There are two things you can offer people to make them buy your product or service: Getting them out of pain, or bringing them pleasure.
First, let’s talk about pain. Think of the weight loss industry — they’re playing off of pain. It’s painful to feel unhealthy and not love the way you look and feel. The weight loss industry takes this pain and uses it to promise consumers a new life, one where they’re in better shape, having fun again and enjoying friends and family. They’re taking pain away from their consumers and bringing them pleasure.
To use a personal example, marketing can oftentimes be painful for our clients at D2 Branding. They try to handle their own marketing, but they don’t know the best practices, how much they should spend on ads, or what platforms to use to reach their ideal customer. This process can be very painful for them and not very rewarding. That’s why we market ourselves as being the solution to solve their marketing problems. If you solve people’s problems, they will buy.
When you’re putting together your marketing copy or your sales presentation, make a list of the reasons people will buy from you. Are you alleviating their pain, bringing them pleasure or both? What problems in your target audience’s world can you solve? That’s your pitch!
It’s worth noting that you don’t want to get too into the weeds sharing every detail of your process. For example, if I’m selling a search engine optimization (SEO) package, I tell my client that we’ll get them to the top of Google for key terms in their industry and once they’re there, then they’ll start to get calls. I don’t get into all the technical details of how SEO works, because they don’t need to know them. They just need to trust that we can deliver on our promise. Instead of breaking down our lengthy process for each client, we showcase case studies and testimonials on our website showing how we’ve helped clients accomplish their goals in the past.
I once worked with a lawn company who specialized in pest control. They were giving way too many details in the sales process and it was losing people. Customers just want to know that you are trustworthy, have a credible track record and will get rid of their weeds! Occasionally, someone may ask more technical questions, and when that happens, always answer them. But avoid starting with too much information or you risk losing their attention.
Start with a hook to get them interested, then a story of how you’ve helped a real customer just like them, and end with an offer they can’t refuse. Using the lawn company for example:
Hook: “What if I told you we could get rid of all your weeds in just 30 days, and you’ll have the best-looking lawn on the block?” This hook should grab their attention and make them want to learn more.
Story: “We just finished up weed control for a house in this area that had more weeds than you. After 30 days, everything in their yard looks healthy and bright green.” This story should be something real that your business has accomplished to help you establish credibility. Photo evidence is always helpful!
Offer: “If you sign up this week, your first spray, valued at ___ dollars, is free!” An offer should be a reason to buy right now.
The hook, story and offer strategy is a tried and true method to making sales.
When you’re on a sales call, the quicker you can address your customer’s pain, the better. People are busier now than ever and don’t have time to sit on the phone for an hour. Greet them, establish rapport, and then start qualifying them as a potential client by asking questions. The more you listen, the more you can tailor your message to meet their needs.
When I’m on sales calls for D2 Branding, I usually ask, ‘What is the biggest thing that keeps you up at night when it comes to your marketing?’ This question helps me learn what their pain points are, and what I can do to take their stress away. Then, I ask what success in marketing looks like to them. Then, I can tailor our services to meet their exact desires.
Before you write the copy for your next Facebook ad, ask yourself: What is the biggest problem I’m solving for my customer? What pleasure will I provide them when they buy from me?
