A well-attended meeting this week, with 18 members and guests contributing to a lively atmosphere, and some terrible puns.

After breakfast (which Toni at Barrington’s Cafe makes sure caters to our wide ranging tastes), Matt Willson (that’s me) took the group through “How to define your global brand positioning in 5 minutes”, an approach that can also be used on smaller enterprises such as those in the room.  In essence, it involves writing out two lists

– We Offer: which means not just the products & services of your business, but more intangible assets such as experience, a combination of skills and so on, and focusing on the benefits your business offers.

– Customers Want: again, not just the products & services, but also what they want in life, such as time saved, reassurance they’re buying the right thing, even the desire to keep “ahead of the neighbours”.

The idea is to go through both lists, first highlighting in We Offer what is unique or ownable; second highlighting in Customers Want the desires that overlap with your unique offering.

That gives you the basis of a marketing message that differentiates you from competitors, and is compelling to potential customers.

Steve Leverton of Cornmill Associates then took us through a beautifully-timed 10 minute presentation of his business, which is facilitating business finance.

Steve is a great combination of integrity, energy and creativity, which combined with his experience in banking means he helps clients arrange their business finance for greater profit.  Steve gave us examples of how he prepares presentations that “sell” to banks why lending is in their interest, and also how he identifies routes to get profitable financing for a variety of businesses.

If you’re reading this and your interest is piqued – please get in touch and come along to a meeting as a guest, to see how the group can be part of your marketing efforts.

Matt Willson
WillsonWebDesign