#179: Talkin' Shop—How to Leverage Your Unique Edge Without Confusing Your Customers

Summary

Marketing Made Simple Episode #179: Talkin' Shop—How to Leverage Your Unique Edge Without Confusing Your Customers

Release Date: October 23, 2024

In Episode #179 of Marketing Made Simple, hosted by Dr. J.J. Peterson and April Sunshine Hawkins, listeners delve into the intricate balance between showcasing a business’s unique strengths and maintaining clear, customer-friendly messaging. This episode, titled "Talkin' Shop—How to Leverage Your Unique Edge Without Confusing Your Customers," offers actionable insights and expert advice to help marketers and business owners refine their strategies for maximum impact.

1. Introduction to the Episode

The episode kicks off with a brief introduction where April and J.J. emphasize their passion for delving deep into marketing strategies. They highlight their mission to build a community of "Hero Makers" who are eager to discuss and refine their marketing tactics.

2. The Importance of Talking Shop

April Sunshine Hawkins shares her excitement about creating a space where marketers can "talk shop" and get "nerdy" about specific aspects of marketing. This concept is central to the new series they are launching, aiming to provide more nuanced and specialized discussions beyond the high-level marketing strategies commonly covered.

“We thought, wouldn't it be fun if we got some people on here who maybe were a little bit more nuanced in their marketing and talked shop with them?” – April Sunshine Hawkins [01:08]

3. Embracing Uniqueness in Marketing

Macy Robinson, the StoryBrand Certified Guide Director, provides foundational advice on leveraging uniqueness in marketing. She underscores the importance of embracing what makes a business unique to help it stand out in a crowded market.

“Embrace your uniqueness. Embrace the things that you love. Yes, talk about the thing you do. … That will make it easier for people to find and connect with you.” – Macy Robinson [08:57]

Macy cites Seth Godin, emphasizing that effective marketing is about showcasing the unique traits that distinguish one business from another. She shares a relatable example of a marketer who integrates a personal passion (tasting European candy) into her Instagram marketing, illustrating how personal interests can enhance professional messaging.

4. The Crucial Role of Clarity

While uniqueness is vital, April and Macy stress that clarity remains the cornerstone of effective marketing. Clarity ensures that potential customers immediately understand what a business offers, preventing confusion and enhancing discoverability.

“No matter what, you need to stick to clarity. Even as you're expressing your uniqueness, clarity is going to win in the long run.” – Macy Robinson [15:03]

Using the analogy of a plumber versus a "pipe engineer," they explain how overly creative terminology can obscure the intended message, making it harder for customers to find and understand the service offered.

5. Balancing Clarity with Creativity

April elaborates on how businesses can maintain clarity while infusing creativity into their messaging. Starting with a clear description of what the business does and the problems it solves provides a solid foundation. From there, businesses can highlight their unique processes, tones, or specializations to differentiate themselves.

“If you're starting to get really fancy and inventing new names for things, take a step back, be clear that clarity is what's going to cut through the noise and is going to win in the long run.” – Macy Robinson [15:36]

6. Leveraging StoryBrand Certified Guides

The conversation shifts to the value of StoryBrand Certified Guides in helping businesses achieve this balance. Macy explains that these guides specialize in various industries, offering tailored strategies that incorporate both clarity and uniqueness.

“Having someone walk alongside you and co-create those words with you is such a powerful thing to do for your marketing.” – Macy Robinson [18:03]

7. How to Find the Right Guide

Macy provides practical tips on finding the perfect StoryBrand Certified Guide through the Marketing Made Simple website. She details the three search methods available:

1. Keyword Search: Input specific terms related to your industry or needs.
2. Geographical Search: Find guides located near you.
3. Advanced Filters: Utilize filters such as language, business ownership, or specific industry expertise.

“There are lots of different ways to search the directory and find the exact right person that you want to talk shop with when it comes to marketing for your business.” – Macy Robinson [20:21]

8. Introducing the Shop Talk Series

April announces the launch of the new Shop Talk series, which will feature specialized StoryBrand Certified Guides discussing niche areas of marketing. This series aims to provide listeners with deeper insights tailored to specific industries, ensuring that the advice is both relevant and actionable.

