B Y T O M T O R T O R I C I
I mean it. Start paying close attention to how you research and make purchases
You may often notice a curious disconnect between how we buy and how we (try to) sell. Go figure.
For starters, quit talking TO customers. Listen. Even better, listen to those who didn’t buy. Heck, maybe over some Sesame Chicken. Ask about their aims, frustrations, circumstances and compromises these days. You never know what you’ll learn.
While we’re focused on sales numbers, consumers and business buyers are focused on their own personal universe of competing needs, wants, frustrations and obligations—all now colored by financial stress. Dig for trends, and new connections between their evolving problems and what we could offer.
What if people can no longer afford weekly yard care? Well, then promote a line of slow-growing shrubs and grass.
Ditch these words from your marketing communications: we, us, and our.
Now, use these words often: you and your. This simple exercise will totally realign your message to your audience’s point-of-view. It’s not about their issues from our perspective; it’s about their issues from their perspective. And it may be painful to hear this, but those stingy buyers out there don’t care what our company is committed to, stands for, is proud of, or believes.
You never know what will emerge when you start asking questions nobody has thought to ask before.
I’ve seen businesses with terrific competitive benefits that weren’t being promoted, because it was assumed everyone already knew what employees knew.
Bad call. Being so close to their own company, managers and communications staff naturally have knowledge, familiarity and inherent interest that buyers don’t share.
So they wonder why their messages don’t quite connect, and flush, there goes the budget. Happens every day.
As sellers, it may seem natural to focus our marketing on our company. After all, we’re the ones paying for it, right?
For buyers, ignoring some vague headline boasting about ‘customer service excellence’ is as easy as looking away. Fess up, you do it all the time. You’re looking for specific benefits, and everything else is a blur.
The advertising Apple did when it released the iPhone, and then the iPad doesn’t talk about Apple. It doesn’t even talk about the product. It just got out of the way so you can see what you can do with their amazing tools.
Lesson learned.
To dig a little deeper, check out An Atlanta Copywriter Shares 3 Surprising Secrets. I also recommend the Heath brother’s insightful book Made to Stick.
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About the Author: Tom Tortorici is an Atlanta copywriter and web content writer who helps companies make a genuine connection with their audience. His classes and conference presentations have focused on how writing, strategy and design can work together to grab attention and interest even among readers with short attention spans. In addition to working directly with businesses, Tom regularly partners with web designers and marketing agencies.
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Tom Tortorici Inc. | Tom@TomTortorici.com | 770-934-7861 | 3101 Rockaway Rd | Atlanta GA 30341
