All successful businesses have one thing in common.
They know their target audience intimately. They know what makes them tick, what their problems are and how to solve them. And most importantly, they speak their audience's language.
And this is only possible if they narrow down their focus, allowing them to directly relate to the people who buy from them.
Contrast this with many of the businesses who come to us for marketing, sales and implementation advice.
When asked who their market is - a common answer is "everyone". Buzzzz - wrong answer!
Just like being a jack of all trades and being a master of none, if you're marketing to "everyone" you're effectively communicating with no one in particular.
One of the most important things you can do before you start to market is study the problems your clients face. Why do they need you? What’s frustrating them? What are they struggling with?
What’s missing for them? What don’t they have what they want to have? What keeps them awake at night? What is causing them grief and pain?
Those are the things that will get their attention.
You also need to distinguish a problem from an aspiration.
An aspiration is what they want. A problem is what they have now and are putting up with. It's immediate, real and more emotional. So it’s easier to relate to and communicates your message far more powerfully.
So here are some techniques for effectively getting your prospect's attention and then moving them into being interested in what you have to say.
By the way, you can use these techniques very effectively both in print as well as when you're at the next networking event and someone asks you what you do.
First of all...
Speak to their pain. Just like your ears prick up when someone mentions your name across a crowded room, speaking to someone's pain will immediately get their attention. Then show them a solution and prove it using stories and case studies.
Here's a silly example to illustrate the point.
Say your solution corrects the right hand slice of a left handed golfer and helps them shave at least one stroke off their score per hole.
So when someone asks what you do you say, "We work with left handed golfers"
And if you're talking to a left handed golfer you'll have their immediate attention.
Then you talk about the problem, not the solution or what they aspire to.
"We work with left handed golfers to who are sick of slicing to the right and going off the fairway".
So if I'm a left handed golfer who keeps slicing to the right, I'm living with this problem and can absolutely relate.
Then you talk about the outcome.
"We have a special 5 session coaching program which guarantees to correct your slice shaving at least one stroke off your score per hole."
Now you have my undivided attention!
And the final part is to use a case study and tell a story.
A story is a real example of a client you’ve worked with. The story needs to follow the same sequence of target and problem.
"I was working with a left handed golfer who kept slicing to the right. I worked with him over 5 sessions and now he's not only driving straight, but dropped 5 off his handicap."
Now would that interest you if you were a left handed golfer with a right slice? Of course it would. You've used simple language to communicate about your business and services and connected with him.
Summing up...
Lead with a problem and then intimate a solution. Finally tell them a story about how you've achieved results for other people just like them.
Do this and your marketing will be 100% more effective.
Rashid.
P.S. If you'd like us to help you define your problem, solution and stories in ways your prospects will respond to, give me a call on (02) 9499-7958.
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