As business owners, nobody knows what we do better than ourselves. We know everything about our product or service. We know why we do what we do, whom we serve, and what the market is missing – which is why we created our business in the first place. What many business owners tend to forget, however, is that their potential customers may not be privy to this information.
The client certainly has a problem that needs a solution, but they may not yet know how best to fix or manage it. In some cases, they may not even be aware that they have an issue until things begin to go wrong.
The purpose of marketing within your business is to educate your chosen market on the fact that you do exist and the reasons why your products or services are the best solutions to their specific problems.
You need to ensure that your ideal clients are made aware of what you do, in a way that is easy to understand. This means simplifying your message to ensure your prospective clients know exactly how you can help them.
1. Your Ideal Client Is Not You
In many cases, your ideal client won’t be the same kind of person as you. It is important to put yourself ‘in their shoes’, so to speak, so you can understand what they are interested in, as well as their needs and the types of problems you can solve for them. It’s also important to appreciate that, in your business, you are most likely the ‘technician’, who intimately understands every single aspect of your product or service.
Your prospective clients, however, do not necessarily know or understand exactly what they are needing. At best, they know they have a problem, which often presents as a different symptom entirely. This is why it is crucial to simplify the way you communicate with your client, even if you feel as though you’re “dumbing it down”. You’re not doing anything of the sort – you are helping them to understand by speaking their language (not because they’re dummies, but because they’re not experts in your product or service to the extent that you are).
By doing this, they will feel understood – their trust in you and your brand will develop over time, and they will be more likely to do business with you.
2. A Confused Mind Never Buys
This is of vital importance from a marketing perspective. We always say that marketing is the equivalent of applied psychology, and this is just one example of it.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by a restaurant’s menu that could rival the word count of a newspaper, you’ve experienced consumer choice confusion. The reasons for this run deep on a psychological - as humans, it’s in our very nature to try and avoid making bad purchasing decisions and experiencing the dreaded buyer’s remorse.
Take a moment to think about this. Have there been moments where you decided not to purchase something, because you weren’t sure it was the right decision, or you needed more information before going ahead? This is very common with larger purchases or investments where it’s perceived that there is a lot at stake.
An important aspect of the consumer buying process is the evaluation of options available and weighing up which of these will solve the problem effectively. Ensuring the message to your market is as targeted, clear, and direct as possible, whilst providing only relevant information, can assist in avoiding confusion.
3. Word of Mouth Opportunities
If a 5-year-old can understand what you do, then you’re just about on the right track!
This may be a slight exaggeration. However, if you can talk about what you do in a way in that's easily understandable, you instantly increase the chances of other people talking about your business. They will provide your business with free marketing and spread the word for you, when an opportunity arises.
It is a well-researched and proven fact that people are more likely to make decisions based on a referral from someone they trust. By ensuring the communication of what you do is clear and easy for a layperson to understand, the result will be the potential for increased business opportunities – without any marketing fees attached.
More than ‘just another marketing gimmick’, having a clear message to sell to your prospective customers and clients is vital to the growth of your business.
So, simplify, then simplify again and then simplify some more.
It really is as simple – and as difficult – as that.