Of Course You Are Full Service

Do you rely on the phrase "full service" to:
- advertise your company?
- explain your range of capabilities?
- appear bigger than your competition?

Full service has become a catch phrase, and little more in recent years. Instead of creating meaning, it has become meaningless.

First, if I am in a different industry than you, we can assume I know only a few of the many products and services that make up your total offering. By relying on the term to explain your business, you ignore what you are good at, and the kind of business you want to receive. Second, if I am in the same industry, I will take full service to mean what it means to me. And if I only know about 3 of the 20 services you provide (because my company is smaller than yours), it would be a great injustice to you.

Using the term is a form of desperation, as though you will catch a nibble if your prospects assume you do everything. Many salespeople wield the term "full service" like a giant fishing net -- a catch-all. And when their prospects look inside that net, they will see that it contains more than just fish ... it also has an old boot, a piece of driftwood, and some used syringes.

But seriously, if you want to give meaning to what it is you do, simply tell people what you do. If you can, keep it short and specific. If you meet with a group on a frequent basis, such as a networking group, offer a new element every time you meet. This makes your message crystal clear and memorable.