Editor's Note: Not sure the title of this article or the image matches the content I wrote but I DO it will help you attract more clients and customers!
A colleague of mine and I were having a conversation the other day about a marketing mystery. One we have been observing for many years.
Isn’t it odd that we spend so much time, money and energy trying to make a difference in the lives of our
customers so we can earn a reasonable profit and yet, often, we’re our own worst enemies when it comes to doing the things that will help us achieve that objective?
Here's what I mean:
Even
though many of us become knowledgeable about effective sales and marketing strategies, somehow, some of what we learn never makes it to the front line – the point where our sales proposition is laid bare in front of our prospect for consideration.
That's the ONLY thing that matters. If we don't take action and implement, NOTHING well happen.
Even imperfect action is better than not doing anything.
We know better. We just don't implement. Instead, we convince ourselves that we're doing all the right things when. in fact, we're simply thinking about doing them! Out come the gold stars, the pats on the back and for what?
Here are three things that could be hurting your marketing results along with some suggestions on what you can do to correct them.
1. Thinking your website is ready for prime-time because it
was created by a “website designer”. This can be a costly misconception. Many web designers rely on their clients to supply content.They have no idea how to write compelling copy. Nor should they. That’s why they’re designers. UX? They're great! Clean looking? Yup. Nice branding? Sure thing.
But selling? Converting visitors into
paying customers? That's a whole 'nuther ball game.
Here’s the problem: Many web designers have no basic understanding of how to create a home page that presents a client’s selling message effectively.
Unless a website designer is getting content from someone who knows how to write and present a sales story or has the understanding to coach the client on how to do it, chances are the site will do very little other than occupy a spot in cyber-space for which the client pays a monthly hosting fee.
Much of the content on
websites today (ESPECIALLY home pages) has been cobbled together from brochures, competitors web sites and presentations that are equally as weak.
Don’t believe me? The next time you’re in surf mode, check out how many home pages – where the all important first impression occurs – are missing the most fundamental selling element of all – an
attention getting headline that offers a clear benefit to the reader.
Happy hunting!
Many home pages don’t even mention the word “you” or "your" in the copy. It’s all about me. Them.
You know what I mean.
So, why would companies lay out all kinds of do re mi to have a website designed and then cram the home page with copy the reader won’t respond to?
Many simply don’t
understand that the best design in the world can’t make a web site with dull “me too” copy perform.
If you think your home page copy falls into this category, it may be time to have it reviewed.
Otherwise, you may be spending valuable marketing dollars driving customers to your web site only to have them click away in search of a competitor who has a better answer to the question they arrived with, ‘What’s in this for me?’
2. Not marketing to existing customers.
It’s amazing to me how many businesses will spend money trying to get new customers while leaving one of the greatest incremental revenue streams sitting untapped right in their own backyard in the form of their current customer list.
To win a new customer, you have to somehow find a way to make your sales message stand out in a sea of
marketing messages.
Meanwhile, your existing customers, the people who have already done business with you, represent a prime audience predisposed to hearing about OTHER ways you can help them solve problems.
You may have added a number of new services or products since they first became customers. If you don’t let them know about how you can CONTINUE to add value to their lives, they’ll probably find what they need from a competitor. Ouch!
Back in the days when I was a sales professional, I'll never forget the day I was
speaking to a customer of mine and she informed me about a recent purchase they had made - with a competitor! I'm like...."uh, gee Sally, we offer those..." to which she replied, "Sorry, I didn't know that or I would have bought them from you!"
Then it dawned on me...we added them to our product line but I had never her know that!
Treat your current customers list like the geese that lay golden eggs. By staying in touch, you’ll learn about new needs and wants and you’ll be able to minimize your cost of sales.
If you have
a list of current customers but you’re not sure how to go about creating an easy-to-use customer contact program, drop me an email and I’ll give you some ideas.
If you don’t have a customer list with email addresses, it’s never too late to start developing one. It's well worth the effort!
3. Not creating “client attraction” marketing material. None of us likes to be sold. But we LOVE to buy! Your marketing material should be carefully crafted so it grabs the reader by the lapels and creates the feeling that doing business with anybody else would be a huge mistake.
Every day, our eyes glaze over as we are hammered by ads, home pages, sales letters and brochures that just blah, blah blah us to death.
And guess what? Millions of dollars go into creating these messages that don’t attract attention or
create desire.
You see this all the time on the internet. Web sites pushing products and services instead of working to develop a “know like and trust factor’ – the magical trio that usually forms the foundation of every sale.
You can’t push people into buying today any more than you could 20 years ago. But you CAN make sure you create the type of environment that gives you a chance to allow them to buy what you’re offering.
Start getting into the habit of analyzing the sales and marketing messages that come at you during
the day. Try to distinguish between those that just bounce off your sales resistance armor and those that make it past and create a desire within to learn more.
To be successful in today’s marketing and selling arena, you need every edge you can find. Especially those over which you have full control.
Need help building your gettin' your marketing messaging together? CLICK HERE to book a spot on my calendar and let's talk about it!