“We’re actually going to bring on guides who really have specialized in various areas. And it’s going to be a really fun series because we’re going to go deep on them.” – April Sunshine Hawkins [21:38]

9. Actionable Step for Listeners

To wrap up the episode, April provides an actionable step for listeners:

“Pause and think about what makes you unique in your industry. What is it about who you are? What is it about how you solve the problem? What are the features that you offer that are different.” – April Sunshine Hawkins [end]

Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their unique selling points and consider how these can be clearly communicated to their target audience.

Conclusion

Episode #179 of Marketing Made Simple offers valuable lessons on balancing uniqueness with clarity in marketing strategies. By leveraging the expertise of StoryBrand Certified Guides and embracing both creative and clear messaging, businesses can effectively stand out without compromising their core message. Whether you're a freelance marketer, agency owner, or consultant, the insights shared in this episode provide practical steps to refine your marketing approach and connect more meaningfully with your customers.

For more specialized advice, visit marketingmadesimple.com and explore the directory of StoryBrand Certified Guides tailored to your specific needs.

Transcript

[Dr. J.J. Peterson]

Chances are, if you're listening to this podcast right now, you're a freelance marketer, an agency owner or a consultant who's passionate about helping businesses grow. Well, if that's you, I've got some exciting news. Right now is your chance to take things to the next level by becoming a Storybrand Certified Guide. Imagine having the tools, the training, and the title that sets you apart in the marketing world. As a storybrain Certified Guide, you'll be fully equipped to help businesses clarify their message, connect with their customers and skyrocket their sales. Plus, you'll be part of an exclusive community of top tier marketing professionals, sharing insider tips, opportunities and even referrals. But do not wait to apply because the deadline for the December training is just around the corner. So go to storybrand.com guide to apply now and take that first step toward becoming the Go to Marketer expert. In your field.

[April Sunshine Hawkins]

You find something that you love and a you know a ton about and you love it when you find other people who can talk shop about that. It's like next level. And we realized that this community that we're building of Hero Makers and Marketing Made simple podcast listeners, when we talk about what are we getting nerdy over, we're getting nerdy and talking shop about marketing. And we talk a lot of times at a very high level, like universal level of marketing. And we thought, wouldn't it be fun if we got some people on here who maybe were a little bit more nuanced in their marketing and talked shop with them? And we know people who are a little nerdy in those spaces.

[Macy Robinson]

Yeah, we do.

[Dr. J.J. Peterson]

You.

[April Sunshine Hawkins]

I'm about to start the show. Hello Hero Maker. Welcome to the Marketing Made simple podcast powered by StoryBrand and brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast network where we believe your marketing should be easy and it should work. I am your host, Dr. J.J. peterson. And I am joined by my co host, April Sunshine Hawkins. Hi April.

[Macy Robinson]

Hello JJ and hello Hero Maker. And we are also joined today by our Storybrand Certified Guide director, Macy Robinson.

Hey, Macy, you too. Good to see you both. I'm usually, I feel like I'm usually in the office with you in person, but thanks to the magic of technology, I still get to join, which is so fun. Thank you.

[April Sunshine Hawkins]

We're so happy to have you. And Macy, I have a question for you in April, what do you like to nerd out about?

[Macy Robinson]

Uh, yeah, so many things. But I know the two that pop to mind right now because sort of the season I'm in for, like we're going into the fall time. Broadway musicals?

[April Sunshine Hawkins]

Yes, for sure.

[Macy Robinson]

I studied musical theater in college. I've always loved them. I love looking at what's coming up, what's new and also Dancing with the Stars. Like, I know far more about Dancing with the Stars than anyone probably should.

I love.

I follow the dancers. Some of them live here in Utah. One of them lives up the hill from me. I'm not a stalker, but I know where she lives. Not exactly, but like, I can tell when she's driving around on TikTok. I know anyway. Too much. I know too much. Please don't call me and tell me I'm a stalker. I know it's too much.

