| The Why Not Factor Your Secret to Successby | | | | company. This can be as long as 10 pages or as |
| Chuck Groot | | | | short as one sentence. Generally it is better to |
| By Chuck Groot | | | | keep it as simple as possiÂble. Your Why-Not! |
| Let's go on a little flight of fancy. Let's go car | | | | is the road map which you and your employees |
| shopping. Now usually when you go car shopping | | | | can follow anytime there is a question that |
| you start with a budget in mind, don't you? You | | | | surfaces out of the ordinary. Any answer which |
| go from dealer to dealer, trying to get the best | | | | does not fall in line with your Why-Not! shouldn't |
| deal that you can, but what really sells you in the | | | | be used. |
| end? Is it the value? Is it the price? Is it the | | | | Another example would be if you own a portrait |
| features? | | | | studio and Mrs. Jones comes in and complains that |
| Try as you might, emotions always come into | | | | she doesn't like her photographs and you look at |
| play, you buy the car that looks the best, feels | | | | them and they are as good as they are going to |
| the best, and you look the best in it -don't you? | | | | get. Your Why-Not! states that you guarantee |
| Put yourself in your clients' shoes. What are they | | | | 100% satisfaction, but you are torn, as far as |
| looking for, the cheapest price, unmatched | | | | you are concerned, they are great shots. Without |
| packages, exceptional quality, or the photographer | | | | hesitation and with a smile - you give her money |
| showing incomparable quality? Naturally, they will | | | | back or offer to retake them. This course of |
| tell you, all of the above! | | | | action will always work to your favour, maybe |
| But in reality, can they really tell the difference? | | | | not immediately, but it is the right course. If you |
| We would like to think that we fit the bill in all of | | | | have employees, they would be empowered to |
| the above but do we? Can we? | | | | do the same, immediately, without fear of |
| What happens, when in your clients' eyes there | | | | repercussion. |
| are too many similarities to really tell. Then it boils | | | | Basically your Why-Not! can stand alone as an |
| down to the best salesperson, the best sales | | | | advertisement that sells your company to you, |
| presentation, or what I call the best Why-Not! | | | | your employees and your clients. As a matter of |
| Your Why-Not! defines the nature and purpose of | | | | fact, it can be used as an ad and it should be |
| your business. It is the one thing that compels | | | | used in all your ads. |
| people to buy from you instead of from your | | | | A few more points about Why-Not!s' |
| competitors. Often it is call a "USP" (Unique Sales | | | | There are many different formats; there is no |
| Point), or your Mission Statement. | | | | right or wrong type. |
| Your Why-Not! is much more than both of the | | | | It remains fairly stable over time. |
| others put together - yet simpler. | | | | It may be expressed at different levels of |
| It stands for | | | | abstraction; a balance must be struck between |
| Why Hire You - No Other Temptations | | | | too wide and too narrow a definition. |
| You must answer the question for your clients - | | | | Some Why-Not!s' include objective, strategic |
| Why Hire You? | | | | thrust, policies and guidelines. |
| Then you must make it so that there can be - | | | | They describe your products in terms relevant to |
| No Other Temptations! | | | | your customers. |
| The exciting part of it is that anyone reading it will | | | | Differentiate - explain how your product is |
| get a clear picture of the personality of the | | | | different than the competition's, with different |
| company and what you stand for. | | | | benefits. Whenever people buy, they are only |
| Personality shows emotion and a human side. | | | | concerned with "What's In It For Them." |
| USP's and Mission Statements are documents and | | | | Effectively choose pricing and positioning |
| documents are cold and impersonal. | | | | strategies. |
| More importantly, it will tell the client what you will | | | | These strategies may be based on the fact that: |
| do for him or her. | | | | 1. You are an expert in your field. |
| Too often a company fails because it doesn't | | | | 2. You have degrees or education in your |
| know who it is trying to serve. Trying to be all | | | | specialty. |
| things to all people is foolÂish. You have to | | | | 3. You may finish your products with better |
| come up with a specific Why-Not! - a unique and | | | | quality or more expensive finishes. |
| compelling claim or offer - that's targeted like a | | | | 4. You may frame each print. |
| laser to give you a direction. | | | | 5. You may have an escalating hourly fee |
| It answers the question "What is our reason for | | | | depending on the degree of difficulty, safety, |
| being?" Why would someone buy from us? And | | | | distance, specialty, or uses of the photograph or |
| when they hear the answers that they are | | | | in the photographing, |
| looking for they will exclaim, "Why-Not!" | | | | Steps to develop your Why-Not: |
| But this is not to say that you can't have two or | | | | Keep in mind: |
| three differÂent Why-Not!s for different | | | | - There is no right or wrong statement for your |
| product lines or services that you offer. | | | | organization just as there is no best or most |
| There are many different kinds of Why-Not!s and | | | | appropriate format. |
| you must define this yourself because your entire | | | | - Focus on the concept not on the words; the |
| marketing and operational success is built upon the | | | | words can be fine-tuned later. |
| Why-Not!. All studios need a clear sense of where | | | | - Most Why-Nots' suffer, at least to some |
| they are trying to go and what they want to be | | | | degree, from mother-hood-it is, it's important that |
| in order for the diverse elements to pull in a | | | | you stay away from platitudes. |
| uniform direction. | | | | - The greatest flaw of most Why-Nots are that |
| What you are doing is providing your prospective | | | | the implicit message is the "we" are smarter, will |
