How many times have you said “I really wish I had someone to help me with that!” Or how about “if only I had two more hands and three more hours it would all get done on time”?
Tonight as I almost pulled every folicle of hair out of my head with 5 hours of simultaneously fulfilling the role of a football mom, master chef, entrepreneur and clean before the maids come magic genie.
With every turn I was reminded of all the things I don’t do so well. All the things that take me five times longer than they should. All the things that take too much time away from my kids, my family and my life. And most importantly, all the things that someone else could do better, faster and cheaper!
I consider myself a half creative being. I can whip up a blog post, value proposition, elevator pitch, tagline, beautiful logo and even tweet in my sleep. However, when it comes to executing basic household duties that require hand to eye coordination I struggle big time! No, it’s not only because I don’t like cleaning toilets. It’s mostly because I am not good at sweeping, scrubbing or folding blankets. My hands just don’t work as fast as my brain. When I sweep my husband alway jokes that it looks like all I did was push the dust around.
As I struggled until wee hours of the night I realized how little anyone or any business is selling me the services I need. Very few if any businesses are offering to come insert my king size comfortor into my comfortor cover so I don’t have to hire a rocket scientist to do it. There isn’t a maid service telling me how they can help give me 5 extra hours with my kids a week by cleaning under the couch, in between the couch cushions, cleaning out my kitchen pantry or fridge, or simply picking up the kids rooms.
———————————-
Many times small businesses do what everybody else does. If they are in the maid business they sell themselves as, well “maids”. If they are in the restaurant business they sell themselves as a, well “restaurant”.
What do you do that other people need? When you talk to the people that need your service are you talking to them in the words everyone else uses? Are you going with the flow? Or are you helping those who need your service understand how you can make their life better?
Chances are there are many things that you do that other people need. Not doing everything yourself always always makes the top 10 entrepreneur and small business lessons. Just because I know how to write, type, run my own IT department, build websites in WordPress, code basic CSS, create with Adobe Photoshop… does NOT mean I should do it all myself! Note, I did not mention do my own accounting. Accounting goes hand in hand with the king comforter project so I don’t come close to even trying!
However, very few are telling me why I should be using their services. Copywriters are selling, well “copywriting”. Website developers are selling “websites.”
Why don’t they sell me on the fact that I can do what I do better if they help me with that they do best!?
18 Tips to Sell It, Not Just Tell It!
1. Maid Services could tell me how:
-They will give me more peace, hair and time with my kids!
2. Restaurants could tell me how:
-They are educated on social media so I know where to host my next Tweetup.
-They can entertain my kids in the video game room so I can have more than a 30 second conversation with my husband or best friend.
3. Real estate agents could tell me how:
-They can help me make a house a home regardless of the size, cost or location and not just push me into the house that offers them the best bonus check.
-They can make working with them feel like I am sitting in my own family room during each conversation. A relationship built on trust and expertise.
-They have helped other families recover from a financial loss.
-They want to help me even if I don’t want to or can’t buy another new home for two years.
4. Nail Salons could tell me how:
-I can escape for 1.5 hours and get a massage, read a book or simply fall asleep while they pretty my toes and fingers.
5. Personal Assistants and Errand Running businesses could tell me how:
-They can make me feel like super mom.
-They could relieve stress by running across town for my Bobbi Brown eyeliner that only Nordstrom carries.
-They could save me 2 hours in returning the clothes that don’t fit myself or kiddos because I never have time to really shop.
-They could give me the gift of time to shop for eyeliner, clothes and maybe even more black shoes!?
6. Daycare and Child Enrichment Providers could tell me how:
-They can enrich my children’s life versus simply babysitting.
-They can help ensure my kiddos get a great start in life by doing their homework, planning proactively and learning new skills.
7. Copywriters could tell me how:
-They can give me 5 hours of each back to get my nails done, eyebrows waxed and be the best football mom ever!
-They can help make my customer a hero in their market segment.
-They can provide content that will help me connect with my audience.
-They are willing to learn what’s in my head, my heart so they can help me implement my dreams!
8. Website developers and designers could tell me how:
-They can implement the awesome, creative ideas I have busting out of my head.
-They will do more than build me a website. They will build me a platform to share my best of everything.
-They will help me build the best community ever to grow my business, support my dreams and the dreams of my customers.
9. Accountants could tell me how:
-They will keep me out of jail.
10. Attorneys could tell me how:
-They too will keep me out of jail and protect me from the bad guys that should be in jail.
11. Local Chamber of Commerce could tell me how:
-They will help me implement my dreams, not just sell me a membership and a boring listing in their boring offline directory from the 1980′s.
-They will help me grow my business by connecting me with a leads group that actually has members who might someday buy something from me not just milk me for another “free lunch” to talk about Twitter.
-They will provide opportunities to grow my business and increase credibility, and position me as an expert with speaking and training opportunities with their membership.
12. SEO companies could tell me how:
-They will not be greedy and do more than offer me and my clients more than a $2,500 setup fee and $2,500 minimum monthly fee to do what I can almost do for free using social media.
13. A local printer could tell me how:
-They do more than just print. Why don’t they ever mention this until you ask?
14. Organization Coach or Service Provider could tell me how:
-Their services are worth twenty times the hour I spend explaining my crazy life and touring my home as they discover how they can help me.
-They can bring joy, peace and happiness to our entire family.
15. Home Window Tinting company could tell me how:
-They could help me enjoy the early mornings and magic hour as the sun sets yet still have some privacy.
-They are still interested in my business a year after offering quote. We want window tinting but lost the phone number. If anyone would have made an effort to sell to us they would have had an immediate sale.
16. Local Car Wash could tell me about:
-Their affiliate partnerships with local window tinting companies who can tint the windows of my new car. Note I live in Florida where it is extremely hot. I need window tinting like a grandma needs a blanket. Needed it yesterday but haven’t had the time to find the right company!
17. Any business or service provider can tell me:
-Why they want to meet for true joint venture or partnership opportunities versus just to pick my brain and learn about Twitter. If it’s for the later just say so, no need to fake it.
18. Massage Parlour could tell me how:
-They can literally transform me from a crazy busy Twitter addict needing 20 more hands to an under control, relaxed and happy super mom, wife and successful entrepreneur!?
Take a leap above your competition. Get in the head of your customers. Understand what it is they need. What is keeping them up at night? What is making them tired? What could they do if they only had one more hour in the day?
Don’t go with the flow. Be the business, the coach and the leader that inspires. Be the business that brings your customer’s dreams to fruition!
Your Turn!
So, what are you telling your audience? Are you telling them the same thing everyone else is? Are you telling them about the great deal on a home or house? Or are you understanding where they are in the life and how you can help them get to a better place? Sell them what they need!
Comments(2)