In recent postings (see archived) I’ve discussed customer segmentation and market intelligence—knowing who your customer is, what’s important to them and where to find them.
The critical next step after interpreting and using this intelligence is translating it into messages that resonate and motivate your target audience.
There are several basic rules around creating and delivering the “right message” that need consideration. A guiding principle can be summed up in this quote "The skill of writing is to create a context in which other people can think." (Edwin Schlossberg). Combine this with an ability to craft a picture and utilize emotion as a push/pull tactic, and you can connect with your audience.
Four important things to remember:
Reward Your Audience
Your message should always reward the reader or listener for spending time with you. It should inform, engage, entertain and persuade. Your goal is to create a compelling argument, extract an emotional response and get the audience to take an action.
Grab their attention and hold on to it as long as you can. Remember, first and foremost from the audience’s perspective reading your message is optional, so it needs to appeal to them on an emotional, human level. Get them excited about your message! But don't scream. Show me. Prove it. And tell me why I should care.
Be Honest
You're audience is already skeptical because it's advertising. In recent years, people have become desensitized to advertising. Many, particularly boomers are confirmed marketing cynics.
Your challenge is to fight through the incredible amount of apathy that's already lingering in the air. This is before you even write one word. So, whatever you're selling, unearth a Big Truth about it. What is the "single most important thought" that you want to communicate? Is it believable? Does it relate to your audience? No matter the medium, you need to find it. Otherwise, your message will be all over the place and you’ll risk losing your audience. Always infuse facts about what you're selling (whether it’s an idea, service or product).
Sex Sells
Got ’ya. Use emotion—it’s the ultimate hook: humor, fear, empathy, pride, passion, power, security, anger, lust, achievement, status, fun, style, stability, shock, love, ambition, independence and sex. Then blend in creative imagery to structure a visual reaction. The result evokes strong feelings from the gut, rather than a dependence on data factoids.
Appealing to the imagination is powerful. Use emotion to engage your audience and create memorable marketing. Induce a response by appealing directly to what you’ve learned about your customer. Show that you care about their satisfaction and capture their heart.
Balance Education and Selling
Articulate the most compelling features of the product or service you’re selling. Then, link these features to benefits for your audience. Always answer the question—what’s in it for me? Your messaging should start a meaningful one-on-one conversation with your target audience; lead them in a value-based direction, and begin to close the sale with a distinct call-to-action. Create a buying environment.
The most common mistake is overemphasis on product features, rules or instructions. Don’t let the product staff take over and insert a disregard (or rather, lack of understanding) of the intent of your customer messages. The key question—what’s in it for me?—is left unanswered and the result is a glazed-over prospect.
There also needs to be an element of salesmanship. Do this by finding the most powerful features of your product or service and link these features to benefits for your audience. Say things that your competitors aren't. Keep the tone conversational. Imagine yourself having a meaningful one-on-one discussion with your target audience. Deliver your message like you talk. Not sure if it’s conversational? Read it out loud.
And if this doesn’t work, take the advice from messaging world champion Muhammad Ali, "I figured that if I said it enough, I would convince the world that I really was the greatest."