What is the ‘blah, blah, blah’ trap? It is a trap I believe every business falls into when marketing, including mine.
We tell prospects what we feel they ‘need to know’ instead of what will interest them. Our knowledge and enthusiasm regarding the value and benefits of our product or service get in the way. Without analyzing our message, we share the value of the benefits and expect our audience to get a vision of how it will help them achieve their goals.
Then when they take no action we wonder why? The reality, we probably never had their attention.
You know how much competition there is for prospects’ attention. How do we get them to really listen to us? Say things they are interested in hearing!
I removed the contact information but here’s an example from a client I worked with on a marketing flyer. Everything they said on this flyer is true. It’s information they felt their prospects needed to know about their firm and what they offer. From a marketing perspective, however, the information is largely the same as what their competitors will say. Unless I know and like them already, there is not a reason for me to take action.
From a messaging perspective, I believe the top line would get my attention if I were thinking about selling my home. And, the Special Offer at the bottom tells me what I’ll get if I list my home with this realtor. I don’t know at this point if I would get the same services somewhere else, but still these are things I would care about.
What messaging changes could they make to keep their prospects attention?
Here are the suggestions I asked them to consider:
- Begin with what their prospects will care about instead of starting with what their company will do. Consider this change. Sell your home quickly and maximize your profit. I think you’ll still have their attention and they’ll want to know how.
- Remove jargon and statements that everyone will say, unless like marketing & promotion are points expected. Restate the bullet points so prospects will say, “Sounds good” instead of “Who cares”.
- Help prospects understand why ‘Joint Collaboration with 3 Partners’ is different and important. Consider instead, “One commission – 3 experts. Get the advantage of a small firm where partners collaborate on every sale!” This is a differentiator that larger firms probably won’t (or can’t) offer.
When you look at everything you say (or write) with the lens of why should your prospects care, you will help yourself avoid the ‘blah, blah, blah’ trap. Once you have their attention, that is the time to share additional details about how you can help (particularly after you have listened to their needs).
Do you ever feel like you want help creating content that grabs (and holds) your prospects attention? If the answer is yes, I’d like to talk to you. As an On Demand Strategic Marketing Partner, I can help you develop or edit your marketing content for blogs, brochures, social media and more. The best part, I work only when you need me! Give me a call at 919-418-7125 or email sally@stretch4success.com.