Issue #37 Can I talk to you about my mistake?
Do you know how once or twice I may have mentioned the importance of understanding your prospect and using their language in marketing?
It turns out I was right. Also, I was doing it wrong.
I’m sharing the lesson I learned because you are probably doing it wrong too.
The mistake is that it is so easy to fall into marketing speak, sanitize what we say, and make it sound professional.
But that isn’t how people buy.
I was watching a video from copywriter Joanna Wiebe on understanding the voice of the customer. She showed this website as a demonstration:
And I admit that I have fallen into this trap. At first, I looked at this and thought: “that is pretty good; it talks about the customer, well done.”
But you know what? It is boring, bland, and does NOT use words that people use to describe themselves.
Nobody says: I need something for my shape.
My bald head, maybe. My beer gut, perhaps, but my shape?
(And yeah, my wife has never complained about her “shape,” either. Other things sure, but not “shape.”)
Have you ever heard somebody say, “Hmm, I’d like clothes that are perfect for my shape and style.”
Of course, now, this is sanitized messaging. It is clear, safe, specific, and dead wrong.
So what did Joanna do to improve it? She went to forums, read Amazon book reviews, and asked customers what words they used. This is what she came up with:
The old copy is on the left, and the new copy is on the right. The new is riskier. It stands out, and it speaks to the customer in their language.
And the results?
According to Joanna, she got a 124% increase in people clicking that button.
So, lesson learned.
Now, where do you get this language? Here are some suggestions:
- Read amazon book reviews – reviews often have great content.
- Try Facebook groups and Reddit forums.
- Ask your target customer to talk about themselves and their needs, then capture their language. Don’t edit it; capture and use the words they use. Even if you (like me) detest the word “boobs” if that is the word your customer uses, use it.
The MSP ownership immune system will fight you on this. The language may feel too edgy, not professional enough, and not “marketing” enough. That is when you know you have it right.
This has been great for me, and I hope it is for you too. I’d love for you to share some examples of what you have, respond here or put them in the Start Grow Manage newsfeed.
Ever feel strapped, stressed, and overloaded?
That is a symptom of hustling and being trapped in the MSP ownership spin cycle.
There is a better way. Build a business machine that runs on autopilot. It takes work, but a bit of time working ON your business instead of IN your business can deliver massive results.
Would you like some help with that?
Come to two free Thrivers meetings. Meet a group of people who work as YOUR team and get the accountability, support, and tools you need to turn your work into a well-oiled business machine.
Click here to give it a try; this link will take you to our application page to see if you are the right fit (or contact Sofia, sofia@startgrowmanage.com, if you need help).
The app is here!
I meant to mention this last week, but it got lost in my anticipation of Thanksgiving. So here we go: we have an app!
Yes, training, templates, and messaging support – are all in your back pocket! How cool is THAT? Subscribers (Insiders, Thrivers, and Platinum) have full access. Download the app for your phone:
Now, we also have a SWAG store. By popular demand, you can now get the coveted “You are Loved” t-shirt and “you are muted,” coffee mug – more stuff coming soon. Click here to browse.
Um, last week’s survey was a bust.
I got 5 responses, and I think three of those were from my mother. But so many people tell us that they struggle with their marketing that we’d really love to know why and how.
We also have a sales and marketing program – it’s called the Irresistible Sales and Marketing Masterclass. If you’d like to learn more, click here.
From Around the Web
- 👨👧 I think there is a lot we can learn from kids – they don’t know all the rules, they just do things. This is why I love this story about an 11-year-old starting her cake-baking business.
- ☕️ Think coffee is saturated? Well, these guys raised $100 million. You’ve probably heard my coffee market segmentation story a few times by now. I came across this article on coffee and raising money, Cometeer raised $100 million by getting specific, not by going after the “whole market.”
- ⁉️ Yesterday: In 2004, the unbeatable “Jeopardy!” contestant Ken Jennings lost after 74 consecutive wins. By that time, he had won $2.5m+. And now, we all know who Ken Jennings is.
Remember to let me know what you think of this week’s report
