THE MARKETING MANIFESTO

Post #5: THE GRUNT TEST

My first observation in The Marketing Manifesto series was on storytelling and building a story brand for your business. Now that you have started to consider the story you are telling and removing your brand from the status of hero, how succinctly are you articulating your message to the real hero of your story -- the customer, candidate, employee?

The very first place I start is our website. It's our digital storefront and is the catalyst for all messaging moving forward whether that be on other owned, earned, or paid digital channels or via our interpersonal connections with each constituency along their journey with us.

Recently, I was listening to the podcast, Building a Story Brand with Donald Miller. Yes, I realize I am obsessing over his concepts a little bit. In this podcast, he talked about the need for all brands to pass “The Grunt Test”. 

The Grunt Test is simply the idea that if a caveman happened upon your brand, within a few seconds, they should be able to grunt out three things.

1. What you do.

2. How what you do will help them survive or thrive.

3. How to quickly inquire or purchase. 

As you continue to develop your story, ask yourself these questions about your brand. On all of your channels, but starting with your website, do you quickly and briefly:

1. Explain what you do (within 5-7 words).

2. Tell your audience how you are going to guide them to solve their problems (e.g., we can help you find the perfect job).

3. Make it easy to further the dialogue with you (e.g., top right of website button to apply or get a free estimate; also make sure your intake forms work seamlessly).

As you go through this discovery, also ask yourself if you are trying to talk to too many audiences at the same time. It has been proven that the human brain can’t handle too much clutter. The brains wants us to:

Be direct

Be succinct

Be a solutions provider.

If this is not how you're communicating to the world, start now.

---- Bennett Andelman