When you walk down the main street of any small town, you’ll see businesses with signs showing this or that service available for people, plus shops of various kinds. Why do people think it would be any different online? If it’s not obvious what you do to help others, why are they going to spend their money with you?
What do you solve?
People spend money to solve something. My company gives people business systems to improve their personal leadership. But we get even more specific. I show you how to earn more customers. I show you how to set up your day to get the RIGHT things done (screw getting “more” done).
But that’s me.
Look at your own business, whether or not you’re very “established.” Do you know what you solve for people? Is it something people will easily pay for? Are you clear in that?
Fit it on an Index Card
Here’s the exercise: from their perspective (your buyer), figure out what you sell. Make it easy enough to explain on an index card. And then ask the most important question: is this something somebody wants? Do they know they want it or is it something you wish they’d want?
The Big Mistake You Probably Are Making
I’ve done a lot of reviews of other people’s business language — their marketing and sales material. Do you know what I see more often than not? People write to justify themselves. They write from the fear that others will think they’re somehow not worth it, not good enough, not something.
So once you’ve worked on writing what you sell and how you help on an index card, go back and look at it. Does it speak to what they need to buy? If not, fix it.
Get Small Town Smart
We get fancy when we get nervous that people won’t think we are smart/good enough. It messes up our efforts to serve, and thus, to make money. People are buying because they need help, not because they want to validate you. (tweetable)
Want to see how I help? Peek at this.