When it comes to selling their services, more than a few small businesses marketing messages fall on deaf ears. (Perhaps your biz included?)
The problem? James Brown said it best in his his classic tune: “You’re talkin’ loud… But you ain’t sayin’ nuthin’!”
In other words, businesses are all too often blabbing about the wrong things. Most businesses are HYPER-FOCUSED on issues that matter them.
WIIFM Syndrome
Meanwhile their prospects COULD NOT CARE LESS. And that’s because every prospective client (yours included) suffers from WIIFM– What’s In It For Me – syndrome.
Thus to generate interest, establish a meaningful connection + ultimately sell your services, you’re got to craft messages that speak to your prospects… Identifies them [by name], addresses their problems + needs, and positions your services as a credible solution.
So how do you cut through the blather and craft marketing messages that connect + convert?
The Copy Thesis
(to clarify, “copy” refers to copywriting, which can be any sort of marketing related writing.)
In his book, How to Write Copy That Sells, master direct response copywriter, Ray Edwards, serves up a three step process he defines as the “Copy Thesis.”
A thesis, according to the dictionary definition, is:
A stated proposition that can be proved and maintained with specific support against objection.”
Edwards contends, and I wholeheartedly agree, this definition provides the perfect blueprint for crafting an effective marketing message.
Edwards breaks down “Copy Thesis” creation into three steps:
Step 1: Identify Your Audience
Who are you trying to reach? Obviously whatever you’re selling is not for everyone (unless you’ve cooked up a genius creation the entire world needs, and in that case give me a shout, we can do some business:–).
So the first step in crafting any marketing message is calling out your target client by name.
Step 2: Define the Problem You’re Services Solve
Your services have a definite purpose, right? Sure, they solve a specific problem or fulfill a particular need.
Thus the second step in crafting effecting an marketing message is underlining the problem your services solve.
Step 3: Illustrate How Your Services Solves The Problem
The whole point of your services is to solve your prospects’ problems or fulfill their needs.
So the kicker, so to speak, in an effective marketing message is a description of how your services solves your prospects’ problem.
Edwards expresses the “Copy Thesis” as an equation:
Any [YOUR AUDIENCE] can [SOLVE THEIR PROBLEM] by using [YOUR PRODUCT], because [HOW IT SOLVES THE PROBLEM].
Simple and rather elegant, no? Sure, but what does this formula look like in action?
A Practical Example of the Copy Thesis
Let’s say you’re an estate planning attorney. And your core business is drafting wills and trusts.
Your marketing message might look something like…
Any parent can protect their assets and their family after they’re gone with a Last Will & Testament drafted by a qualified attorney, because a will is your only defense against government intervention, unnecessary taxation and internal squabbles among your heirs.
Of course this is just one example. Applying the Copy Thesis to your business may produce message that looks radically different. But the formula works the same regardless.
Struggling to Craft Effective Marketing Messages?
Edwards notes that while the formula is straightforward, solving the equation can be tough.
Because like tackling any challenging math problem, plugging in the right variables into your Copy Thesis and balancing the message demands trail + error and requires some legit mental sweat.
If you need some help identifying variables or message balancing whilst crafting your Copy Thesis, swing by my Google+ pages for some practical advice or just a pep talk.