In the 1960s and 70s, two American consultants laid the foundation for what is rated as one of the best books ever written on business and marketing strategy.

During those two decades they developed and applied a series of strategy principles with their clients, while at the same time writing about their process.

In 1980, their book was published. Small in size and missing much of the complex nonsense that was being spewed out in business schools and corporate boardrooms, the book quickly became a best-seller.

It was a little controversial though.  Why so?  In essence, the book simplifies the strategy process down to this sentence:

You manipulate the mind with words.

Truly, that is the core message in the book.

To elaborate, the book’s premise is that your success depends on your ability to manipulate the minds of those you want to influence.  And the primary way in which you manipulate minds is through words.

Despite the controversy and because of the simplicity, the book is a gem. In fact, even today – more than 40 years on – the book is required reading at leading business school strategy courses and its principles are practiced by savvy business owners all over the world.

The book’s name and authors?  Positioning – The Battle For Your Mind by Al Ries and Jack Trout.

If you’re an experienced business leader then you will already know something about positioning.  After all, it is a common business term.

What you may not know is that Al Ries and Jack Trout invented the term positioning as it relates to business.  And Positioning – The Battle For Your Mind was the first book to explain positioning to a wider business audience.

But it’s not just for business.  As Ries and Trout outlined, positioning applies to, “politics, war, business, or even the science of chasing the opposite sex.”  Indeed, positioning is important for, “Any form of human activity which involves influencing the minds of other people.  Whether you want to promote a car, a cola, a computer, a candidate, or your own career.”

Want more customers?  To win a war? More votes?  More hot dates?  Manipulate the mind with words. 

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RIGHT WORDS

According to Ries and Trout, “Words are triggers”… and that, “They trigger the meanings which are buried in the mind.”

They then added that, “You must understand the role of words” and, “You must select the words which trigger the meanings you want to establish.”

Once again, you manipulate the mind with words.

In business you have lots of words to choose from. Long words. short words. Complex words. Buzzwords. Meaningful words.  Meaningless words.  Weak words.  Powerful words. Your choice of words matter.

When it comes to developing and driving strategy, there are specific words you need. They’re called strategic words, and they are the rocket fuel of business strategy. Strategic words fuel the business strategy engine.

Strategic words are words with power and meaning, and you use them to:

• Develop and codify your values system, philosophy and purpose
• Communicate your strategic position
• Share your vision of the future
• Define your mission
• Craft engaging brand stories
• Create memorable product and service names
• Develop robust strategic plans
• Formulate persuasive investment pitches and proposals
• Build a powerful team culture
• Improve brand awareness
• Present your products and services better
• Strengthen internal and external relationships

So as you can see, strategic words are hugely important.

Strategic words cut through all the competitive noise that’s in that person’s head and immediately present your offering as the best choice compared to your competitors.

The fact is this.  If you have to sell an idea, principle, product, service or cause, you need powerful strategic words.

Strategic words are the key ingredient in positioning, which was introduced to you earlier. In terms of a definition, positioning is the process of communicating your strategy and strategic position via your firm’s communications system.

In Positioning – The Battle For Your Mind, Ries and Trout explain that positioning is what you do in the mind of the prospect to choose you over a competitor.

From a business competition standpoint, each and every day your prospect is wandering around with a head full of competing messages, which she is constantly sifting through and prioritizing.

Your objective is to get your message to the top of the list in the prospect’s head.  How do you do that?  You manipulate the mind with positioning.  And your key positioning weapon? Strategic words.

Once you have your strategic words, it’s time to add context. 

What is context?

Context is what you add to your strategic words to give them even more power, emotion and meaning.

To build meaningful context you combine strategic words with brand imagery, design and other communications elements such as voice, sound, music, visual design, body language and video. This is what’s known as contextualizing and what it does is add emotional power to the positioning process. However, you start with the strategic words.

INTRODUCING THE STRATEGIC WRITER

So how to produce powerful strategic words?  Some business leaders try to do the writing themselves, while others hire writers.

Generally, business writers come from one of three schools – the advertising/marketing school, the journalism school and the strategic school.

Journalism-school writers are very good at the technical aspect of writing. They are trained in the mechanics of writing and know how to write sentences that are grammatically correct. Unfortunately, writing mechanically and correctly can sometimes get in the way of writing to influence.

Advertising writers (Brand and direct marketing copywriters) can be found working all over the world in ad agencies, as in-house writers, or as freelancers.  They can be either brand-centric or direct marketing-centric in their work and skill set.

