The Brandless Experiment
Good morning,
My name’s Emerson. I work for Google. Ever heard of it? I manage millions of dollars of client revenue. Big number. I work with XYZ clients, so you should therefore trust me.
It sounds absurd, right? There are much better ways to introduce yourself and prove you’re a partner who will help drive results. Let’s dive in.
It’s early in the quarter, and there’s a chance you’re still meeting with new customers for the first time. I’ve got a challenge for you.
The no-branding experiment where you can't:
Say your company's / team’s name
Highlight your product/feature name(s)
Call out other clients, competitors, or previous customers you've worked with
Name drop other mutual contacts you and your client may know more than once
Even hint at the results you've achieved/created with previous customers
None of these things actually add value to your client. If you remove this fluffy rhetoric, your interaction is forced to be more customer-centric. For example, when you don’t say your product name you’re forced to describe what it does and the impact it delivers. Start by working to deeply understand your client’s objectives. What are the specific customer outcomes you, your product, or service can influence? That’s what you highlight, not your product or service.
I’m not saying these topics are off limits in all contexts. If a client asks you where you work or if the thing you’re selling has worked for other customers, you tell them (but don’t dwell). If you’re grabbing lunch with your client after your meeting, by all means, have a normal social interaction. But do everything you can to minimize attempts to bolster your own credibility the “branded” way. Make your mark not by talking the talk, but by showing up to client meetings with a strategy thoughtfully crafted to advance their business objectives.
Look at your next important client stakeholder meeting on your calendar right now. Prepare accordingly. Go into that meeting and run this “brandless” experiment. Afterward, assess both how difficult this was for you to do and how ultimate productive the meeting was.
It takes approximately 7 seconds for someone to form a first impression about you (source). Do you want that first impression to be anchored in you talking about your company? The size of your book of business? Talking about the weather? Of course you don’t. Make your first impression count and anchor your meeting in the things that matter to your customer.