“It does exactly what it says on the tin” is a phrase used so frequently today, almost as vernacular, that many are surprised to learn of its origin from a 1994 UK ad campaign for Ronseal wood-stain.
The Ronseal principle is clear, concise and straightforward; it communicates honesty, authenticity and, most importantly, no bullshit.
With a slogan that is now culturally imprinted on a nation and beyond, which communicated an ethos that met competitors head-on and talked directly to modern customer success efforts – why do companies have such a hard time following suit?
It’s why I was so very excited when my shipment of RUSTOLEUM arrived this week. On the box, front and center is written:
“Our Mission: To Create and Keep Customers”
How bloody refreshing!
They told me, plainly, we’re in the business of making money, and we do this by selling our products to you. It’s honest, authentic, with no bullshit.
It’s smarter than that, of course. It also says we make money through all the little things it takes to make you a customer and to get repeat business. It focuses on the customer success and the strength of the product; it actually says “we’ve made our product so good you will use it again, and again.”
What it doesn’t say is the word “transform” or “reimagined” or “unlocked”. This is where tech Product Marketing got lazy.
After I wrote that paragraph, I took less than 2 minutes to look up three companies in the investment management space – the market I worked in for the last six years – and every single one of those companies used those buzz words, and said nothing.
Tech, in particular B2B and vertical markets, doesn’t need lofty aspirational messaging. It needs to talk to its customer; its buyer. It needs to tell them what it does or what it achieves for them. And I’m telling you that for 90% of these companies it is not transformation.
A proposition, message or position should never sling market jargon at you. You stand out when you speak plainly, relevantly and directly to your audience. Plain English, simple concepts, communicated clearly for your intended audience. It’s really that straightforward.
And of course at the same time, it’s complicated. More often than not, my job is to understand complex concepts, ideas and technology, and find ways to communicate it clearly and simply in a way that resonates.
That’s where the magic happens.
It may not be as fun-going as 90’s ad campaign creation in the booming D.I.Y market, but B2B tech product marketing, messaging and proposition has all the same ingredients, and some.
Sure, sometimes you need to use technical language and oftentimes industry terminology is key for certain audiences, but you can cut the transformational jargon and make it real; honest, authentic and no bullshit.
D.I.Y Footnote: I am yet to use the rustoleum tile paint, although my expectation is that it will work exactly as it says it does.
If you have a new product to position or market to explore, I can help tailor your story, find your audience and figure out how to best capture their attention and capitalize on it to increase revenue – more on that here.
Jen Manning | Go-to-Market Blog and Services 