[April Sunshine Hawkins]

I don't think that's too much, especially when it comes to Broadway musicals, because you and I talk about that a lot. In fact, we're going to New York this weekend separately and we're showing up for a conference and then we're both going to at least one, maybe two musicals while we're there. And I'm going to try to also drag you out to Marie's crisis where we go to a Sing along. Come on, Broadway, Sing along. So, yes, I mean, when you and I get together, like sometimes even on our official meetings, like, we'll start out by going, did you hear? And it's like a Broadway. We got immediately get into the nerd dom of. And I would say that proudly. Not. That is a. That is not a derogatory statement.

[Macy Robinson]

No.

[April Sunshine Hawkins]

The nerdom of Broadway musicals. April, what do you nerd out about?

[Macy Robinson]

Well, Macy, I did not know you were a fellow Dancing with the Stars.

I did not know you were a.

Fellow Dancing with the Stars. So I am so excited to have a full recap of the season.

Slacking you later.

Yeah, yeah, slack you later. I can't wait to hear what you think about the cast. Anyway, I nerd out on feelings and psychology and people like, I take online courses about it. I join peer groups. My comic con is like attending a sacred feminine retreat with Dr. Hilary McBride and Lisa Gunger. Like, these are the things that I love and I know way too much.

[April Sunshine Hawkins]

About and have shared with me a lot of that and I've learned a ton from you on those.

[Macy Robinson]

Yeah, well, in the neuro spicy land, which we are learning more and more about. I am anyway, because again, psychology, I like to give gifts of information instead of like words of affirmation. It's words of information. That's a. It's a gift that I'm giving to you. So thank you for listening to me as I talk to you about all of the feelings. So, jj, what about you? What do you nerd out about?

[April Sunshine Hawkins]

Well, you said that that's your comic con. And I would say Comic Con is my comic con.

[Macy Robinson]

Because.

[April Sunshine Hawkins]

If you want to talk pop culture, if you want to talk movies, that's my shop talk. That is what I love to do.

[Macy Robinson]

Yeah. If you're, like, in a bad mood, I'll be like, hey, jj, why don't you tell me about.

[April Sunshine Hawkins]

Because you know how to handle my feelings.

[Macy Robinson]

That's right. That's right.

[April Sunshine Hawkins]

I think a lot of people are like that. Like, you find something that you love and, well, a, you know, ton about, and you love it. And when you find other people who can talk shop about that, it's like, next level. And we realized that this community that we're building of hero makers and marketing made simple podcast listeners. It really like our shop. When we talk about what are we getting nerdy over? We're getting nerdy and talking shop about marketing. I mean, if you have been listening to this for a while, I don't know who else. There might be some other people, maybe my mother. Besides my mother.

[Macy Robinson]

I don't know anybody else.

[April Sunshine Hawkins]

Yeah, your mom.

[Macy Robinson]

Listeners, thank you.

Thanks, mom.

[April Sunshine Hawkins]

Yes. Hi, mom. Hi, Cheryl. Hi, Eva.

[Macy Robinson]

And Wayne.

[April Sunshine Hawkins]

Like, but beyond that, like, if you're listening this podcast, it's because you're a marketer, run a business, and need to do, know and understand marketing. And that's kind of what we're doing when we come into this space is we're talking shop. We're getting nerdy. I can get. I mean, we mentioned all these other things, but the three of us, when we get together, we also get really nerdy and talk shop about marketing. So we wanted to make this next series really all about talking shop. And we talk a lot of times at a very high level, like, universal level of marketing. Right? Like, so what should you do with your website? What should you do with emails? What should you do with scheduling out social media posts? And we thought, wouldn't it be fun if we got some people on here who maybe were a little bit more nuanced in their marketing and talk to shop with them? We came and said, okay, maybe there's a. Because I know there's a group of people out there who run marketing for or run businesses that are like kind of local businesses, small town, and they really need to lean into SEO. Well, what if we brought somebody on who we could talk shop about local SEO? We know that There's a lot of listeners out there who are working in the nonprofit space. What if we could bring somebody on who we could talk shop with about nonprofit or coaching or the tech space? Because there are some nuances when it comes to those spaces. And we know people who are a little nerdy and fandom in those spaces.

