What is that #1 rule?

“It’s not about you.”

Many marketers think that their message should be about themselves and all the wonderful products they sell or the wonderful service they give. But it isn’t.

An effective marketing message is about your potential customers and clients – and what they want and need. The truth is, they aren’t the least bit interested in you or the products and services you offer. They care only about “What’s in it for me?”

When you’re selling real estate, no one cares if you’ve got a beautiful office. The office is no benefit to them. No one even cares if you have 13 different designations – unless you show them how those designations are going to help them buy or sell a home faster, easier, and in a way that’s financially beneficial to them. No one cares if you’ve been named Realtor of the Year or attended the NAR Convention.

None of that matters. What matters to your potential customers and clients is their problem – whether it’s getting their home sold quickly for a good price or finding the home of their dreams for a price they can afford.

When you’re selling a product no one cares about the research that went into producing it or how large the manufacturing plant is. Right now they might care to know what country that product is manufactured in – but the real bottom line is this: What will it do for me?

They want to know how that product will make their lives better in some way.

• Will it save them time?
• Will it help them do a better job of something?
• Will it make them more beautiful or handsome or healthy?
• Will it relieve a physical pain or a mental anxiety?
• Will it make them lose or gain weight or grow hair on a bald head?
• Will it make them more intelligent or give them more prestige with their peers?
• Will it help them “Get the girl?”

So how can you write about what you’re going to do without talking about you?

You can’t, not entirely, but you can begin every marketing piece with a focus on the customer, so that you gain their attention long enough to show them how you’re going to solve their problem.

Although you will probably need to edit and re-arrange later, start by writing the word “you” or “your” at the top of the page. From there begin writing a sentence that goes straight to their problem. Then just keep writing. Pretend you’re talking to someone who is right there in the room with you. Then tell them how their lives are going to change for the better because of your product or service.

Just turn everything around. Instead of saying “I’ll help you…” say “You can count on me to…”

This first draft might be what I call “lumpy,” but that’s OK. Because by writing the first draft this way you’ll get your head turned around to thinking of your customers and what they have to gain when they listen to you.

One caution – don’t become obsessed with banishing the words I, we, or me. You will have to use them now and then. Just don’t’ begin sentences with them!

So what am I talking about?

I’m talking about the fact that just one person at a time will read your message. And the fact that as much as you’d like to, you cannot write an effective message by trying to interest the entire population. You simply cannot send a message that will appeal equally to a 19 year old and his Grandma – or even his Dad.

So the first step in sending an effective message is to narrow your audience. Choose an age group or an interest group. Choose a geographic group or a gender group. And then break that down even farther, until you can “see” a member of your target audience.

Even if your product or service will appeal to different groups, it will appeal for different reasons. So think about all the people you know and select one friend or acquaintance who fits the group you’ve chosen.

Next, take the time to really think about that person. What worries him? What motivates her? What causes excitement and happy anticipation? Think about the income, life priorities, obligations and problems that person has. Try to get inside his or her head and mentally go through his or her day.

Now think about how your product or service is going to either solve a problem or add pleasure to that day. Think of the obvious ways and the small ways.

Next, keeping a mental picture of the person you chose, begin talking about your product or service just the way you would if you were sitting visiting over a cup of coffee. Pretend that it isn’t even your product or service, but something you’ve found to be of value.

Unless you want to use a recorder, you’ll have to “talk” on paper. Otherwise, you’re apt to lose the good words you come up with. Keep talking until you’ve exhausted all the benefits this product or service will bring to your friend. These are the reasons why he or she should buy your product or use your service.

Now you’re ready to distill those thoughts by picking out the benefits that will be most important to this person. Once you’ve chosen those major benefits, you can begin writing your ad and your headline around them. You can bring in the smaller points, of course, but only if they support the big picture that you’re trying to paint.

Remember, your message will be read by just one person at a time, so write to just one person and maintain a conversational tone. Keep your focus on the benefits that will most appeal to that one person – and avoid phrases like “all of you” or “many of you.”

And… if you decide that writing your own promotions isn’t much fun, get in touch! I do think it’s fun.

I’m about to go off on a rant again, and I’d love to know if you agree with me – or think I’m just a cranky old woman.

You’ve probably seen me rant before about web sales pages that make you click somewhere else – like to an order page – in order to find out the price. I won’t do it, even if I’m curious, because – well, because I don’t like the practice.

Today’s mail brought something even dumber. A 4 page sales letter, along with a small 4-color brochure and a reply device. These were for a composter, and since I love gardening and would like to have a composter, I read the whole thing.

If I didn’t already know why I want a composter, the letter wouldn’t have helped me find out. It talked about ease of use, but not reasons for use. But that wasn’t the worst sin.

The price was absent! Yep, the sales letter and the reply device both invited me to fill out the card and send it in so they could mail me back more information – such as the price.

When there’s no price my first assumption is “It costs too much.” Is that what you think too? Not only that, but if the sales letter had done its job of making me want this product, I would want to order it right now – not in a couple weeks.

It’s obvious that this company spent some money mailing this to me – and why did they bother? They could have gotten the same results and saved a lot of time, energy, and money by not contacting me at all.

The same thing happened about a month ago when I made a phone call. My husband saw an ad in the newspaper for a hypnotherapist who promised to help people lose weight. He thought that sounded interesting, so asked me to call and find out more.

The woman on the phone was anxious to sign him up for a free initial consultation, but absolutely refused to tell the price. So I asked for a “neighborhood.” I said “Is each treatment closer to $100 – or $1,000?”

Well, I’ll never know. She wouldn’t tell and my husband refused to go if he couldn’t know an approximate cost ahead of time.

I don’t know where these people are getting their marketing advice – but it sure isn’t from anyone who knows anything about psychology or human nature.

That’s just my opinion. Do you agree? Or do you disagree?

I’d love to hear from you!

Marte

P.S. Would you like to have marketing tips in your in-box regularly? Would you also like a report on getting referrals and testimonials? Just send a blank email to my new autoresponder at 1shoppingcart.com