What is your marketing message? How effective is it in connecting with your prospects and customers?<\/p>\n
OK, so you’ve identified your ideal customer<\/a>. This means you’ve researched and written your key customer personas and have a good idea of what your customers need. So far so good.<\/p>\n So now what precisely are you trying to communicate to your ideal customers about you and your business?<\/p>\n Before you start putting pen to paper or hands to keyboard to write your marketing message, think about what you do for your customer which is of value, how it makes them feel and, importantly, how it is different to others.<\/p>\n Your marketing message should describe not simply what you are but what you do.<\/p>\n “customers will exchange their hard-earned money for only two things:<\/p>\n Consider whether you are describing what you are<\/em>\u00a0versus what you\u00a0do for customers that is different <\/em>and so how they will feel.<\/p>\n When someone asks you what you do, what do you reply?<\/p>\n Is it something similar to;<\/p>\n I\u2019m an accountant.<\/p>\n … physio.<\/p>\n … photographer.<\/p>\n Do you tell them what you are rather than what you do? How do people react? Are people interested in hearing more about what you do?<\/p>\n To make a connection with a potential customer or contact it helps to be able to quickly arouse their interest and connect with them on an emotional level.<\/p>\n It helps to sum up in a few words how you can make a difference to their<\/em> lives. In terms they can understand (no jargon). That is different. With an emotional payoff.<\/p>\n Take the label accountant: nothing wrong with the description but perhaps open to interpretation. To some people accountant may mean \u201cbean-counter\u201d (rude I know), to others it may mean Finance Director. It\u2019s not what you are that counts it\u2019s what you do that interests people. Ensure it is\u00a0in terms they can understand and that they value.<\/p>\n For example, compare these statements. Who would you prefer to continue talking to?<\/p>\n “I\u2019m an accountant. I do all the usual compliance work including submitting clients’ CT600 forms to HMRC.”<\/em><\/p>\n “<\/em>I run a successful accountancy practice. One of the things I do is complete accurate and timely company tax returns for small business clients. This means you pay just the right amount of tax and won\u2019t be hit with late filing penalties. This takes out the stress and hassle of filing your company tax returns.”<\/em><\/p>\n Or how about this one;<\/p>\n “I\u2019m a physiotherapist. I mobilise joints, undertake soft tissue treatment and specialise in electrotherapy.”<\/em><\/p>\n “<\/em>I own a thriving physiotherapist practice. When you\u2019ve sustained an injury or had surgery I help you make a quick recovery, prevent a recurrence, and keep you active into the future. I find this supports your vital mental well-being, as much as your physical improvement.”<\/em><\/p>\n Or;<\/p>\n “I\u2019m a photographer. I do family portraits, weddings and special occasions.”<\/em><\/p>\n “<\/em>I\u2019m a photographer who produces high quality pictures which capture the essence of you and your loved ones. My images not only record, but celebrate your special occasion, providing you with exquisite, lasting memories. With my photos, long after the occasion is over, you’ll feel connected to the time, place and person.”<\/em><\/p>\n Once you know how you make a difference to the lives of your customer you can articulate what you do,\u00a0for them<\/em>.<\/p>\n You know which valuable problem you are solving or benefit you are delivering for your customers. This is why you are in business.<\/p>\n This purpose should also resonate with you, not just your customers. It should be something you feel good about.<\/p>\n This expression of how you make a difference to the lives of your customer forms the core of your purpose and your marketing message. It is likely your key point of difference.<\/p>\n So next time someone asks you what you do, what will you reply?<\/p>\n Write 2 or 3 sentences which sums up what you do, for whom, how this is of benefit to them, is different, and how they will feel about it.<\/strong><\/p>\n To get you started here are a couple of straightforward templates and my own examples.<\/p>\n Who (your target customer), why (their problem\/need), what (your service), which means (benefit\/value\/difference to customer), so they will feel (customer emotion.)<\/p>\n I find that owners of small service businesses are often struggling to find the time and techniques to make their marketing work. My Making your Marketing Happen Service shows you how to generate regular effective marketing activities for a stream of new sales enquiries. This eases your stress and strain of constantly looking for new ways to attract and retain customers.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em>or<\/p>\n Who (your target customer), gain (benefit\/value\/difference), how (what you do), why (their problem\/need), feelings (emotional payoff).<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em>I help owners of small service businesses develop a stream of new sales enquiries by showing you how to generate effective marketing activities in the limited time you have available. This relieves you of the stress and strain of constantly coming up with new ideas to attract and retain customers.<\/em><\/p>\n [Tip: I often like to use \u201cyou\u201d when developing these descriptions in order to make a little \u201ceye-contact\u201d with the reader\/listener.]<\/p>\n What other examples of good business descriptions\/marketing messages have you come across? Please leave them in the comments section and I’ll compile a list to share with you.<\/em><\/p>\n For more help have a look at my\u00a0resources page<\/a>\u00a0or download my\u00a0Accomplish Quick Guide to Marketing<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What is your marketing message? How effective is it in connecting with your prospects and customers? OK, so you’ve identified your ideal customer. This means you’ve researched and written your key customer personas and have a good idea of what your customers need. So far so good. So now what precisely are you trying to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1383,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[41],"yoast_head":"\nWhat description do you offer to the world?<\/h2>\n
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Arouse interest in your business<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Make an emotional connection in your marketing message<\/h2>\n
Your marketing message should resonate with both you and your customer<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Suggested Action:<\/h2>\n