Seeking Feedback On My DSI

As you will recall from Tuesday's entry, I'm captivated by a new book called Why Johnny Can't Brand. I've spent some time this week, alone and with others, brainstorming about my DSI or Dominant Selling Idea. I'm going to share that here and ask for your feedback, but first some background.

Right now, 90% of my work comes from writing for magazines. Since I've joined my leads group however, I'm gathering a steady stream of leads for what I'll call corporate writing - web sites, brochures, phone scripts, etc. I've been slow to follow up on these leads because I lack marketing materials. I don't have a brochure to send out (magazine writing doesn't require it) and right now my primary website at www.denaharris.com screams out "cat writer!"

But even though I'm revamping my website and creating a brochure based on appealing to corporate clients, a little perspective is in order. I don't plan on corporate writing being more than 25-30% of my work. But to garner even that, I'll still need to find my speciality within the industry of freelance writing.

The Why Johnny Can't Brand book suggests completing this Speciality Statement:
(Name of Company) is the #1 choice for _________ (speciality). That's because only (company name) has ___________________ (unique reason why, a process or service that others don't.)

So, here's my DSI. I'm looking at positioning myself as the "go-to writer." If you're on a tight deadline or have a last minute project that needs to get out the door, I want my name to come to mind. So sample Speciality Statements for me are:

Dena Harris is the #1 choice for down-to-the-wire writing projects. That’s because only Dena delivers when you need it.

Dena Harris is the first choice for last-minute writing projects. That’s because Dena offers the fastest turn-around time on high-quality work of any writer in the Triad.

These statements are for internal use only...just to get on track.  Now, for a company name, I've got:

• Dynamic Communications by Dena Harris
• Dena Harris - Dynamic Communications
• Creative Communications by Dena Harris

Possible tag line: "Your Procrastination is My Priority." 

I've run this by a few people and here are some options they've thrown out:

• "Deadline Dena" (too cheesy for my taste, but what the heck, I'll throw it out for consideration)
• Tagline: "We deliver the words before you need them"
• Dena Harris Communications
• Dena Harris Communications - Lightning Fast Wordsmiths
  

Here are my questions to those of you who care to respond:

1. Is the niche of being the "go to writer" a strong one? Is it an area that is important to customers?
   
2. Do you like the  "Dynamic Communications" name? Why or why not?
3.  Your feelings on the "Your Procrastination is My Priority" tagline?
4. Any other comments you'd like to add?
   

Wildacres List

Remember when I spent that horrendous week alone in a cabin in the woods on a writer's retreat? I was flipping through a notebook yesterday and found a list I'd made while there and decided that would be today's blog entry. So without further ado...

The Wildacres "Things I've Learned About Myself" List

1.  I overeat when nervous (an entire box of Wheat Thins disappeared in my first twenty minutes in the cabin)
2. I'm a horrible packer (Forgot: Bras, dental floss, shampoo)
3. I'm not yet ready to run UP a mountain
4. I'm a bit of a prude. (The cabin had a wall of windows--with no curtains or shades--that faced the wilderness. Someone would have to go to a LOT of effort to scale the mountain in order to stand in front of the windows and see something, but I still felt uncomfortable changing in front of them at night)
5. I love my life and the people in it
6. I allow myself to fill my life with distractions - e-mail, radio, TV
7. I am not a night owl
8. Even when I have all the time in the world, I still won't cook
9. I can kill a monster-sized spider all by myself if I have to
10. I keep a neat and tidy cabin even though I have the option of being a complete slob
11. I like sleeping with the windows open instead of air-conditioning
12. I love my husband
13. Hiking spectacular scenic trails by myself is nowhere near as fun as sharing the experience with someone else
14. I'm turning into one of those people who starts showing up at hotels with their own pillow
15. I may be starting to prefer the beach over the mountains

Awe-inspiring, aren't they? Hey--some days even bloggers get blocked for topics. =)

Why Johnny Can't Brand

I'm reading a fascinating book called Why Johnny Can't Brand by Bill Schley and Carl Nichols, Jr.  The authors advise how to "brand" your company in the form of a single, mesmerizing DSI or Dominant Selling Idea.

The example I like best in the book is a politician who talks for an hour, touching on every campaign issue he can. When asked later what the politician spoke on, an audience member replied, "He wants to raise taxes."  It's the idea that people will only hold ONE idea about you in their mind and it's up to you to make sure that one idea is your DSI.

So for me, a writer, I might advertise that my writing is funny, creative, reliable, low-cost, and I care about my clients. All true, but people can't grasp all that. What the authors purport is that I (or whomever) pick one subcategory within my industry where I can market myself as #1.  So maybe I'm the #1 creative writer in the Triad area, or the #1 funniest writer, or the #1 writer of dazzling brochures, etc. (The downside to this is you have to be able to back up your claim. You can't claim to be the funniest but in reality be as dull as dirt. There's always a catch...)

Blair and I were brainstorming some ideas the other night and came up with one I really like--if it comes off the right way. I'm meeting Wednesday with a group of writer friends to brainstorm ideas for my business and web site and I'm going to run it by them. If it passes muster, I'll post here later.

Sidenote: After we'd brainstormed over dinner, we just fell into silly mode and somehow got on the topic of how great it would be to design a web site passed on themes from past STAR TREK episodes.  So instead of real client comments, I could quote characters like Khan from the wrath of Khan. I could have this on a page that said

Client Comments About Dena's Writing:

"''From Hell's heart, I stab at thee. For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee.''" - Khan

Then of course there would be the pricing page where pricing is determined by how fast you need the work done.  "Warp Speed" will cost you more than "1/4 impulse power."  And the web site content reading, "Do you find your marketing pieces being sucked down a black hole or trampled by raging Romulans? Let Dena Harris--half human, half Vulcan--show you the logical way to great writing!"

We'd also have a disclaimer: "I don't work for Ferengi" with a pic of a Ferengi with a thick, red X marked through it.

Yes, this is our life. We were just cracking up  in the car on the way home, coming up with this stuff.  Some Trekie writer should take this and run with it. It's worth it just to have the Khan quote on your site. 

As for me (sigh), back to the branding book...

Will No One Speak For the Fish?

Poor fishie. Since I posted the prior blog entry on our decision to get fish, I have been bombarded by family and friends advising me against it.

My mother called to ask if I remembered the time when I was five and we arrived home to find our cat, Big Hairy, had flipped our fish out of the tank and left them to die on the living room carpet.

My "best friend" Trisha called to remind me of the horrible "Jean-Luc / Mr. Bean" pug fiasco, where we thought we were ready for dogs, brought 2 pug puppies home and gave them back within 5 days because they were destroying my sanity and all I could do was cry. (I was in my 20's and a perfectionist and the dogs were messin' with that - so sue me).

And then my dear friend Bernie, a mentor in so many areas of my life, posts a blog about catfish nightmares and nasty tanks that haunts her to this day.

I ask you people--will  no one speak on behalf of the fish? Is there not one among you who will stand apart and declare their love for the creatures of God's sea or--as at Aquamain world--the creatures of Tank #141?  

Surely there is one among you willing not to cast the first stone. Willing in fact, to stand up and say, "I (insert name), I love the fish!" 

I, and the fish, are waiting...