One morning a friend of mine was telling me about a recent visitor that came knocking at his front door. Apparently someone from a local church was going door-to-door inviting people to attend. He had a slick brochure that outlined all the church’s core theology, their biblical beliefs, their end-of-the-world views, etc. This got me thinking. The people in that church probably thought they had produced a really compelling and attractive brochure that would entice others to try their services.
Maybe, maybe not.
It occurred to me that whoever created that brochure made sure they included all the things that were important to them. But my question is, were those theological positions really important to the buyer? The buyer presumably would be a non-church-going person that the seller presumably wants to woo to their services.
But if you want to reach people, you have to appeal to them by promoting what’s important to them, not what’s important to you.
Maybe these potential members were looking for security, peace of mind, a place to make lasting friendships, a place to find answers to the troubles of life. I suspect the church could offer value in all those areas – and yet they chose to take up space on their flyer talking about their theological positions.
So whether you sell widgets or financial services, make sure that before you start writing promotional copy about what you have to offer, you take the time to think through what your customers really want from you.
What are you selling?
If you are in financial services, are you selling mutual funds and stocks? Not really. You’re selling the hope of a secure future, the ability to experience some of the pleasures of life that money in the bank can buy. You’re selling peace of mind and the good feeling that comes from knowing you are responsibly managing your finances.
Believe it or not, it takes some work to get out of your head and into the head (and heart) of your audience.
If you run UPS or Fed Ex, what are you selling? Is it on-time delivery? That’s a start. But don’t stop there. I contend that what you are really selling is peace of mind or even confidence. Your customer doesn’t care how many planes you have or how neat your drivers’ uniforms are… those things are all part of the company’s brand image to assure your customers that when they place their valuable packages with you, they can trust that those treasured items will arrive when and where they are supposed to arrive. You’re selling confidence. You’re selling peace of mind.
Now if you are similar to the target audience you are seeking to attract, then understanding what motivates them to respond will not be that hard for you to address. But if you’re a 50-year-old Hispanic male and your target audience is a 17-year-old white female, well, you will have to do some market research to truly understand what motivates your audience to respond.
Simply take the time to listen and learn the “view” of your audience.
Contact us today and we’ll help you reach your customers with the confidence that comes from truly knowing what’s important to them.
