If you’re currently marketing an actual product or service, stop immediately.
Without even seeing your promotional piece, I promise you’re wasting time and tossing away money.
The reason why has nothing to do with your industry or the economic environment — it’s your marketing message.
The truth is you should never market a product or service. Instead, you must explain to your prospects the end results (or solutions) they’ll experience as a result of your product or service.
Let me explain why …
Last week I wrote copy for a technology company offering a new storage device for IT professionals. To help with background information, I received a previously used promotional piece.
The headline read …
The New Standard in High Performance Storage
This text is a typical example of marketing a product because it doesn’t promise a solution or end result. Sure, you might find that information deeper in the copy. But it’s likely overlooked because most prospects won’t get that far. After all, “The New Standard in High Performance Storage” offers little reason to continue reading.
In addition, the statement doesn’t target prospects’ problems.
In most cases, the first text you want your prospects to see is a promise highlighting a desired outcome. What I recommended to the client was an explanation of what the high-performance storage device can deliver …
The Guaranteed Easiest Way to Double Your Storage Abilities,
Boost Efficiency and Slash Operating Costs
Can you see how this headline focuses on end results?
You’ll notice this text doesn’t even mention the storage device. That’s because prospects don’t care about the actual product. If a digital alarm clock helped IT professionals double their storage abilities, boost efficiency and slash operating costs, then you can bet they would buy it.
When trying to determine what your prospects desire, think of yourself as a genie who can grant wishes. If you were standing in front of your ideal prospect, what wish would he tell you?
Once you have your answer, take that information and apply it to your headlines, subheads and bullets.
Of course, your readers will have doubts about your claims, so you’ll need to address them in your copy. But that’s a topic for another article.
On page 13 of my new book, “The Reluctant Writer’s Guide to Creating Powerful Marketing Materials: 61 Easy Ideas to Attract Prospects and Get More Customers,” I give you a simple shortcut for writing copy your prospects desire. This technique melts resistance to any sales pitch and requires very little actual writing. Get your copy today at http://www.powerfulmarketingmaterials.com.
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