One of the biggest new business mistakes I see is confusing marketing and sales language.
Many business owners and managers are very good at selling person-to-person. But when they need to write copy for a website they struggle.
And I get it. I haven’t always been the best at it. I’m still learning the nuances, but one trick I’ve learned over the last decade has worked very well and it’s something any business can do with their website.
Quick Story
I’ve chatted with some really good salespeople over the years. When it comes to my company they ask how often I speak on the phone. I tell them it’s not very often.
That statement will often surprise them.
Now, with that business the product doesn’t seem to need a lot of time on the phone. Or any time on the phone.
But another part of it is that I simply take what past customers have asked and what my answers have been and use that in all marketing and sales language on the website.
Listen To Current Customers, Change Marketing & Sales Copy
That’s the small change. That’s the secret. That’s the tactic.
There are actually a few little different aspects to it.
First, if you’re struggling to convert prospects to customers with your marketing and sales copy you want to talk with current customers. Ask them why they came to you and why they bought from you. Work to get to their needs and then focus on what convinced them to choose you.
For example, you sell toothbrushes. You ask a recent customer why they were looking for a toothbrush and why they choose you. They say that they were sick of brushing their teeth and still hearing from the dentist that they weren’t doing a good job. They asked a friend who told them that your mechanical toothbrush makes sure you brush for a full two minutes and that it’s little vibrating motor ensures an excellent clean.
You take that information and add it to your website.
ABC Motorized Toothbrush: Vibrating Motor with Automatic Two-Minute Timer to ensure a complete clean.
Maybe you even add it as a testimonial.
Second, you’re learning about your product from the customer’s perspective. You might know all the specs about your toothbrush and its motor and things like that.
But the more you speak with your customers the more you’ll learn that they don’t care how big the toothbrush is or how many vibrations it does per minute.
In their world they only care that it brushes their teeth. When you speak with them you learn about your product in their language. Not yours.
Many companies write marketing and sales copy in their language from their understanding of the product. It should be the other way around.
Final Thought
The best salespeople ask questions. They figure out what is going on with a prospective customer. They listen to their problems and frustrations. Then they see if it makes sense to connect the dots from the problem to the solution the salesperson is selling.
The really good salespeople are able to identify issues that the prospective customer doesn’t even realize they have or realize there is a solution for.
But whatever the scenario, it’s always about the customer. Their problems. Their why. Their language.
If you want more new customers from your website or any marketing and sales material, talk to your customers. Learn why they started looking for a solution. Learn how they found you. Learn why they chose you.
Then use those reasons and that language on your website and other marketing material.
That’s it. It’s that easy.