Establish Your Authority Right from the Tip Off

A Marketing Play for Small Businesses

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✏️ ON MY MIND

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In a recent episode of Gil’s Arena podcast, retired pro basketball players Gilbert Arenas and Kenyon Martin discussed the significance of establishing authority from the tip-off.

Kenyon shared his tactic of showcasing his defensive prowess right from the first play by blocking the ball, even if it meant goal-tending, to send a message.

He had one objective: making the opposition think twice before shooting. It was a psychological play to set the tone of the game.

Just as Kenyon aimed to establish a defensive authority on the court, small businesses can aim to establish their market authority from the outset.

Translating this to marketing your small business:

1. Use Bold Messaging

Craft a bold message that sets you apart and resonates with your audience. Don’t do what many businesses do and put wishy-washy value propositions up (like the accounting tech examples I shared here).

Example 1: Convertkit

Why It Works: It’s clear who their target customer is, and it’s also clear what pain points their software addresses for their target customers.