I recently had a client who was looking for some help with a sales letter. It
started out breaking nearly every rule of good copy writing. You know, the ones
that say:
Make it about what the customer wants, not about you
Use easy words
Use short sentences
Don't wander, be
concise
Don't use ambiguous words that are hard to pin down
In
addition, this client was using terminology that was distinctly religious or
spiritual. There's absolutely nothing wrong with religious or spiritual. It
appeals to and reaches a particular group effectively. It also excludes a group
who are not looking for that experience, and therefore excludes that potential
income..
So in rewriting this letter, I broadened the approach, making it
more generally applicable to a wider target audience. Ultimately, this client
rejected the broader approach with the comment that what he was selling was so
personal to him, it needed to be about spirituality.
Not the first time
I've had a client reject marketing principles in favor of how personal their
product is to them. Is that wrong? No. But I think it bears some clarity on
the difference between a business and a hobby. If you're doing your "thing"
because it is personal to you and not doing your "thing" for what the customer
needs/wants/gets, then I think what you have is a hobby that may make a little
income.
If you have a hobby, you can make it all about yourself. If
you have a business. your focus MUST be the customer! Neither is right or
wrong, but one will make you more money. (The point of a business, after all)
The other might provide great personal experience, but beware of the cost that
may have to your bottom line.
If you are struggling with how to make it
about your customer, ask me about some help on your own ads, PR materials or
website. http://beyondthesidewalk.com/consulting.shtml
Put
your customer first. It's NOT about you. Start with anything you want to say
in an ad, then ask, "Why does this matter to the customer?" The answer to that
question is what you should be talking about!
Best wishes,
Ellie
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