We all see it every week.
A new marketing campaign that wildly… Unbelievably… And sometimes painfully crushes it.
But most do not.
There are many more failures than successes, but we must learn from those who win.
Many marketing campaigns are lacking in critical areas — not only are they not getting enough traction to make a difference in a regional market.
Let alone on a national scale, but they have flaws in many of the key pillars that hold them up.
The idea, then, is to develop a system in which your big idea or Core Concept can wrap around your campaign, package, etc.
And it absolutely has to be the sole focus of what you’re trying to communicate.
Wait…What Is a Core Concept?
A core concept has to be exciting — if it gets you excited, and you can’t wait to share it with others, then you’re on the right track.
Try to cut through the clutter that your product (or message) has to compete with and develop a core concept that breaks the mold.
Core Concept Characteristics
- Laser-focused
- Exciting & engaging
- Presents something new or in a new, better way (unique)
- Seductive enough to bring in your audience
- Single big, bold idea that encapsulates your product (presentation, report, etc.): detail how you are better, faster, cheaper, or more certain
- Have a built-in benefit, supported by proof, and easy to explain
- Abdicate the consumer from previous failures & encourage them to try again
- Support your unique selling proposition
- Leads to the final purchase
Consumers have to buy into your core concept, or else it won’t have been worth your time.
If people are excited about and engaged with your product, then purchasing or consuming or whatever is the next logical (and emotional) decision.
A successful product launch will make or break your fledgling company. (Or even an established company looking to branch out and expand.)
The most prominent mistake we see in product launches? No strong, laser-focused idea that makes buying the product seem like a no-brainer. Your Core Concept should lead your prospects or clients to buy what you’re selling, reinforcing it over and over again.
Keep this in mind: People make decisions based on emotion – then they backfill with logic. Speak to them in such a way that they are emotionally invested.
Spark their interest in such a way that they’re curious about your product.
Really try to overwhelm the potential customer with how valuable, exciting or interesting your product is.
How do you begin that process? Create a desire for your product, but do it on their terms. Meet people on the platform or situation in which they’re most comfortable.
Whether that’s social media or conferences or where ever that may be, and engage with them in a way that they’re comfortable and receptive to your laser-focused message. These are the things that lead to growth.
What’s My Next Step?
You’ve unleashed your Core Concept, it’s generated desire for your product, and you’re thinking — now what?
First off, realize you’ve done something unusual: you’ve generated new demand that wasn’t in-demand previously.
You’re the only one offering this product or service in this manner in your marketplace! To capitalize on the fact that you’re the first in your category (or the only one!) and explain how you’re new, or better, or different.
By creating your own division, you’ve begun the process of making your competition irrelevant.
Become the Market Leader in your Marketplace
By this point, you’ve opened the floodgates to new orders, established yourself as the forerunner in a category of your own, and you’ve attracted new prospects and customers.
From that, you can justify premium pricing — as the sole provider in your class, you can sell more products to more customers for more money, as it’s highly in-demand.
Quick Review on the Core Concept
In case you didn’t feel like reading the rest of this post, here’s the short of it:
A Core Concept is a focused, seductive, exciting, big idea that can encapsulate your packaging, cutting through the market noise to explode in your target consumer’s mind, all while creating a desire for your service.
But you should stick around because people are increasingly hard to sell. There’s no quick scheme.
If done correctly, your Core Concept can create a whole new market or category. It can also position you as the new market leader, allowing you to garner higher prices and more customers.
A well-honed concept makes your competition irrelevant, increases the effectiveness of your company product launch and bolsters your overall efficiency.
What We’ve Learned Needs To Happen for Success
The people who seek out opportunities struggle and don’t succeed while the Strategic Entrepreneurs succeed explosively.
For a startup to be successful, the entrepreneur must focus on leveraging the strengths that make them unique.
The most prominent companies (and their small businesses contemporaries) will gain the majority of the rewards.
The attention of the Internet Age is fleeting.
When entrepreneurs optimize their attention, they can rush forward and seize their marketplace’s attention.
To be able to sell to your audience, be where they’re already most comfortable – more and more, that’s social media.
To the expert of the marketplace go the highest spoils, the most consumers, and the financial rewards.
Tap into the potential you already possess, eliminate what blocks you, and cash in on your success.
Remember These Core Concept Rules
- Be unique: Have an original feel from the onset
- Prospect focused: Solve their pain point
- Be a bold breakthrough: Learn from previous failures to create something special
- Have a built-in benefit: This needs to be supported by proof and easy to explain
- Support your unique selling position or proposition (USP): Be better, faster, cheaper, or more certain than your competition
Ready to Get Started?
Develop your core concepts using these easy steps:
- Timing, timing, timing: Develop your concept before you create your product. Use the idea to that your concept promises to deliver with your product.
- Clarify your USP: Establish how your product or service has a fundamental quality that differentiates it from the competition (unique, valuable, quality).
- Clarify your promises: Understand what you’re promising with your product or service by knowing all the features, how they translate into benefits to the consumer, and how that translates into the promise your company is making – and close with how you will deliver on those promises.
- Be unique, be different, break the mold.
- Surcharge your concepts.
- Figure out how your promises can be unique, and how it will be better than anyone in your marketplace. Pick the strongest one to be your Core Concept.
- Is it strong or weak? Shore up weaknesses: Make sure your Core Concept and product benefits your prospects; resonates in the marketplace; can inherently sell based on the need or desire for it; is detailed, and can be supported by evidence.
Keep your Core Concept short – just a couple sentences, at most, and make sure it is simple, unique or unexpected, focused, credible, creates an emotional response, and off of which you can tell your story.