? They don't buy your wonderful presentation.... Read More

Finding a Used Mannequin

Many stores on a budget choose to buy a used... Read More

Future Business Key Element In Sales

A challenge facing many businesses is how to maintain a... Read More

10 Mistakes That Reduce Profitability

In my professional experience as a sales and marketing coach/consultant,... Read More

Letting Them Use Plastic

Obtaining merchant status will help to increase your sales. Consumers... Read More

Where to Find Mannequins for Sale

Any time a clothing store opens or expands, they must... Read More

Save Your Breath: How To Sell In Trade Shows Without Pitching

You stand there, in front of your great presentation material,... Read More

Overcoming the Fear of Selling

For many of you the Fear of Selling is a... Read More

The Top 10 Ways to Add Extra Value

Everyone wants the best possible value in every transaction, but... Read More

Don?t Waste My Time!

Many participants in my programs ask how to deal with... Read More

Dr. Seuss?s 3-Step Selling Process

Hello Everyone: Here's a unique look at learning how tosell:... Read More

How to Sell High Tech Solutions

Many companies are looking to improve upon the speed, security,... Read More

Nine Keys to Make your Sales Copy Convincing

Would you pay $12,500 to discover the keys to great... Read More

Are You a Cultivator or a Harvester?

As a result of providing marketing consulting, training and coaching... Read More

Wholesale Secrets Revealed: The Holy Grail Of Wholesale!

Like the legendary search for the Holy Grail, the cup... Read More

Create a Magic Connection with Clients, Leads, and Business Associates Part II

Part I of this article explored how strategies of Neuro-Linguistic... Read More

Secrets to Buying Without Being Sold

Have you ever asked yourself, now how did I let... Read More

If I Wanted To Sell For A Living, I Would Of Majored In It In College

By a show of hands, how many of you grew... Read More