| clients is a clear cut picture of who you are , | | | | work harder, and will do a better job. In the |
| what you are going to do, and what you stand | | | | competitive marketplace of goods, services and |
| for. | | | | ideas, to assume that you are smarter, faster or |
| Why do you want to do this? | | | | meaner than the competition inevitably leads to |
| Why-Not! Just teasing with you. | | | | surprises and the realization that you and your |
| One reason is that our society makes celebrities | | | | colleagues are just about on par with the quality |
| out of people who are unique or who have special | | | | of the people with whom you are competing. |
| abilities. Their qualities and attributes are polished | | | | - Although it is difficult, try to build creativity into |
| to a bright shine and then professionally presented | | | | your work. This is a first attempt at development |
| to the rest of us. We then strive to be like these | | | | of a Why-Not so it is important to build in new |
| individuals and yet the very nature of success | | | | ways of viewing things at the beginning. It will be |
| demands authenticity. | | | | refined and reworked later so try to open up and |
| So what's the secret? | | | | be creative now. |
| It's simple really. We are ALL unique. We ALL | | | | To give you an idea as to how a Why-Not can |
| have something special to give. Being authentic | | | | look I'll show you one of mine. |
| and true to ourselves is the only chance we have | | | | Old Masters Portrait Studio Why-Not is: |
| of being liked, being successful, and being truly | | | | Old Masters Portraits Studio desire is to create an |
| happy. Improving yourself requires polishing what's | | | | exciting and memorable image for each and |
| great about you and proudly presenting it to the | | | | every one of our customers. The image will be |
| world. | | | | technically perfect and of excellent quality, using |
| My first year Philosophy Prof loved to ask, "Why | | | | the finest materials that we can find. It is our goal |
| should you be moral?" Then he would quickly | | | | to provide service to the customer that is |
| follow up with "Why should you be immoral?" | | | | unsurpassed in the industry so that all of our |
| Then with a smile on his face and a glint in his eye | | | | customers will want to come back year after |
| he would say, "The correct answer is Why Not!" | | | | year. |
| Some companies position themselves as having | | | | It is imperative that we charge a price that |
| the best selection or broadest array of buying | | | | provides value to the client and a good return on |
| options. Their Why-Not!. is obviously "broad | | | | our efforts. We will be happy if our clients are |
| choice." | | | | happy and our clients will be happy if we are |
| Other companies may offer more limited | | | | happy. |
| selection, but their Why-Not! is "low price" or "low | | | | Writing your Why-Not |
| markup." | | | | Start by answering the following questions. |
| Another company may decide they don't want to | | | | 1. What is the purpose of our organization? |
| be known for just price or selection, so instead | | | | 2. What is our reason for being? |
| they offer the finest quality at a higher, but still | | | | 3. What are we going to photograph and why? |
| reasonable price. "Quality" or "exclusivity" is its | | | | After spending some time on the first three |
| Why-Not!. | | | | questions, begin to filter in the following |
| Most Why-Not!s' encompass three elements: | | | | questions.a. Who do we serve?b. What do we do |
| 1. A purpose/role element | | | | best?c. What are some of our weaknesses?d. |
| A. In a nutshell, what is the purpose of the | | | | What kinds of programs and services do we |
| company?i. I am going to take nature | | | | provide or should we provide?e. What outcomes |
| photographs, specializing in species which are on | | | | do we hope to achieve?f. What do we hope to |
| the endangered species list. | | | | accomÂplish?g. What would happen if our |
| B. What role are you going to play?ii. My goal is to | | | | organization did not exist?h. What is special about |
| raise awareness of these precious animals by | | | | the way we operate?i. Where do we or should |
| writing books and articles about them, my | | | | we provide our product or service?What do I or |
| experiences, and how the effects of man are | | | | our shareholders want?j. From the previous |
| playing out in these animals lives. | | | | exercise you can now put together a Unique |
| 2. A boundaries element | | | | Selling Proposition or Mission Statement that will |
| This element defines what you will and will not do. | | | | give you a direction and major driving force for |
| In the example above you might write something | | | | your company. |
| like. | | | | Chuck has his Fellow of the Professional |
| I will write books and articles to serious journals | | | | Photographers of British Columbia (F/PPABC), |
| and magazines but I will not do greeting cards and | | | | which is the highest award honoring |
| postcards. My goal is to depict the plight of | | | | photographers in British Columbia. He is one of |
| endangered speices but not demean them or | | | | few photographers in Canada who has earned the |
| make light of their existence. | | | | prestigious Master of Photographic Arts degree |
| 3. A values-based/philosophical element | | | | (MPA). As well, Kodak has presented him with |
| Here are some more questions to ask yourself. | | | | two of their Gallery Awards for Excellence. He |
| What do you stand for? What do you want to be | | | | was the youngest photographer to be invited to |
| known for? What will be your legacy? And one | | | | join the American Society of Photographers. He |
| last question: If you don't stand for something, | | | | feels particularly blessed having been able to study |
| what do you settle for? | | | | with some of the finest photographers in the |
| The principal features are usually a broad definition | | | | world: Josef Karsh, Arnold Newman, Monte |
| of the basic business code of conduct and the | | | | Zucker, Jason Hailey, Frank Cricchio and his father, |
| scope of the organization. It is important to have | | | | John Groot. |
| a clear, concise overall goal for you and your | | | | |