MyStrategicMarketer.com

Who Are You, Really?

As independent professionals, many of us consider being successful and making money as the "litmus test" of our success as we contribute to the world ... we ultimately want to make a difference, to live our passions everyday and to find fulfillment as we make our mark on the world.

 It's amazing how owning our own businesses often tries our conviction--the very nature of the process tries our souls, reveals our insecurities and our fears, and exposes our demons.

 I love the inaugural speech Nelson Mandela gave when he became president of South Africa.  I think this is especially important for us to remember as we persevere through this journey:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. 

It is our Light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.  We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?   

Actually, who are you not to be?  You are a child of God.

Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.

There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.  It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.

And as we let our own Light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.  As we are liberated from our own fear, our Presence automatically liberates others.

Nelson Mandela

 

What's in it for me? Why people buy ...

I just read a great article on search engine optimization that touched on the key component of great marketing: Connecting with people and why they buy.  Great copy isn't about "you", though I'm sure you're great! J It's about your customer and what *they* want, what *they* are struggling to figure out, or what pain or frustration they want to get rid of.

Consider that people will buy:

• to save money
• to make money
• to save time
• to make life easier
• to improve their safety

Connecting your offering with these important triggers will help your prospects to see that you have the solutions they're looking for.  The copy on your website, direct mail postcard, and the back of your book should help your customers see how you can solve their problems.  You want people to read your copy and leap inside!  Yes, this could be what I’ve been looking for! 

Are people responding well to your print and web materials?  How does your copy connect?

Some other important buying triggers:

• for specific brands (typically for prestige)
• to educate themselves
• to  improve their health
• to settle their fears
• to have some fun
• to satisfy their curiosity
• to streamline their processes
• to prove they are right about some issue
• to improve their image or appearance
• to improve their quality of life
• to uniquely set themselves apart from the crowd

Click here to read this interesting article about sales triggers and how they relate to optimizing the content on your website.