As a business owner, when setting up an effective marketing strategy, one of the first questions you will have to ask yourself is “What makes us different?” Every successful business has a core difference- the single greatest benefit of working with the firm. It is through which your market will actually understand and feel the value you provide over your competitors. Without it, all you have is a recipe to compete on price, which more often than not, will not suffice.

Today, I’m going to share a tactic that will help you turn your point of difference into a simple core message- something John Jantsch (Founder- Duct Tape Marketing) has dubbed “The Talking Logo.”

Like a traditional printed logo, a talking logo is a tool that allows you to verbally communicate the single greatest perk of doing business with your firm. It is a short statement or phrase that quickly projects your firm’s position and ideally induces more interest from the listener.

The talking logo is generally played in response to the comment, “So, tell me about your firm.” Every business owner has attended a networking event or Chamber of Commerce breakfast where you are given a minute to describe your business – a great opportunity to let the Talking Logo work its magic.

When asked, the typical response for many is to list their title or industry . . . “I’m in the insurance business, I’m an architect, I’m a painting contractor or I’m a computer repair specialist.” Typically, the only response this would get you is, “That’s nice.” However, a creative talking logo creates more interest and tells more about what’s in it for the listener than simply stating what it is you do.

Consider these two examples: “So, Bill, what do you do for a living?” “I’m a registered architect” or [Talking Logo] “I show contractors how to get paid faster.” Now, which do you think is more compelling? If you’re a contractor, you definitely want to know more about that second answer, don’t you?

Your talking logo is created in two distinct parts. Part 1 addresses your target market, and Part 2 seeks to solve a pain point, frustration or provide a want the market has.

You know you have a great talking logo when a person hears it and immediately asks, “Really, how do you do that?”

Here’s the pattern for creating your Talking Logo: Action verb, (I show, I teach, I help) target market, (business owners, homeowners, teachers, divorced women, Fortune 500 companies) how to xxxx = solve a problem, get a result or meet a need.

A powerful Talking Logo alone can easily help you get that first meeting, which is your opportunity to convert your prospect. Who would you see, someone who wants to sell you his work or someone who wants to show you how to make more money?

For your Talking Logo to be truly compelling, you’ll need to have a supporting statement that tells them just how you will deliver on your promise just as the listener inevitably asks to know more.

So let’s return to our architect above to explain – “We have developed relationships with every zoning board in the metro area and by applying our zoning adjustment process we can make sure that projects don’t get hung up by red tape, and that our clients get to that first pay request faster.”

By starting from this very simple point you can expand and grow a core message that can be used in every possible setting and every form of communication.