Strategic writers combine a strong understanding of business strategy with competent writing skills. They have an in-depth knowledge of competitive analysis, strategic positioning and brand differentiation. And they know how to communicate advantages through the written word.

As they’re often technically not as good as journalism-trained writers, strategic writers are unlikely to win any journalism awards. And neither are they arty farty like many ad writers.  Instead, strategic writers primarily apply proven strategic positioning techniques in their writing.

So could you use a strategic writer to help you drive your business strategy? Then enquire about our strategic writing service.

Our strategic writing service harnesses the power of words to influence, persuade and sell.   We have been writing for clients since the 1990s, and over the last 30 years have written for small and large firms, in a variety of industries including:

• Pharmaceuticals
• Airlines
• Investment and financial advisory services
• Businesses and franchises
• Insurance
• Health and beauty products
• Education
• Accounting services
• Software

Our writing service is divided into three categories:

1. Strategy Documents
2. Intangible Assets/IP
3. Thought leadership assets (for the development of personal brands)

1. Strategy Documents

Strategy documents are the foundation documents you need to establish your firm’s strategic direction.  Not only do they provide evidence that your foundation and direction is strategically strong, they are also the springboard upon which your communications system is developed.  Here we can assist you with the research and writing of strategy documents including:

• Economic franchise concepts
• Strategic positioning statements
• Mission and values statements
• Origin/brand stories
• Strategic plans (one pager and traditional plans)
• Business cases/reports

2. Intangible Assets/IP

According to modern-day valuation practices, your firm’s intangible assets account for as much as 90% of its total value. 

Introducing Intangible Assets

The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) is the organisational body that sets accounting standards for more than 140 jurisdictions globally.

For intangible assets the IASB definition is IAS 38, which is the International Accounting Standard for this asset class.

A key part of the definition is:

“An intangible asset is an identifiable non-monetary asset without physical substance. Such an asset is identifiable when it is separable, or when it arises from contractual or other legal rights. Separable assets can be sold, transferred, licensed, etc.”

My definition of intangible assets is:

Intangible assets are non-physical assets that have intrinsic or economic value. As intangible assets are non-physical, they are different to tangible assets such as plant, machinery and buildings.

As well as having intrinsic value, the most valuable intangible assets also share these qualities:

• They generate a return
• They are saleable (i.e: can be bought and sold)
• They appreciate in value over time

Building the Intangible Asset Portfolio

Building a portfolio of intagible assets is one of your strategic priorities.  And here we can help you build and develop key intangible assets/IP including:

• Productised IP
• Strategic Brands
• Marketing Communications System

Intangible asset development also includes the development of strategy models with commercial value potential. These include unique models, recipes, formulas, systems and processes that have been converted into products/services and branded.

Strategy models are visual representations of a concept, process, content, methodology or plan.  They combine words with visual design to make the concept, process, plan etc much easier to understand and explain, as shown here with this world famous model:

Stephen Covey’s Time Management Matrix

Commercialised IA/IP such as strategy models are strategic assets because of the value created by their use.  They can be sold, licensed or rented for commercial gain just like any other business asset.  

3. Thought Leadership Assets

Traditionally, brands are associated with products, services, businesses/organisations and teams. Yet one of the key brands in every business is the personal brand.

Personal brand value and reputation is developed through thought leadership assets. And here we can develop thought leadership assets such as:

• Multimedia presentations
• Keynote speeches
• Strategic content (social media, white papers, thought pieces, newsletters)

These assets will help to position and brand you as a leader in your chosen space, will showcase your competence, and will help to build your reputation.

Uncover the acres of diamonds in your business

Strategy documents, intangible assets/IP and thought leadership assets are acres of diamonds in your business. They are crucial assets developed through the power of words.

Strategic writing is the skill that uncovers and communicates the value that exists in your intangible assets. Put simply, it’s the writing that builds intangible assets that have commercial value.

So if that blank computer screen or piece of paper is really starting to annoy you…or if what you have written so far is not acres of diamonds quality…feel free to contact us about strategic writing.

Projects range from critiqueing your existing communications system – or key elements of it – through to reengineering and rebuilding your entire communcations systems.

When needed we will bring together a team of commuincations experts for your project, or work with your existing team.

Fees for strategic writing projects start at $20,000.  Or, strategic writing can be included as part of our retainer service.

Hunt around and you will find writers who will do the job for cheaper, much cheaper.  But, we can assure you this.  Cheap writers do not know the art and science of strategic writing.  And neither do they know how to convert words into valuable business assets.

Contact me for a free, no-obligation consultation

If you would like to know more about converting words into strategic assets, email for a free, no-obligation consultation.  My email address is ben@benmbartlett.com