I’ve learned a lot in the last couple of weeks. One of the first lessons of business communications is that you’ve got to differentiate yourself. Even if you can do a lot a different things, you’ve got to design your communications around one that your intended audience will find most compelling. This is a bit of a gamble. A calculated gamble, but a gamble nonetheless.

Trying to be everything to everyone severely reduces the impact of your message. Ask anyone in communications — it’s a big no no. People will find it hard to relate your product/service to something going on in their lives. People relate to specifics. Details are important.

For example, we’re providing all sorts of technology implementations but when I talk to SME owners I tell them the following:

We’re technology consultants specializing in systems integration. We focus on helping companies growth profits through a better understanding of their data. Typically when we deal with companies, they’re frustrated and disappointed by how hard it is to manage day-to-day operations because the data sits in different programs OR they’re concerned that they’re falling behind their competitors because they don’t have the processes in place to measure their performance.

Again, that’s not all we do — but that’s what we hang our hat on because we think SMB owners can relate to these problems. So when you’re meeting a potential client for the first time, you’ve got to take a bit of a gamble. Throw something out there that’s specific, something that they can relate to and, with any luck, it will resonate.

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