How do you answer, “Why should I work with you?” in a way that distinguishes you or your company in a market where you likely have a number of similar competitors? Unless you have the cure for cancer, you can’t credibly say that you are the only business that offers X. However, you can move into a more competitively advantaged position when you respond with a unique combination of descriptive metaphors.
The idea of creating a combination of metaphors to distinguish you, or your business, is inspired by the opening to a book review I read this week in The New York Times by Mimi Swartz of a new Lady Bird Johnson biography. Swartz wrote, “We should all be so lucky as to have a Claudia Taylor, a.k.a. Lady Bird Johnson, in our lives, someone with the self-effacing graciousness of a geisha, the political shrewdness of Cleopatra, the intelligence of a Phi Beta Kappa and the caregiving skills of a Florence Nightingale.”
Geisha, Cleopatra, Phi Beta Kappa and Florence Nightingale – a p-r-e-t-t-y strong combination of metaphors to create a total image that is unique, easily understood, highly evocative — and, most important to the reviewer — makes you want to read on for more information.
What Metaphors are Possible for Your Strengths?
What works for a book reviewer can work for you. Try this simple exercise:
1.Break down everything about you and/or your business that explains why people buy from you. (Tip: Ask your clients why they buy from you; you will often be amazed at the answers). Depending on your business, your list might include some or all of the following
- Process (Efficient? Easy? Thorough?)
- Personality (Easy going? Non-pressuring? Diplomatic? Resilient? Fun?)
- People (Courteous? Smart? Knowledgeable?)
- Delivery (On-time? Better than on time?)
- Service (Consistent? Professional? Reliable? Responsive?)
- Results (Beyond expectations? As promised? Surpasses others?)
- Quality (First-rate? As promised? Top of the line?)
- Creativity (Imaginative? Cutting Edge? Innovative?)
- Experience (Authoritative? Credible? Respected?)
- Empathy (Understanding? Customer-focused? Listens well?)
- Commitment (To client success? Meeting deadlines? To both personal and business goals?)
- Other
2.Select the 3-5 strongest reasons and connect them to known figures that share those qualities. For example, you might decide on Empathy, Delivery, and Commitment.
3.Then,when asked how you are unique, you easily respond, “When you work with us, you get the empathy of an Oprah, the delivery speed of an Amazon, and the Commitment of an Olympic Gold athlete.”
Oprah, Amazon, Olympic Gold — unique, vivid, powerful and, most important, the metaphor combo immediately engages to lead your listener to want to know more about your services.
Metaphorically You
Unless they were flies on the wall when you made your list, none of your competitors will have your unique combo metaphor description to offer your prospects — giving you the positioning advantage you want.
To paraphrase the Capitol One ads, “What metaphors are in your (business) wallet?”
Anne Miller
Make What You Say Pay! – with Metaphors
Random Metaphors (Analogies) in the News
1.From the Charleston Gazette Mail in an article asking, Should bars, stadiums, or convention centers have the right to deny service to the unvaccinated?
“Of course, they should. If restaurants can post a sign reading, ‘No shirt, no shoes, no service,’ there’s no reason why they can’t say, ‘No shots, no service.”
(Hard to argue!)
2.From the The NY Times Analyzing why the wealth gap between the races lingers
Explaining the complex historic and unfair forces that have created wealth inequities between the races, writer Patricia Cohen makes them emotionally meaningful and easy to understand by comparing the situation to a game well-known to readers. “Imagine playing a game of Monopoly with a set of rigged rules. Your opponent gets $2000 in cash, rolls with two dice at every turn and earns $200 every time he circles the board and passes GO. You, by contrast, begin with only $1000, roll with a single die, and earn $100 every time you pass GO. The rigged game helps explain the origins of the wealth gap.”
(Readers may not understand all the economic history, but everyone understands Monopoly and what is fair and what is not.)
If you enjoyed this month’s Metaphor Minute, please feel free to share it with friends, clients, and colleagues. Thank you!