In this final installment in our branding series, BizAssist looks at the final stage of messaging: developing proof points that convince buyers to sign on the dotted line and complete a purchase transaction.
One key part of the brand messaging process that businesses of all sizes get wrong is proving the claims that are made throughout core messages platforms. Clearly articulating core messages, points of differentiation and Universal Selling Propositions is a huge accomplishment, but without something called “proof points”, you’ve given your external audiences nothing concrete on which to base a buying decision. This is the final step in developing a rock-solid foundation for your brand, and sadly it’s the one step that often falls by the wayside.
So what questions or concerns should proof points address in the mind of your prospects and customers? Proof points should:
- Convince buyers to take the next step in the buying process. This could be inquiring further about pricing, contacting a sales representative, requesting a sales call or actually finalizing a purchase.
- Instill confidence in the mind of your prospects and customers. For prospects, proof points demonstrate that your product or service is real and its benefits have been demonstrated by many customer successes. For customers, proof points help to ensure ongoing customer loyalty: customers who feel they are part of a successful company are more inclined to make a repeat purchase and renew contracts, and less inclined to attrite.
- Help prospects better assess your offering against competitors who offer a similar product or service. Getting customer endorsements can often be a challenge, so incorporating these into your proof points will position you favourably against your competitors.
Let’s take a closer look at the most effective types of proof points you can incorporate into you brand messages:
- Cost Reduction – This proof point type is incredibly effective in today’s economy when many of your customers will be focused more on reducing the cost of their overall operations. When revenue growth slows, companies start paying even closer attention to expense reduction. Demonstrate that your product or service helps to reduce cost and you’ll win the immediate attention of prospects.
- Revenue Growth – This is another winner. In an economy that is only now beginning to show signs of positive growth, companies are searching for solutions that will help them close business faster and more efficiently. If you can prove that your offering can accelerate the sales cycle or help identify cross-sell opportunities, prospects will sit up and take notice.
- Efficiency & Operational Improvements – Many of your customers will be focused on making their businesses run more smoothly during a recession. In many cases, they will have cut resources and budgets to improve their bottom line. If your solution can help them do the same job by increasing the efficiency of existing employees, that’s a proof point with “swaying power”.
So what types of data help convince customers and prospects that your proof points are real? In all cases, you need to point to real data that is supplied by your customers. In cases where you can’t secure approval to publish specific customer results, you can consider publishing aggregate results. If you recall the previous installment of our branding series, you’ll remember that EcoGreen helped customers reduce their energy consumption by an average of 18 percent. Average results are powerful proof points, since they present data that is indicative of a range of customer experiences, not just one. It’s easy for a prospect to get on board with that, and it increases the likelihood that they will see similar results if they purchase your product.
So why do proof points often get overlooked by companies? For the simple reason that it’s hard work and it’s often the one piece that prevents a small business or larger enterprise from moving forward with new brand messages. BizAssist recommends that you take every step of the branding journey: proof points, while elusive, are the rubber stamp that really makes your messages hit home.