[Macy Robinson]

Yes, we do. And they are our storybrand certified guides. And Macy is their leader. And so Macy provided us with a list of names of people she was like, you're going to love talking shop with this person about this particular subject. So, Macy, thank you so much for teeing us up to talk to some of the best marketers in the world. And I'm excited to hear from you today just what you would say to the listener. What are some tips you can give to them as they were moving into this series?

I love that. I love that we started by talking about the things that we nerd out on, because really those are the things that make you unique. One of my favorite things that Seth Godin says is marketing is really about people like us do things like this. And so by leaning into the things you do, the things you care about, showing what your uniqueness is, the unique thing that you know about, you care about, you teach about, you talk about, that helps people find you at the intersection of where you are as a business owner or as a marketer or whatever it is you do. So I would say the first thing I want people to think about as they're heading into this series and even as they're thinking about their own marketing is to embrace your uniqueness. Embrace the things that you love. Yes, talk about the thing you do. But I have a friend, her name's Anna McFarland and she. She's not a guide, but she's a really great marketer. She teaches about social media on Instagram and she loves candy. And over the last few months, it's been so fun that in addition to like teaching you how to do better reels and how to make your feed better on Instagram, she's taste testing in her stories, like, all these different kinds of European candy. I bought a candy I've never heard of that's like some Fruit Crocker, like some weird German name yesterday, because Anna's been talking about it for weeks and it's so fun. And I can talk to her about that as well as marketing the next time I see her. So I would say just embrace your uniqueness. Embrace what makes you you. That will make it easier for people to find and connect with you as.

[April Sunshine Hawkins]

A human, I think that's so huge because we run into this a lot when we're working with companies, right? You walk in and we do private workshops with big and small companies, and we're helping them clarify their Message using the StoryBrand framework. And on its most basic core, when we're leaning into the clarity side of things, we're identifying what are the problems people are experiencing that your product or service solves. That is, we bring in that clarity piece of what do you do and what problem do you solve? Is often two of the main questions we're answering. Now, for most companies, the answer in any given industry, the answers to those two questions are going to be very similar. So if you are a real estate agent and you want to put in marketing, what do I do and what problem do I solve? Pretty much every single other person in your industry could say the exact same thing to the answers to those two questions for you. Now, where we always start is that clarity piece. And we go, let's start there. But then we go, what is unique about the way that you solve that problem? What is the unique tone that you use or the unique process that you use to solve that problem? That's where we start diving into the unique or weird or fun aspect of this. If we start with that clarity piece first, it makes everything better. But the way that then you stand out is in the plan. How is your process different in the guide section of the brand script? How are you positioning yourself in a way? What are your unique abilities to actually step into that space in the problem section? How do you actually solve the problem differently? And once we have that, then we can also infuse some. A little bit of color to it, right? We can actually bring some fun, some humor if that's you lean that way, or more tech side if you need to be a little bit more serious or if you're a lawyer, that. To show that you actually know your space legally, using language, even a little bit of legalese, to show that you are unique, you are different. And that's one of the things we want to talk about in this Shop Talk series is really this idea that each industry is a little bit different. And there are some things maybe that you have to consider when you're creating your marketing message that lean into your uniqueness. Don't be afraid of that. If you're just doing the common language that everybody else is using, I actually still think that's a win because you're going for clarity. And we always say clarity first. But how do you take that clarity and then elevate it with some creativity?

