By Joan Nowak
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When it comes to your company's advertising, are you more concerned about how it looks or what it says? While design and style are important, all the glitz and cool stuff won't mean a thing if there is no real substance to your message. Whether you use print ads, direct mail, email, website or social media, copy is king!
So the next time you sit down to prepare a new marketing campaign, give a little more thought to your copy. Here's a six step approach that might make this a little easier - and make your marketing a lot more effective.
Step 1: Define Your Ideal Customer
The best marketing starts with a clear 'audience' in mind! Write a one-page description of your most ideal client/customer. Describe in detail all about them. For consumers, this might include age, marital status, car they drive, number of children, income range, personality type, common problems or challenges. For businesses, this might include size, industry, # employees, decision maker title, hobbies, personality type, goals, and common problems. This answers the question "Who" is your ideal client (not your target market - your IDEAL "A" class customer)
Step 2: What Would They Buy?
"What" would your ideal customers buy from you? Most businesses offer more than one product or service for their ideal customers, so identify all of them.
Step 3: Why Would They Buy?
This is important and is two-fold. Why would they buy from you instead of your competition - and what are the benefits they receive when they make the purchase? Your Unique Value Proposition is important here so you don't compete on price alone!
Step 4: Headlines That Speak to Ideal Customers
Whether you are creating a landing page on your website, an email marketing campaign or direct mail piece, a powerful headline is a must -- to get attention and encourage ideal customers to read more. Brainstorm and write down 10 headlines that speak to your 'who' and grab attention of your ideal customers. Here's a few headline starters to get you thinking:
- Here's How You Can
- 7 Ways to Increase Your
- 5 Reasons to Try
- For Less Than $5 a Week
Step 5: Outlandish Offers
Offers are a must for small businesses to get people to take action - call, visit website, come into location, sign up for an event, etc. So based on "What" they would buy - come up with 3-5 outlandish, over-the-top kind of offers.
Step 6: WIIFM - What's In It For Me
Develop benefit-oriented copy based on the answer to the 'why' above. Remember the WIIFM (What's In It For Me) -- How can your products or services solve their problems, ease their fears or make their life better, simpler or more profitable.
Joan Nowak is a Small Business Profit Builder, seasoned Business Coach, and creator of the Hybrid Coaching System for small businesses. For additional resources and ideas to grow your small business, visit http://www.HybridBizAdvisors.com. While you are there, join her mailing list to get her monthly eNewsletter and receive a FREE copy of her eBook, Mastering the 7 Elements of Business Success.
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