Category Archives: positioning

Micro-Scripts: A Big Marketing Lesson for Small Business in the Health Care Debate

A guest post by Bill Schley

Small business can learn a ton from watching the big political contests going on in the capital right now. Why? Because everything comes down to a do or die vote– a “one day sale for 100% market share.” No time to waste on anything but ultra-effective communication.

Republicans have been winning today’s marketing battle, because once again, they are the masters of the MicroScript. That is—a very short set of vivid, memorable words that conger up a story, that people can instantly repeat.

For example, the right side of the aisle has given us: Death Panels, pull the plug on Grandma, “the efficiency of the Post Office with the Compassion of the IRS,” Rationed Care, It’s socialized Medicine, Government Care, It’s the French Plan, Obamacare and on and on.

From the left side…even after the President’s speech to Congress… I challenge you to think of one. The Republicans have furnished everyone with simple word ammunition that people can easily say, remember and most of all repeat in order to persuade others.

Think of how important Micro-Scripts would be for your small business or any business. Vivid, take-away language that not only keeps re-playing in the customer’s head– but that customer champions can repeat to their colleagues and their boss, to sell you up the organization.

Great marketer’s invented Micro-Scripts – and the best use them today. Airborne—The cold preventer invented by a second grade teacher. Or “It’s made from sugar so it tastes like sugar. Or “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk.”

Small businesses create some of the best Micro-Scripts I’ve ever seen–just by taking their honest passion and business knowledge —and translating into the kind of words one customer would say to another across the back yard fence. Or in a one sentence email. They also listen—and hear great Micro-Scripts told to them by their loyal, satisfied customers.

Today more than ever, it’s not what people hear, it’s what they want to repeat that gets you all the traction and breaks through the noise, even makes you go viral. And what people like to repeat are Micro-Scripts.

bschley
Bill Schley is President of Brand Team Six, a brand positioning firm. He is an award winning marketer, author and speaker on branding and communications. Check out his book: The Micro-Script Rules.

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