[Dr. J.J. Peterson]

Created hosted by John Yu Shi is brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. Created gives an inside look at how to build a business as a creator, improve your creative process and stay ahead of the latest content trends. John's an ex YouTube and Instagram employee and every episode he breaks down the creator economy with guests like Logan Paul, Paris Hilton, George Lopez and more. In fact, in a recent episode titled Meet YouTube's Richest 12 Year Old Ryan's World, he sits down and talks with Ryan, Kaji and his parents exploring how they built a billion dollar empire that started with simple toy reviews on YouTube. I mean this episode was great because it was almost like a grown up toy review because Ryan's parents go into how they quit their jobs, scaled the brand and even launched a movie. So if you are looking for insights on entrepreneurship and creating a powerhouse business, go check out that episode and go check out Created. You can listen to it and follow the show wherever you get your podcasts. With smaller budgets and sky high expectations, growth is feeling pretty painful right now. But HubSpot just announced more than 200 major product updates to make impossible growth feel impossibly easy. Like Breeze, a suite of new AI powered tools that help you say goodbye to busy work and hello to Better Breeze Intelligence to give you the richest, most comprehensive picture of your prospects and customers and the reimagined marketing and content hubs to attract and convert more leads and send your revenue soaring. So get the pain relief you deserve for your business by going to HubSpot.comspot to learn more.

[April Sunshine Hawkins]

And now back to the show.

[Macy Robinson]

Okay, great hot tip, Macy. What's next?

Well, J.J. kind of stole my next one, which is that no matter what, you need to stick to clarity. Even as you're expressing your uniqueness, clarity is going to win in the long run. Being clear is much more foundational and important than being creative. So they've got to go hand in hand. There's like a opposition in all things kind of balance that needs to be there. And no matter what, stick to clarity. So you know, if you're starting to get really fancy and inventing new names for things, take a step back, be clear that clarity is what's going to cut through the noise and is going to win in the long run.

And that's what happens when you're talking shop. You're like, oh yes, me too. I think that exact same thing that's coming out of your mouth right now. And so that's so fun. That heromaker. You're getting a double whammy of. Remember, clarity is key.

[April Sunshine Hawkins]

And that's so important because let's say somebody is googling you, right? So they're going online and they are looking for. Let's keep it real simple. A plumber in Nashville. I'm looking for a plumber in Nashville. If on my website I am trying to be a creative plumber in my messaging and I say something along the.

[Macy Robinson]

Lines of, I'm a pipe engineer.

[April Sunshine Hawkins]

A pipe engineer?

[Macy Robinson]

Yes. I used to be a photographer. And photographers do this all the time. Where they're describing their galleries on their pages. Like weird, silly names. I just wanna see senior pictures. I just wanna see family pictures. I don't wanna see whatever name you created for those.

[April Sunshine Hawkins]

And so if you don't have those pieces of clarity on your website, people are not going to be able to find you using search engines. But also when they get there, they're going to be confused. They're like, I want a plumber and this person's a pipe engineer. I don't need that service. I need a plumber. So once you have plumber on there, then you can elevate and be creative and unique and lean into your unique side of things with the copy and the marketing. But if you leave that clarity out, you're right, Macy, you're done. And so thank you for being graceful that I stole your. But it's so. You're. You're so right on the nose with that. Is that you did. That two combination is really a kind of a yes and moment of. Should you lean into your own uniqueness? Absolutely. Should you also be clear? Absolutely. Those two things work really, really well together. And when people come to the storybrand framework, a lot of times they're like, but it. I don't know how to this. Or they feel stuck. Like, well, I have to only choose one or the other. And the reality is I think you have to hold both.

[Macy Robinson]

I think so too. The clarity gives you a place to gather. Right? Like if I'm gathering with someone at Comic Con, like, I know what I'm going to get when I get there. But then within that whole ecosystem of people in San Diego that come together, there's all kinds of creativity that's being expressed. But we're. Or we're still gathered in the right place. So, yeah, both things have to be there for sure.

Love it. Okay, Macy, anything else that you want to share with the hero maker today as we're kicking off this series, I.

