How to play your CARDS right
How your service or product is positioned in customers’ minds is the critical determinant of your success. But do you know how to achieve a strong position? Most organisations don’t because the assumptions they make about their product/service’s positioning means their communications and behaviours fall far short of what customers value.
The CARDS test
There are five key ways to improve performance.
- C is for Clarity: Communications, involving brands, websites or sales collateral talk too much about you and not enough about them (customers). Is it clear about who it’s for, why its better and what they should expect to get?
- A is for Authenticity: Is there an underlying reason for why you are in business? Does it ring true and is it something others (especially customers) care about?
- R is for Reliability: Does your thing do what you promise? Every time? How consistent are you
- D is for distinction: When thinking of the job they hire your product/service to perform for them, who do customers consider using? Do they think of many or are you the only one? How well do you stand out from the crowd
- S is for Saliency: Does your promise ring their bells, functionally, emotionally and socially?
Each of the five factors has a different influence on performance but managed collectively they yield superior results in both the short and longer term. So how well do your think your organisation is doing?
What to do about it?
Of course, self-assessment can only take you so far but customers can give you a much clearer picture. All you have to do is talk to them intelligently about the job they perform and your role in their lives. Then everything’ll become clear.
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