One of the biggest mistakes in sales and copywriting
A really big mistake we make?
We think we can motivate people to want our product or service.
We can’t.
The truth is that everyone is already motivated by something. The challenge lies in determining what that something is.
Take this saying from Dale Carnegie:
"When I go fishing, I bait my hook with worms, not because I love eating worms, but because it's what the fish are hungry for."
The key takeaway for us? It's not about pushing what we want to sell, but discerning what our prospects yearn to buy.
So, how do we pinpoint these motivations?
In a 1:1 sales context, it's straightforward - just ask. Before you start your sales pitch, take the time to understand your prospect's concerns, wants, or needs. Pose questions like, "What is your primary concern about [insert your product or service's area]?"
We only start selling when we understand what the buyer wants. Our copy should be tailored to emphasize benefits that genuinely align with the prospect's interests.
Reaching out to a wider audience, on the other hand, calls for a slightly different strategy. We still ask - we use tools such as surveys, focus groups, customer feedback, and split tests to identify common points of interest or concern among our audience. I talked about this in my May 28 email How your subscribers can write your copy
I think it’s important that we know what our role as a seller or business owner is. It is to understand what drives our prospects and show them how our product or service can meet their needs.
Ultimately, salesmanship isn't about applying pressure; it's about understanding, empathizing with, and addressing the wants and needs of our market.
Okay, that’s it for the moment.
I’d love to hear from you. Did you like this tip? Not like it? Want to add to it? Leave a comment.
Talk soon -
Charlene Burke
PS Have you been sending emails to your list? Have you changed the emails you’ve been sending to your prospects? Yes? GREAT! No? Uh oh - we should talk. Happy to answer questions via email or you can get on my calendar for a virtual coffee chat - just click here: Coffee with Charlene
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