Customers don’t care about our merchandise. They want to know how we can make their lives better.
By Roy Harryman
It seems counterintuitive to many small-business people. But the best way to promote your products and services – especially to those who don’t know you – is not to promote your products and services.
What?
Let me explain.
The average American sees 16,000 logos, advertisements and labels every day (David Airey, “Logo Design Love”). So, first of all, you’re competing with an avalanche of marketing promotions. Good luck with that.
Second, put yourself in the shoes of the prospect. Do you like getting direct mail solicitations? YouTube ads? TV commercials? Social media ads? Unless we’re talking about watching Super Bowl commercials (and even they’re a mixed bag), your answer is almost certainly “no.”
Third, simply pushing your stuff can come off as self-serving. Think about it: You’re not giving anything away. You’re asking someone to do you a favor by giving you their money. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that. Without it, we’d all be living on the streets. But as a marketing tactic, it’s often ineffective. This approach fosters a transaction, but not a relationship.
So what do you do?
Previously I’ve written about the importance of storytelling. That’s a great place to start. But beyond that, we must resolve to educate, inform and enlighten. And – if you’re really good at it – you can also entertain (but you really have to be good at it).
Marketing guru David Meerman Scott popularized this concept:
“Educate and inform instead of interrupt and sell.”
Let’s begin with educating. I’m not asking you to be a teacher. I’m asking you to share your expertise. Your business is your area of authority, whether it’s construction, automotive, dry cleaning or mixing cocktails. In all these areas, you’re an expert who is bringing value to people’s lives.
Let’s take the example of a personal nutritionist. He could begin by sharing a little of his expertise each week. Yes, he is giving something away. But he’s not giving it all away. The nutritionist is sharing just enough to show that (1) he has a benevolent spirit (2) he is an authority (3) he’s likable (because he does #1 and #2).
This nutritionist is solving problems for people who want to take better care of themselves. What does it look like for him to educate and inform? For the nutritionist, it could resemble the following:
A blog post about easy ways to include more fiber in your diet.
A social media post about the three healthiest foods you can eat.
A holiday-themed post about how to enjoy the holidays without blowing up your health and fitness.
There is wide latitude in the way these concepts are communicated. But sharing them brings value to customers and prospects.
Note that none of these posts “rob” the nutritionist of the opportunity to deliver personalized counsel to clients. But freely sharing information of value does get him on their radar screen.
You may think your industry, or business, can’t yield information like this. But what you do is important to someone. It matters. So don’t sell yourself short.
If you are a real estate agent, the percentage of the general home owning populace that is ready to buy or sell is small. But there is a percentage that is moving, or will, buy and sell at some point. If you take the time to help them now, you can be top of mind later.
Putting it into practice
To make this real, pull out a pad of paper or a note taking app on your phone and brainstorm the answers to these questions:
How does your business make life better for people?
What problems does your business solve for people?
How does your business change the world? Or even a little corner of it?
What are some stories that can illustrate your answers to the above points?
Coming up empty? Sometimes you’re too close to the story to see it. In that case, an outsider can help see the gold in what you take for granted.
“It takes discipline to reframe our way of thinking and communicating about what we do. Instead of, “I sell stuff” our new paradigm can be “I solve problems.” ”
This is not to say you should never do direct selling. But in my observation, small businesses focus too heavily on this in their emails, websites and social media activity. A good rule of thumb is a ratio of 1:9. That is, do one “sell” post for every nine educational posts. In this way, you earn the right to give a sales pitch. And when you give it, it’s more likely to be acknowledged.
Let me entertain you
Finally, a word on entertaining. I’m not speaking of singing or playing guitar in a commercial. I’m speaking of the value of injecting humor and creativity into your marketing. This is often attempted, but seldom succeeds. And you certainly can’t please everyone. But well-executed humor, like a good story, sticks in our brains.
This is why court jesters, actors and comedians have been prized through history and cultures.
“[There are] comics, intellectuals, creators and heroes,” wrote historian Paul Johnson. “I reckon the comics are the most valuable. … Those who can dry our tears and force reluctant smiles to trembling lips, are more precious to us, truth be told, than all the statesmen and generals and brainy people, even the great artists. For they ease the agony of life a little, and make us even imagine the possibility of being happy.”
An excellent place to start is self-deprecating humor. In other words, make fun of yourself. Will it work? Sometimes. There are no guarantees. But some of the most memorable ad campaigns of all time have made people laugh.
Humor does not have to be over the top, slapstick comedy. It can be subtle. Even the tone matters. If you can liven up a serious topic with a little levity, you’ve won.
If humor isn’t your strength, then skip this one. Take your pick: educate, inform, enlighten or entertain.
Whatever you choose, your customer will thank you.
Roy Harryman, the principal of Roy Harryman Marketing Communications, hopes this post was educating, informational and enlightening. And maybe a little bit entertaining. Connect with him to invest in communicating your unique problem-solving proposition.