In a 2018 blog post, I wrote how people shoot themselves in the foot when they fail to model what they sell, e.g., the wedding planner who shows up late for your meeting, or the accountant who can’t add two and two. This month, it is my pleasure to present the opposite: someone who perfectly models what she sells and who does it with a metaphor. Let her story inspire you to think how you can do the same in your business.
Lynn Herring owns CharlieDog Advertising, an agency that helps companies build their brands and bottom-lines. When you work in a service industry like Lynn’s, it can be really difficult not to sound like everyone else in the field: Who doesn’t say, “We listen to your needs…We tailor a creative program to you…We provide the highest level of customer service…We have a wonderful client list…Blah, Blah, Blah.”?
Lynn gets a similar message across, but she does it in a way that makes a prospect think, “Wow, this woman is the one I want to hire for my business!”
It Begins with the Image
When you look at her website or read her marketing material, her messaging and 
images all play off a single canine metaphor theme. That metaphor allows her to communicate her value without ever using routine, forgettable phrases like the ones above.
For example…
- What is CharlieDog? becomes “Your brand’s best friend……partnering with some of the world’s top dogs……setting them apart from the pack…”
- Who are you? becomes “…a rare breed…”
- How do you work? becomes “We’re paws on…[customers] rely on us to fetch great results and we faithfully deliver…”
- Next Step? becomes “…Unleash the full potential of your business…We’ll show you what it really means to be your brand’s best friend…Talk to us (we don’t bite)…”
By the time you have finished viewing her site, reading her literature, or even just talked to her (Yes, Lynn used that same language when we met over coffee and talked about what she did), she has perfectly modeled the creativity and strategic marketing thinking that she is selling.
Most important, as a potential client, you now want to work with her!
Creativity at its Best
Lynn’s dog metaphor works because
- It is simple to understand, so anyone can relate to it
- It offers many metaphorical extensions (rare breed, best friend, etc.)
- It lends itself to emotionally evocative pictures
- It makes her points
Unlike the shoemaker whose children have no shoes, Lynn demonstrates she has done for herself what she will do for you.
Your Turn
Even if you are not about to redo your website, you can think about higher pay-off ways both to talk about your services and to present them in your marketing materials. Ask yourself,
- What metaphor theme is appropriate for my business?
- How many ways can I use it to deliver a clear, compelling, memorable message?
- What images will best support my story?
Bottom-line, how much more business could you get if you were able to separate yourself from your competitive set with a unique metaphor?
Good luck!
Anne Miller
Make What You Say Pay! – with Metaphors
P.S. To reach Lynn Herring, visit www.charliedogadvertising.com or email Lynn@charliedogadvertising.com
Metaphors Make Presentations & Speeches Memorable!
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Call today and let’s turn your information into a unique experience that engages, persuades and gets you what you want! 212-876-1875 amiller@annemiller.com
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