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A Marketing Article by Craig Valine: "The
[Former] Struggling Consultant"
"Enough About Me. Let's Talk About
YOU!"
One of the biggest marketing mistakes I
see constantly, in the newspaper, on the web, within company brochures,
is the missing word: YOU
I cringe as I notice how enthralled
these companies are with themselves. For instance, a sales letter I
received late last year stated:
- "We’ve been in business for 10
years"
- "We're all about the customer..."
- "We’ve won many awards…"
- "We offer quality service and
dependability"
Now, I hope you’re thinking what I'm
thinking... "WHO CARES?"
Right?
There isn’t any mention of anything that
benefits me. It speaks only of themselves with a proud self-serving
tone.
Why would I do business with someone
that doesn't care enough to learn more about my needs, wants, and
desires?
This business was too busy telling me
about them and not enough about the customer.
They’re not alone, however.
Almost every direct mail piece I receive
in the mail is filled with "I", "me," "our," and "we."
Now, it's really not all that practical
to write a letter without saying "I," "we," or "our" - but you should
certainly have the word "YOU" 5 or 6 six times for every reference to
"us" or "my" company.
Here are some examples of how you can
easily change the way you present yourself from a "ME" mentality to a
"YOU" attitude."
- Instead of: “I want to tell
you..."
Say: "You will discover..."
- Instead of: "Our staff is
experienced..."
Say: "Your will be handled by qualified, experienced people
who can answer just about any area of expertise..."
- Instead of: "We sell quality
products..."
Say: "You will love the XR250 model or you will receive
double your money back!"
Does the wording make more sense?
When you write a sales letter, copy for
a website or email, put yourself in the mindset of the reader of your
letter.
You should constantly say to yourself:
"If I were the
customer, why would I be interested in this…?”
It's the oldest lesson in sales. Maybe
you've heard it this way: "What's the radio station everyone listens
to?"
"WII FM" (What's in it
for me?)
If you aren't constantly telling the
reader what's in it for her, she won't read your marketing messages.
To help you get the best results with
your copy, here's something you can do that I learned from one of my
teachers.
After writing your copy, go back and
highlight each-and-every "I," "we," "our," and "us." Then, re-write each
sentence with a "you attitude."
Let your prospects know you care about
their interests.
Speak in terms of the benefits they will
receive. Always tell them what is in it for them.
They do not and will not care about
you, until they know how much you care about them.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Craig Valine is
the Director for the Glazer-Kennedy Insider's Circle, Glendale/Pasadena
Local Chapter. He is also known as "The [Former] Struggling Consultant".
Visit his site and get your Free Audio CD, "The 5 Pitfalls Most
Independent Consultants Make...and how to solve them" at
http://FormerStrugglingConsultant.com
Articles © 2008/Craig Valine & Enhanced
Marketing Performance. All rights reserved.
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Vela, Glendale/Pasadena Local Chapter | All Rights Reserved |
