I know, I know. I go on and on about getting your marketing message right. That’s because it’s so important!
Anyone who sees your marketing, whether it’s online or off, wants to know they’re in the right place. They want to feel like you “get” them. That you can solve their problem and that you care about solving their problem. Even to the point that they feel like you care about them, even though you’ve never met.
You can convey some of that with design and some of it will be in your targeting, if you run ads.
But your primary delivery system will be your marketing message. The words that convince your potential customer that your solution is the perfect one to solve their problem.
Yes. I’m biased. I’m a copywriter. Words are my thing.
There are three key points you need to include in your marketing message to prove your case to your potential customers.
1. Show That You Understand Your Potential Customer’s Problem
Have you ever had a salesperson ask you what you’re looking for, then show you something that is absolutely not what you’re looking for? That’s after you’ve clearly described what you’re looking for and perhaps even what you plan on doing with it.
Drives you nuts, right?
Possibly even to the point of wanting to shop somewhere else or at least find another salesperson.
This is what happens to your potential customers when you don’t show that you understand their problem in your marketing message.
They get turned off.
They say to themselves, “Why would I buy from this company? They don’t get me. I’m going somewhere else.”
You need to show your potential customers that you understand what they’re going through, big or small, and you know how they feel.
This can be as simple as, “Need that perfect sweater to wear on your next date?” for a clothing company.
Or it could be long rambling passages telling a story about how Anna used to be in horrible pain and couldn’t walk but then she found the miracle product that relieved her pain and now she plays tennis every day. (Yes, I’m exaggerating here, but not much.)
Because most people are looking for a solution to a problem, you need to empathize with them. Some of these people may stay up all night, worrying about how to solve it. (Even the person looking for the perfect sweater for their next date.)
You need to show that you get what they’re going through. That you’ve been in their shoes. You understand their pain.
The level of detail and empathy you’ll need to go into will depend entirely on your customer’s problem and the product you’re selling.
For example, the story of our aforementioned Anna who couldn’t walk will need quite a bit of detail and a lot of empathy.
A business owner who is looking for the perfect gift to give their most loyal customers for the holidays probably won’t need as much convincing to have a specialty bakery send each customer a box of cookies on their behalf.
But the formula is the same.
I know your problem.
I understand your problem.
I feel your pain.
The next thing you want to do is…
2. Show How Your Potential Customer Will Immediately Benefit From Your Product or Service
I write a lot about this, again because it’s so important!
I’m talking about that whole features and benefits thing. You know, where you state a feature of your product or service, then explain how it will benefit your potential customer immediately and long term. Good I’m glad you’re with me. If you’re not, click on the link at the beginning of this paragraph.
You start with how your potential customer will benefit immediately from your product or service because we all want our problems solved right now.
Parts of this will be concrete, but parts will also be emotional.
For instance, why should anyone need a new sweater to go on a date? But people buy clothes for special occasions all the time for several reasons, including:
- It makes you feel more confident to wear something new.
- You want to be known for following the latest fashion trends.
- You want to show the person you’re going on a date with that this time together means something to you, so you’ve invested in something special.
I just listed 3 emotional benefits to buying a new sweater for your next date.
A couple of practical, concrete reasons might be:
- You’re going to an upscale place and you have nothing appropriate to wear.
- Everything you own is frayed around the edges and it’s time to update your wardrobe.
For anyone in our friend Anna’s situation, the concrete benefits will be:
- Not being in constant pain.
- Having your mobility back.
- Saving money on doctor’s visits, chiropractors, acupuncture, etc.
The emotional benefits will be:
- Having your “normal” life back.
- Being able to take care of yourself again instead of relying on others.
- Having the confidence to be able to go out in public without worrying about how your body will function (or not).
You see where I’m going here, right?
You want to show your potential customers the immediate effect your product or service will have on their lives. That it will actually fix their problem, right now.
Paint that picture, practically and emotionally, of what will happen as soon as they say yes, click on the “Buy Now” or “Schedule an Appointment” button, receive your product or service and start using it.
Make it easy for them to say yes by showing you understand and you have the answer to their prayers.
Finally, you need to…
3. Show How Your Product or Service Will Affect Your Potential Customer’s Life and Overall Well-Being
It’s not enough to tell someone why your product or service will help them right away. You also need to tell them how it will benefit them for a long time to come or even change their lives entirely.
Yes, this may seem a bit extreme, but a case can be made for a long-term benefit for just about any product.
Why is this necessary?
Because we all love to pretend we make a logical decision when it comes to making a purchase. The truth is, we are all emotionally driven creatures and we make an emotional decision first, then we rationalize the decision to ourselves with logic.
I have mentioned many times that marketing plays on this human trait on a regular basis. It’s one of the oldest tricks in the marketing message book.
When you sell the long-term benefit, you’re “selling the dream.”
The truth is, you have no idea what their personal long-term benefit will be. But you know what it should be. You created the product or service. Depending on what you sell, you may even have studies on what long-term benefits your customers will gain.
You need to take that picture you started painting and make it into a film, visualizing your potential customer’s ideal future for them. Show them how wonderful their life could be in a few weeks, months or years after they say yes to what you’re offering.
The person who is buying the sweater for their date may end up making a permanent commitment to the person they’re going on a date with and find their “happily ever after.”
The person in pain may finally experience the relief they’ve never found from another treatment and be able to take up dancing again or run a marathon.
Just to throw a B2B reference in here, earlier in this post I mentioned a business owner sending their customers boxes of cookies via a specialty bakery. That company could get a lot more business from several of those customers because they really appreciate the gesture and remember that company when it comes time to renew a contract or start a new project.
You can see how this can go deeper and deeper. And that’s a good thing. You want this picture to be as vivid and realistic as possible. The more your potential customer can see themselves as part of this beautiful dream, the more likely they are to say yes to your offer.
How to Use These Key Points in Your Marketing Message
I expect your next question is, “Where should I use these key points in my marketing message?”
Everywhere.
Your website, your blog posts, your landing pages, emails, brochures, signs, tradeshow materials, anywhere and everywhere you promote your business.
Will you be able to fit every single point into every single place? Probably not. (If you do, please send me a picture!)
But the more you concentrate on these three key points in your marketing message, the more you’ll convert potential customers into paying customers.
Are you tired of sending emails that no one opens? Frustrated by the fact that you have an awesome product that your subscribers say they want but aren’t buying?
Then the Email Marketing Connection Academy is the place for you.
The Email Marketing Connection Academy is where you’ll learn copywriting techniques like these. Plus you’ll get my direct feedback on your work and a lot of help from me and your fellow group members on crafting your marketing message so it resonates with your audience. It’s a wonderful group of business owners, all of whom use email marketing to grow their businesses and increase their revenue.
Knowing how to write emails that convert will bring in more customers, help your business grow and let you live the life you dreamed of when you decided to start your own business.
(See how easy it is to include all three points in your marketing message?)
I’ll be honest, I don’t let just anyone into the Email Marketing Connection Academy. I want to make sure everyone who joins will genuinely benefit from what I offer. I also want to work with people who are ready to put in the work to grow their businesses and who contribute to the group overall.
If you’d like to find out more about the EMCA, as well as whether you’re a good fit for the group, please answer a few questions about yourself and your business by clicking on the button below.