The power of words can be incredible. But only if you use them at the right time. Learn how to make more out of a standard assignment by leveraging your client’s view of things.

What matters even more than what you say, is the time you choose to say it. If you have been given a standard brief (here: re-design the CI for a small local retailer), and you want to win the client for more, anticipate how your client thinks! Identify how she might react to innovations and new approaches, and if you prepare her step by step (by feeding her bit after bit of your knowledge and insight), you will never have a problem enhancing the nature and/or extent of your assignment.

Here is how I argued to convince a client that an unusual and innovative marketing concept was the right card to bet on - in addition to the job I actually accepted.

The plot

I was asked to create a new identity for a local hearing aid* store (*the client shall remain unnamed, I chose hearing aids as a comparable branch). I accepted the task and delivered the logo and stationary. After that was delightfully approved, we started to chat about their market and how hard it was to remain competitive. Remember I did some preparation talk with the client along the way before getting to this part.

Dear client,You sell hearing aids. In your city, so do four other medium-sized chains, 7 local competitors and three global combines. The last mentioned are pumping millions into advertising. Do you have millions? No, you don’t.

Why did you want me to redesign your corporate identity?

To be competitive, you have to attract customers by thinking in a unique way. Now, what can you do to prevent yourself from getting pushed out of business?

Get this.

You can only survive if you create a niche. Your own niche. Here it is: present yourself honestly - as the small, most personal local supplier that potential customers cannot avoid if they want professional yet individual services. We want to communicate YOU, the owner, your small team, and your emotional and social competence as the core USP. That’s right, emotions!

Focus her.

Look at your new logo.

Your competition goes for the Cost-Leader strategy, I believe you shouldn’t. Instead, you should communicate and act as the unforced, smart & sympathetic guys next door:

• You should increase brand awareness by using classic and innovative Public Relations mechanisms rather than placing cost-intensive newspaper ads for free hearing tests.
• You should create and publish rich informational, somewhat emotional and word-spreading content on relevant subjects, optimized for preselling and supporting the other channels you can use, in a strategically dropped magazine of your own instead of touring the town with a huge branded bus offering free hearing tests. That does not fit your single 55 square meters shop.
• You should present yourself as the personality you are and create a buzz around your brand. Your new logo is perfect for that. Communicate what only you have, and what the others don’t.
• As for your store, you could take the route of building up your brand and encouraging word of mouth effects by creating viral subjects based on campaigns of a new and unsusual, thus effective nature which have not been seen in your industry until now - and which are very cost-effective.
• Also, you can establish special interest pointers at key decision making spots of your potential customers instead of sending expensive promotion teams around shopping streets to perform free hearing tests.
• You have to improve your lobby work. Your goal is to establish a dedicated lobby, which will precipitate in a significant increase of your return and revenue.
• Do you know what you could achieve by actually planning strategically? By simply adding certain marketing-driven elements to your business?

Give yourself credit.

I have worked with clients in businesses similar to yours before. Have you heard of X? Or Y? Do you know where they were before, and where they are now?

Loosen it up.

All this is possible with a far less need of investment than you think. I could figure some things out for you.

An approach like this is not normal, you know that. You don’t learn these things in vocational school. This approach hasn’t been used in your industry yet. And that’s exactly why it’s going to work. In fact, I think this is the only way you can uphold your business in the near future and eventually grow.

Call to action.

Does this sound interesting to you?

There is one thing though. This sort of strategic marketing will make you earn money. But it will not be next month for sure. It won’t be in two months either. To do this, we will create a fifty-two weeks marketing plan together. We will work together closely. I need your expertise about your market and your experience to construct the master plan, then I will execute it for you. We should notice movement in about twenty weeks. You have to be willing to put in some time, and a little patience. Shall we do this together?

The answer was yes.