Would say, you know, if you want to find help to do that, to hold both of those things at the same time, which can be tricky because as a business owner, it feels so often like you're inside the jar trying to describe what the label looks like and it's hard to do. So having someone walk alongside you and co create those words with you is such a powerful thing to do for your marketing. And the best people in the world who are equipped to help you do that really are the storybrand certified guides. Finding someone who specializes in your field. While all of our guides are certified and qualified and trained in their ability to infuse storybrand into whatever needs to be infused, whether it's marketing or sales or anything that a clear message will help, they're also bringing their own experience and their own uniqueness to the table and can put those two things together for you. I know that when I was a guide before became the director, I specialized in helping authors and thought leaders build a business around their ideas, which is a pretty niche, unique little group of people. And so when they would find me through Marketing Made Simple, I knew that they were in the right place because they were looking for something like author or book. And I would come up in the search results and I would be able to work with them, which was so fun and so exciting. So whether you're looking for someone who can help you with local SEO or can help you with a specific type of website or in a specific industry, you know, like where we have Matt Banker, who is a guide who works specifically with accountants, and we've just got all kinds of folks who can help you with your marketing and help you stand out in both.

Yes, they will love talking shop with you. Like, that's one of the fun pieces as well, because they know your industry inside and out. And Macy, I can't even count the number of times I've slacked you to be like, hey, do we have any guides who know how to? And then fill in the blank of whatever the specialty is. Because of course, you are so connected and in tune with the guide community. But a lot of the times I'm like, oh, Macy's busy. I really shouldn't bother her right now. I will go over to marketingmadesimple.com and I will do a search myself and look through the profiles that are there because a lot of them, they say it right in the header on their profile, who they like to work with.

Can I give you a pro tip? There's actually Three ways you can search on Marketing Made simple. The first field at the top of the screen is a keyword search. So if there's something particular that you're looking for, like the name of your industry or some specific thing, like you need a squarespace website done, you could put the word squarespace in that keyword field, which is the first one on the left, and everybody who has that in their profile will pop up and then you can filter from there. So if you have something specific, like for me, people would maybe put in author and my profile would pop up. That's one way you can search. The middle field is actually geographically based. So if you start typing the city that you're in, if you want to work with someone specific to you in your area, you can skip that first field for a second, go to the second window like field at the top and start typing the name of the city that you're in. And it starts where you are and it goes out from there in waves. How many guides are close to you and everyone that's close will be listed. Then the third one, there are actually several filters you can check, like what language do they speak, Are they a woman owned business? Do they work with a specific industry? That filters third window, you can check as many as you want to and see who comes up. So there's lots of different ways to search the directory and find the exact right person that you want to talk shop with when it comes to marketing for your business.

[April Sunshine Hawkins]

And through this series, we're actually going to bring on a number of those experts to talk shop about some really specific industries because we can all talk very high level marketing, but really we wanted to get a little more nuanced and a little bit frankly nerdy in those areas and talk shop on some specific areas. And so we're bringing on guides who really have specialized in various areas. And it's going to be a really fun series because we're going to go deep on them. But on top of that, even when if we're talking to somebody who maybe isn't in your area of business or industry, the tips that they're going to bring and some nuances that they're going to bring to the table, I know are going to be applicable to every single person listening. So if we bring on somebody who is in the tech space, I know they're going to offer tips for people who are realtors, but they're also going to talk shop and get a little nerdy on being in the tech space. So very excited about all of this. And as we get going into this series, if you are looking for somebody to really talk shop and go deep with on your marketing, use the tips Macy just gave you and go to marketingsmadesimple.com and search for a guide who really fits the needs that you have in the marketing space. Whether that's industry, whether that's location, or whether it's just you want to talk with somebody who feels a little bit more like you, there are a lot of ways to find the right person there. So go to marketingmadesimple.com and you can hire a guide who actually can help you clarify your message and grow your business. But for now, it's time for this week's actionable step, which really is a practical step from today's conversation that you can immediately use to shape your marketing and clarify your message. For today's tip, the thing I want you to pause and think about is what makes you unique in your industry? What is it about who you are? What is it about how you solve the problem? What are the features that you offer that are different.