More Nagging About Rule #1 in Marketing
Marte Cliff Priest River, ID, is so right in this post. Get the We & I out of your marketing and your presentations. We teach our fellow associate "the customer doesn't care how much you know, until they know how much you care".
Copywriting has plenty of rules - and many of them are vastly important to your success in marketing. But one rule stands out above the others, because when you break it, the rest of them won't matter. Few will read what you wrote. I call it "Rule #1."
What is Rule #1?
Never, ever, ever begin your marketing email or letter with the words "I" or "We."
Using either of those words is a sure turn-off. It's a way to ensure that your reader will think "So what? I don't care"
and hit the delete button. (Or route your postal mail to the round file on the floor.)
You may know that I often write about ways to eliminate "stop signs" from your copy. Beginning with "I" or "We" is the biggest stop sign of all, because it halts traffic before it ever gets out of the parking lot.
The thing to remember is that those prospects don't care about you or what you think or what you want. They care about what they think and what they want and what they need. Prospects are permanently tuned in to "Station WIFM." That stands for What's In It For Me.
So while you might think the message is about you and the service you provide, it isn't. It's about them and what benefit they'll get from the service you provide.
If you want those prospects to read your message, you have to lead with something about them - or something of interest to them. That means that before you begin to write, you must take time to think about them and about how you're going to solve one or more of their problems.
One exception: If you're simply writing to stay in touch with past clients and your sphere of influence you don't need to think about their problems. At that point you aren't asking for business, you're reminding them that you're there, ready to help whenever they need you. So instead of a problem to solve, you need to think of a topic that will be interesting or entertaining. And even then, you must avoid breaking "Rule #1."
Why am I nagging about this AGAIN?
Because I've gotten on a few agents' mailing lists - and I'm seeing too many email messages that are bound for the trash bin for breaking this rule.
Good agents who are making the effort to reach out and stay in touch are hurting their own chances... and that makes me sad.
marte@copybymarte.com
www.copybymarte.comPriest River, Idaho
208-448-1479
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