“The biggest factor in marketing impact is the power of the hook that draws people in.”
~ Debra Hilton
I had an extremely frustrating conversation the other day about the messaging this business owner wanted to communicate and the reasons prospects would or would not buy his product. I suspect that he was just as frustrated by the end of it as I was.
It’s a conversation I often have with prospects and occasionally with clients because it’s so important…
What Promise or Suggestion are You Making that Will Attract Attention?
A fish doesn’t swim around looking for ‘something’. They’re looking for a specific something… the solution to a problem or an opportunity for pleasure. Their attention is attracted by something that appeals too specifically to them.
The difference between a marketing campaign that is ineffective, average, or spectacular lies in your ability to find a hook that reels in prospects.
And the secret to finding that hook: that lies in diligent research and deep knowledge of your prospect and…
The Most Overlooked Perspective
… is considering all the other options your prospects have… as well as other businesses who might want to take advantage of the opportunity their problem presents.
Your prospects have a choice:
- work with you
- work with someone else
- do it themselves
- do nothing
And you need to respect that choice when you market to them by making your offer as compelling and persuasive as possible.
A Cautionary Tale
I’m noticing an increasing trend in businesses to go after organisations and partners rather than marketing to the end users. This is good strategic thinking, but in an environment where many people are doing the same thing you need to think long and hard about possible competitors and build your marketing so that it addresses these concerns and strengthens your position.
The business owner I referred to earlier was discussing a service that he wanted to sell to real estate agents. The service involved assistance in sorting, packing, and selling unwanted items so that sellers didn’t have to do all this work themselves or feel obligated to keep or store items that were not suitable for their new home. Of course, he felt that the value he offered with his connections etc was exceptional and in his own mind the decision was a no-brainer.
What he was ignoring was that real estate agents already have a plethora of contacts for packing, moving, storing, staging etc. and that these people also had an interest in adding additional services.
While he was certain that his service offered unique benefits and his expertise was unquestioned, his prospects needed to be convinced of this… and he simply didn’t realise the need.
Unfortunately, he’s not alone in this assumption. One of my clients is struggling with this realisation in a different field. She knows the value of her experience and qualifications and the difference between her services and those offered by similar organisations, but it wasn’t until I challenged her on the matter and she took it to some of her prospects that she realised that her ‘hook’ wasn’t compelling enough.
Two-Point Takeaway
- Your prospects need to be wowed!
- You need to blast your competitors out of the pond!
This means that you cannot be lazy or skimp costs on your marketing materials. You need to spend the time and invest the money to:
- Hook your prospects with eye-catching design and compelling copy;
- Take as much space and time as you need to make your point (remembering that time is an investment in relationship and prospects who watch or read a substantial message are more likely to buy);
- Select your format based on impact rather than cost. (You’re trying to make a sale, remember and… all other things being equal… the business that invests the most catches the client);
- Follow up. Follow up. Follow up.
