Get Rapid Results with DISSC Marketing!

 
In the world of today, there are a multitude of ways, both offline and online, to promote your business.

Given that there is so much information online that business owners get access to, and most of these promotion options are free or low-cost, why do so many businesses struggle to get any results?

Well, the problem comes when business owners try to implement multiple strategies at once. Not only can this become overwhelming, but the lack of focus also makes it difficult to ascertain what is working and what is not.

As we have written about previously, people believe that multi-tasking really works and increases productivity, but the truth is that in most cases, multi-tasking leads to exactly the opposite, both in personal productivity and in marketing.

A way to combat this is to use the “DISSC” Rapid Results Model that focuses on one strategy at a time.

The DISSC Model is a non-complicated marketing process designed by experts, allowing you to accomplish your goals, focussing on one option at a time, to reap the benefits much quicker than ever before.

Here are the components of the DISSC Model for Rapid Results.

• Define the foundation
• Identify your #1 goal
• Select your #1 strategy
• Specify your action plan
• Communicate the strategy to your team

In this article, we will take a closer look at just what the first step of the model – Define Your Foundation – is all about, and we will then follow that up with the other components in the coming weeks.

Why Do You Have to Establish a Solid Foundation and How Do You Do It?

Choosing the foundation of your business is no different than looking at what you are going to use as the foundation of your house.

I am sure that you will remember the story of the 3 Little Pigs from your childhood. They each built a house out of different materials only to have the Big Bad Wolf come by and blow down the first two whose homes were not built on a solid foundation.

The only house that stood up to that old big bad wolf was the one built on a solid base.

Guess what? Your business is no different. Your business needs a strong foundation that provides focus in all your marketing decisions and keeps you on track instead of being side-tracked by ‘opportunities’ that don’t truly align with your business goals.

The “Why Do I Need a Strong Foundation” answer is quite simple.

In order that your business remains on track to your vision and mission, not just for now but in the years to come, your foundation must be strong.

How Do You Define Your Foundation?

Creating your foundation is a process that, once established, will be tweaked from time to time as your business grows.

It is based on:

1. Your core values,
2. Your best customers,
3. Your unique value proposition (UVP), and
4. Your range of products and services.

Let’s explore each of these in more detail.

1. List Your Core Values

Your core values are a set of principles or values that are central to the way you run your business. The business environment can change, but your core values provide consistency and guide your decision-making. They define who you are and communicate that message to others, including your team members, suppliers and customers.

Here are some single word examples:

• Consistency
• Integrity
• Environmentally aware
• Innovative
• Customer-focused
• Fun
• Loyalty
• Honesty
• Accountability

Defining your core values

You probably already have values for your personal life that extend to your business decisions. So, it is more a ‘fleshing out’, rather than creating or selecting them.

Defining your core values requires you to take a closer look at what you believe, and what you want your business to look like.

Look at these questions and write down the answers to them.

1. What achievement/achievements are you most proud of?
2. What are the policies that are most adhered to in your business?
3. What action in your business process gives you the most satisfaction?
4. When others talk about your business, what would you like them to say?
5. If a reporter came to interview you and asked, “what is most important to you about your business”, what would be your response?

These are good questions to start with, and you can add questions of your own.

Boil your answers down to short phrases or single words to arrive at your list of the core values.

For example, here are Google’s taken from  https://about.google/philosophy/, “Ten Things We Know To Be True’’

1. Focus on the user and all else will follow.
2. It’s best to do one thing really, really well.
3. Fast is better than slow.
4. Democracy on the web works.
5. You don’t need to be at your desk to need an answer.
6. You can make money without doing evil.
7. There’s always more information out there.
8. The need for information crosses all borders.
9. You can be serious without a suit.
10. Great just isn’t good enough.

The truth about building a solid foundation is that it applies, whether you are a self-employed small business owner or a company as large as Google.

Revisit these from time to time to ensure they remain relevant, and if you have employees in your business, involve your team in this process.

Pinpoint Your Best Customers

Your ideal customers also form part of your foundation. If you have not yet defined your ideal customer, now is the time to do it as you want to focus on your ‘best’ customers.

You want to be searching for the ‘best’ customer so consider:

1. Loyal customers who keep coming back and giving you repeat business,
2. Customers who are enjoyable to work with (unlike those who are very demanding and don’t pay on time),
3. Customers that have good connections and make consistent referrals,
4. Customers who promise good opportunity or benefits to you.

In effect, these are the customers who are great to work with and make it enjoyable to do business.

Your Products and Services

Your business is also defined by the products and services you offer. What is your product range? Do you have a wide range or are you very specialized?

The Pareto Principle suggests that 80% of your sales will come from 20% of your product range. It also suggests that 80% of your profit will come from 20% of your products. This can be different to sales because of the costs involved in providing the profit or service (from creation to delivery). Identify the ones that are the most profitable.

Your Unique Value Proposition (UVP)

Your UVP is simply a short phrase that answers the question: “Why do my customers buy from me instead of my competitors?”.

It describes:

• how your products and services are the key to solving any problems they may have,
• the unique services and benefits your solutions provide, and
• what differentiates you from your competitors.

Try to write a short and concise statement that is as specific as possible and covers these points.

A simple format could be: “A (description of your key product or service) that (the problem you solve) for (target customer) who (their needs).”

For example, our business UVP is: “The premier support site for self-employed business owners, who want to build a successful business and don’t have time to waste.”

Action Steps

Ok, let’s take some action.

Firstly, take a sheet of paper and list the core values for your business. Find a spot on your wall to put it up as a continuous reminder.

Use another sheet of paper or use a spreadsheet to list:

• all your products and services,
• your products and services (or at least the top 20%) in the order of profit contribution,
• your best customers, and
• why your best customers buy from you.

By following these steps, you should be able to Define Your Foundation, which is the first step in getting rapid results with your marketing.