When you boil marketing down to its essentials, what’s left?
Communication.
Yup, it’s really simple. In the end, marketing is all about getting your point across in the most persuasive manner possible.
But as “simple” as it may be, countless businesses (perhaps yours included?) get marketing communication sooooooooooooooooo WRONG!
I see it EVERYWHERE — from websites to emails to social media and a plethora (“Hefe, what is a plethora?”) of other marketing channels — Businesses of all stripes are #FAILing at the marketing communication game.
The reason?
If your biz is like faaaaaaaaaaaaaaar too many others out there, you’re talking to prospects the WRONG way.
Ya know all the prospective “ideal clients” out there you’re hoping to reel in? Well, they’re REAL PEOPLE. They’re not constructs or archetypes or replicant androids or AI bots.
Nope! They’re honest to goodness guys and gals.
And your marketing messaging should speak to them like the latter, not the former.
How so?
Communicate as though you’re speaking ONE-ON-ONE to your BESTIE.
Allow me to elaborate…
I’ve blabbed tons in countless posts about the need to zero in on your ideal client. And the purpose of all the strategies I’ve suggested is to sculpt a profile of “dream client.”
But that profile is useless if your messaging remains generic and general.
Why come?
Even ideal prospects are seeking to make a personal connection. In other words, no matter how perfect your services might be for a prospective client, if your approach is general and generic, your prospects are unlikely to recognize themselves.
In fact, they’re probably thinking to themselves: “This sounds like every other bland pitch from every other yahoo who’s just out to “sell” me something.”
And I guarantee, that’s the LAST reaction you want from a qualified prospect.
The solution?
The key to avoiding this tortured fate lies in one of the oldest marketing tricks in the book…
When you craft your marketing message, imagine you’re speaking to one person. Give them a name. An address. A job. A family life. Hobbies.
And then approach them like they’re a friend. A good friend. The kind you’d plop down with at the kitchen table with and have a good ole chat. Or as the kids phrase it today, a Bestie!
But a friend who also happens to have the same needs as your ideal client.
Tone + Approach MATTER!
The way you say something matters as much (if not more) than what you’re saying.
Imagine, for example, you’re writing an email. You wouldn’t talk to your bestie like…
Greetings Mr. Johnson,
Have you ever considered how service xyz could benefit blah blah blah…
But rather, you’d aim for something like…
Hey Jim,
How’s tricks? Grand, I trust!
So listen, let me ask you something…
Give it a try…
And let me know how it works! I’ll be waiting at my over at my Google+ page to hear all the dirty deets ;—)