A reverse-color "Wrong Way" sign (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

People try to sell you a lot of things nowadays.  There are ads nearly everywhere you look.  Subways, billboards, TV, even elevators and bathrooms.

You see it whether you want to or not.  Most of it is unfocused and rather random.  Ads for diapers, followed by one for beer, and then one for grass seed.  After a while, you start to tune it all out.  Rather than paying attention, you fast-forward, walk faster, or head to the kitchen for a snack.

Besieging isn’t selling

They don’t seem to know, or care, what you want, so they bombard you with messages, hoping something sticks. Often, they repeat the same tired ad over and over (as if repetition will make it more interesting).

None of it is remarkable.

None of it is memorable.

GM just pulled its advertising from Facebook.  Nobody was buying cars from their ads.  None of the ads started a conversation; they just shouted.

Trying to sell your services that way (a barrage of me! me! me!) doesn’t work. Clients aren’t there for you, you’re there for them.

Turn it around

Skip the “me! me! me!” and talk about “you! you! you!” instead.  Tell a story.  How will your client feel after they hire you?  How did  your previous clients feel?

Rather than “I’m a video trainer, hire me”, try “become a video star” or “go viral on Youtube.”

It’s the result they want, not the process. Processes are hard.  Results are fun. Many people want to lose weight, for example, but few people want to diet or exercise.  Exercising and dieting aren’t a lot of fun. Looking and feeling better (after you’ve lost those extra pounds is.)  Ads for diets never sell the process, only the result. What are  you really selling? Fame?  Money? Pride?  Happiness? Do you know? Do you need help figuring it out? Not sure?

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bacon rasher(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Do you like bacon?  Most people do.  In fact, you probably like it much better than say brussels sprouts.  Or kale.

But most marketing is full of vegetables (with not nearly enough bacon).

For example, say your business is growing and you need a part-time bookkeeper.  You hate working with numbers, and wrestling with them is taking hours out of your day. If you’re going to think about numbers, you’d much rather figure out how to buy that new Macbook you have your eye on.

So you talk to some people and get some recommendations for bookkeepers.  The first one highlights her twenty years of experience, several certifications, and a long list of services (bookkeeping, bill paying, checkbook reconciliation, etc.).

KALE or bacon

At your first meeting, she looks at your books and advises you in the strongest terms to reduce your debt.  Sound advice, but it’s not  ”fun” or appealing.  Rather like being told to eat kale.  You know it’s something you should do, but you’d much rather reach for the bacon.

The second one does something a bit different.  She listens carefully and finds out how much you hate number-crunching (and all the time it takes).  She also finds out how much you really want that laptop.

Rather than going on about her credentials, she promises to get you an extra two hours a day.  Except for a monthly report, you’ll never have to look at numbers again. Just send her all the paperwork, and she’ll handle it.  She says she’ll make the entire process easy and painless, so you can focus on your work, rather than your books.

And, instead of trying to ”sell” you on debt reduction (vegetables), she shows you how to get the money to pay for that laptop (bacon!).

WHAT YOU REALLY SELL

Think about this for your own business. What is it you’re really selling?

A ghostwriter isn’t selling words; she’s really selling fame.

The authors of get rich (online or off) books aren’t selling books, they’re selling hope.  So is Weight Watchers.

Disney doesn’t sell theme parks, they sell happiness.

WHAT PEOPLE REALLY BUY

What people really want isn’t the service or the product. They really want the result.  What will they get by buying from you or hiring you?  Happiness?  Hope?  Money? Glory?

Rational arguments (like the first bookkeeper’s advice to save money and cut back), aren’t nearly as powerful as emotional ones (new toys!).

Think about your own business. Go look at your web site or your other marketing materials.  Are they selling vegetables? Or bacon?

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