Most B2B service companies I talk to still rely on referrals to land new clients. Take a vacuum pump manufacturer we worked with. Their website was from the early 2000s (each page was just a wall of text), they had no marketing in place, and most of their clients came from recommendations. It's not a bad place to be when you're just starting out. But over time, referrals dry up. Because referrals rely on someone else thinking about your business at the right time and having the information on...
9 days ago • 5 min read
Your brand needs systems. The right systems help ensure that every interaction an ideal customer has with you — from your content and offer to sales calls and emails — creates the same perception. No systems = no consistencyAnd no consistency = no solid brand Building systems is building a brand. But what systems should you build? And how do you know if they are built correctly? Let's dive in. Three Brand Systems You Should Build Here are the three systems we build for every client — all...
16 days ago • 4 min read
Proof is essential for building trust and converting your ideal customers. You need it to back up your branding claims, show prospects that you know what you're doing, and position your brand as an expert in the market. The more proof you have, the better. But most founders and marketers see 'proof' and think client logos, testimonials, and case studies. While those are needed to establish proof, they are considered low-level proof. Self-reported, self-generated, and biased. Think about it —...
23 days ago • 4 min read
Your brand is created by every interaction someone has with your business. Every call, email, post, demo, website visit, form completed, onboarding, fulfillment, deliverable sent, offboarding, customer service inquiry, invoice sent... It all creates the perception people have about your business, the perception that we call a brand. Yet, most B2B service businesses never map out their brand experience. They'll drop money on campaigns, logos, and a website, but wing it when it comes to...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
I used Claude to write Shft's new positioning statement. We're in the midst of rebranding the company — new strategy, new offer, new message, new design. We've been attracting larger, more sophisticated companies, putting us up against branding agencies 10x our size. Our current positioning wasn't cutting it. Now, I've written 145+ positioning statements for B2B service businesses, all that have helped those companies stand out, attract higher-paying clients, and make a sh*t ton more money....
about 1 month ago • 5 min read
Uncovering your differentiation can be difficult. Most B2B service founders settle for lazy differentiators — quality, personality, being the best, or caring for their customers. All good things. But none that actually make you different. It's understandable. Trying to find the thing that your competitors can't or won't do is tough when you're embedded in your company. It's like trying to read the label from inside the jar. Your differentiator is there. You're just so used to it that it...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Your customer really only wants ONE thing. Granted, they will give you a long list of wants akin to a 5-year-old writing their yearly letter to Santa Claus. Some with asks that are just as insane. (No, Karen, one LinkedIn post will not generate 100 leads for you.) Even our customers have a lont list of wants: Clarity for their business A system for generating leads Credibility and authority in the market Streamlined offers to make fulfillment easier Clear messaging that actually converts...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
"Industry-leading" messaging rarely converts. Most founders and some marketers think it displays authority and trust. Who wouldn't want to work with the industry leader? So they slap it up on their homepage.Use it on their social media.Add it to their pitch decks. And think prospects will line up to work with them. Except, they don't. Because "industry-leading," just like "we're the best" and "we care," doesn't actually say anything your ideal customers want to hear. It's hollow messaging....
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Your business will only be known for ONE thing. Most founders and marketers get this wrong. They try to build a brand that is known for every possible solution and service they provide. It's why most B2B messaging sounds so vague: "We're the single source of truth" "Everything you need in one place" "Leading solution" Messaging like that is trying to be known for everything instead of one thing. And it's why messaging like that doesn't convert. People won't remember that your IT firm does...
2 months ago • 3 min read