Businesses often send mixed messages to their clients, claiming high quality products for example, but presenting them poorly. Or they create a pointless strapline about themselves and their ‘fantastic solutions’ and repeat it continuously! You only have a few seconds to grab people’s attention so a well-developed marketing message is absolutely key.

Avoid clichés

“We give our clients 110%”; “customer satisfaction is guaranteed”. It’s amazing how many times you hear businesses repeat the same old phrases. Avoid clichés when describing your business or products. Customers are switched off by them. Use simple straightforward language, which is far more effective.

So, what is a USP?

What do you do that makes you different to your competitors? Often described as your ‘Unique Selling Proposition’ or USP, this can be difficult to create but is worth the effort. You need to let people know why they should consider you ahead of the competition.

Write a single sentence and then a longer description of around 100 words that describe your organisation. When you are happy with this, try it out on friends and colleagues and see if they understand the message you are trying to convey.

Core values

Together with your description, write down a number of key values that you want your business to encompass. Are you environmentally friendly for example? By making sure your marketing methods reflect and build on your business values, you have the start of a solid brand image.

  • Jo Spencer heads up the Lake District branch of GAP PR and Marketing Ltd with colleague Polly Winder. Together, they help local businesses decide on the right marketing strategy for them – www.gapgb.com