PPB May 2018

68 | MAY 2018 | THINK Y ou sit down at a business luncheon and turn to the person next to you to engage in polite small talk. Suddenly, the conversation turns to occupations, and your lunch mate asks, “What do you do?” Most, if not all, promotional products professionals have botched this moment. Some respond with clever taglines to explain what they do. Some rattle off words about attaining strategicmarketing objectives with products. Some are more creative and reply “we surprise and delight customers,” but, these responses are so vague, they only lead to confusion and your lunch companion looks at you puzzled, lost in your rambling. To rescue the conversation, you realize you must answer that question in a way that demystifies your guest, so you resort to that dreaded phrase uttered by promotional products professionals for decades: “You know—we do hats, mugs and pens with your logo on them.” Your lunch mate nods, frowns internally, and the conversation swiftly moves to more interesting topics. What if you could engage your prospects and customers in a way that ignites their imagination and brings dignity to your life and work? What if you could intrigue, inform and encapsulate all the magic that our product truly creates? Whether you are sitting next to someone at a business luncheon, writing a blog post for your brand or redesigning your website, you might be missing the secret to inspiring and enchanting your audience. And the secret, like most things, is so simple that it won’t strike you, initially, as profound, but if taken to heart, could ignite your entire marketing strategy and even breathe pride back into this profession you love. Storytelling At Its Best Use this simple shift in perspective to create a powerhouse marketing message that resonates with and motivates your audience. by Bobby Lehew