Sales Laundry

On almost every small to medium business web site I have ever looked at, when I read the “About” section, it almost always starts off with something like this.

 X Company, an industry leading…  or X Company is the world leader in X…

 How can everyone be leading their industry?  They can’t.

 Newsflash.  I don’t believe you when you say that and neither does your customer.

 Interestingly enough, the one place I do not typically see the “industry leading” moniker is on the web site of the company that actually is the industry leader.

 Why?  I assume because everyone in their market solar system of competitors, prospects, clients and vendors already knows this information and considers it a given.

 So, if you are number one, we most likely know it already.

 If you are not the best, or close to it, but you say you are, you can improve your message by just shutting up.

Your startup or 2 year old services company should not be blowing smoke about being the best or being an “industry leader.”

 Stop it.  You are destroying your own credibility.  If I can’t belive you on something that basic, how am I going to believe you in your area of expertise where my limited knowledge forces me to travel with you on trust?  

 I can’t.

 Muhammad Ali said “I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.”

 The difference is he delivered proof of his personal branding message under the bright lights of a live event repeatedly on national television.

 Are you the best?  Should you be considered the best?  Don’t tell me how great you are.  Show me.  Give me evidence of your greatness from a source I will trust.

 One example of “evidence” not to follow would be the supposed professionals quoted on  DVD cases.

 “Best family movie of the year” – X Magazine.        

“A thrill ride from beginning to end!” – NY Times.

 No one believes the hype on the box, especially if it only lists the title of the reviewing publication.  Was there not one single guy working there that was willing to put his name to the review?  So what does it amount to?  A waste of time to write, an erosion credibility, and an abuse of the customers time spent reading it.

 Give me a video testimonial.  Give me a signed reference letter and a phone number that I can call to back it up.  Give me independent research.

 If you are not the industry leader, tell me what you are, and give me a compelling reason to forsake the safety of the industry leader to take a ride with you.

 One last point.  It has been consistently proven that people are by in large not trying to make the very best choice they can, they are trying to avoid making a bad choice.

 You don’t have to be the world wide number 1, you just have to be number 1 for me. 

You heard it here first, if Global Warming is real, the source is not cow butts or cars, it is the smoke spewing from the collective mouths of crusty reps and unimaginitive copy writers. 
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