Isn’t it amazing how much lights are used around Christmas?
Not only do we stick them on our trees, but we decorate our windows, stick lights outside, light advent candles, buy Christmas scented candles and add fairy lights along mantlepieces and down stairs. Of course, if you’re in the UK then it’s getting colder and so doing these things and lighting fires if you have them makes us feel warmer and cosier. Lights reflected on Christmas decorations are beautiful. Twinkly lights help to make us feel festive. Going to see a lights switch on in a town is a big event and there are possibly even light related events happening in your area (we are going to Enchanted Parks soon and can’t wait) because with the dark nights they have a great impact.
The lights have a great impact in the dark.
Your business should also have a great impact in the dark. The dark being the problem that your customer sees and your light being your business coming along and shining onto their problem so they can see how it can be fixed.
What is the problem that your business solves? Do you know?
For me, it’s mainly about confidence. Confidence for the business owner that their business looks professional and they can be proud of it. This means they are proud to hand out their business cards and send people to their website because they know that these things not only look brilliant, but they communicate something about their business which is exactly what people need to take in. It’s also about creating confidence for their audience. Giving them the confidence in the business so that they’ll pay attention and spend money. So the problem I solve is lack of confidence in the business owner for their own business and lack of confidence in their audience to buy into that business.
I once had a business coach who drew some pictures on a piece of paper and told me that people don’t buy drills, they don’t buy pictures hung on walls either – they buy holes. That’s the benefit of buying a drill – holes – so another way to look at this is to work out what the benefit of buying from you is.
That benefit needs to be your light. When you know what your light is you can use it to create an impact. Just like lights at Christmas.
How can you make an impact with your business once you know what the problem you solve is?
Here’s some ideas…
– Have a logo which communicates what you do really well
– Choose a colour palette which resonates with your audience
– Choose a typeface that is appropriate (and legible)
– Make sure that you know where the dark (your audience) is and hang out there
– Create attention-grabbing graphics for your social media and your website
– Create any other items that will help your audience to see that they need you
– Pick up the phone or send an email to people you know you could help
– Write articles or press releases or blog posts (or all of those!) focussing on the problem you’re solving and the benefit you provide – and make sure as many people as possible know about them!
