Moments Later: Are you #1 at something?

Marketing your “oneness” is a fine art and well-practiced technique for communicating that you are the best at what you do. But not everyone can be the most popular wine, the largest dry cleaner in the tri-state area or the garden center with the most loyal customers who are deeply rooted in your business.

But we're # 1 is an often repeated rallying cry from baseball to political rallies.

Can you find a way to segment your market so that you too are best in class? Sometimes you just have to slice things up very thin and narrow. Maybe if you think in terms of geography, (neighborhood not city or state), customer target (mid-sized marketing departments) or channels (#1 seller of sun-blocking blinds to independent convenience stores).

But what are you #1 in? Here are some ideas to help spark your oneness.

Can you claim to be the #1 spa in your city based on your ratings by Yelp?

WE ARE THE NUMBER ONE SPA BASED ON CUSTOMER SERVICE*

Can you claim to be the #1 brand of jam sold in specialty food stores based on records from the gourmet distributor serving the market?

WE ARE THE NUMBER ONE JAM SOLD IN SPECIALTY STORES IN WAKE COUNTY

*based on sales data by Specialty Distributors INC.

Can you claim to be the #1 brand of software used in mid-sized companies by marketing professionals?

WE ARE THE NUMBER ONE SOFTWARE BRAND IN MID-SIZED COMPANIES FOR MARKETING PROFESSIONALS IN NORTH CAROLINA

*as rated by a survey of 500 mid-sized firms in News & Observer

There is always a way to find that oneness. And don’t underestimate its marketing importance. People want help making choices where you eliminate risk. If a product or service is #1 in something, it means plenty of others are satisfied with what you do. It is an unofficial endorsement that you can leverage on packaging, on sales brochures and of course online. Often it comes at little cost to promote this distinguishing accolade.

Being #1 in something also helps you identify where you are strongest as a brand, product or service. If, for example, you are the #1 selling tax service among female owned small businesses, maybe that helps you understand something about where your value proposition resonates most.

Wouldn’t you want to work with someone who is #1 in service and satisfaction if you were hiring a plumber to work on your faulty pipes?

If you never bought a chainsaw, wouldn't you want to buy from a leader who chops up the competition?

If you like music from Mississippi, don't you want to listen to someone who is rated #1 in that market?

Who would you prefer to eat at the Thai restaurant rated #1 by your neighborhood?

Slice up your market.

Find a way to honestly state your oneness and deliver your benefit to help customers pick you. Provide the evidence of your claim and tell the world you are #1.

By the way, my blog, MomentSLATER is the #1 marketing blog in the world based on a survey of one- my mother.

I am a marketing professional with over 30 years of experience creating success. If you enjoy these blog posts, please sign up to receive them in your email or share them with other marketing friends who might be interested in these topics. You can comment on this blog, send an email to me at JeffreyLynnSlater@gmail.com or as the Car Talk guys on NPR like to say, write your question on the back of a $20 bill and mail it to me. Thanks for traveling along with me on this journey.