Quit trying to dazzle people
True story: before I wrote copy, I wrote short plays.
The last play I wrote was based on my friendship with two dear friends. It was a deeply personal piece called “The Things We Lost (Socks We Miss The Most)” about 4 women who go into the woods in search of everything they’d ever lost in their lives. (Heady, right?).
I loved that play so much. Sometimes I made myself cry when I was writing it, because it was so personally meaningful to me. I felt that I was being vulnerable and taking risks… expressing how much I loved and had learned from my two friends.
But here’s the thing. As “meaningful” as that play was to me, onstage it was a total trainwreck.
No one got it. My audience was confused (not in the good way). I actually heard people leaving the theater saying “what was THAT?”
It was really agonizing for me to sit through the performance, and watch the audience totally not get it. I felt misunderstood. I felt foolish. I felt embarrassed that I’d overlooked the first rule of writing plays: connect with your audience and make them feel something.
Because that’s what the best performances do. They make us feel. Precisely because they’ve made a connection.
I’d gotten sucked into—and dazzled by-my own imagination. Which is fine when you are messing around and creating. But not okay when you are writing for an audience.
As it is with writing plays, so it is with crafting marketing:
Don’t get fancy
at the expense of being clear
+ making a connection.
I am talking to too many business owners who have fancypants names for their programs (or WANT a fancypants name)… or are writing lively copy that is just way too crazy and distracting… when all they need to do is stay clear, simple, and move people to action.
I’m talking to you if you are a creative type (like me) who just loves to make stuff up.
You don’t need to be fancy. You just need to be clear.
Here’s why:
- When you are clear, it’s easier to win clients. Most attempts at cleverness in your marketing totally backfire, because we don’t get it/ What actually gets you clients is being clear on what you offer, knowing who wants it, and going out to connect with them. I believe there is room for being original and creative, but that many business owners are using that as an excuse so they don’t actually have to dig deep and get clear about what they are selling.
- When you are clear, it’s way easier to write and talk about what you do. You’ve got to know what you do and who you do it for. Here’s what it looks like: I help service professionals write online marketing that makes them more money with less agony. It’s not sexy, but people immediately know whether they need my help (or who they know who does). You need this clear statement, too. It’s your “pitch.” Try it now: I help _____(your target market)_______ struggling with (problem) get (the relief or results you help them get) .
- You quit pressuring yourself to be fancypants. Benefits sell. Results sell. Outcomes sell. It really is as simple as that. There’s no need to gild the lily here. In fact, until you have a business that’s full of one-on-one clients, I wouldn’t worry about having a message that’s more complex than the formula I gave you above. Because the truth is, the nuances will come over time. You are getting to know your ideal clients. You are getting to know your distinctions (what sets you apart from other professionals who do what you do). And it’s totally okay not to know that stuff right know, so long as you are clear about your basic message.
As I learned rather painfully, by not clearly expressing what you do in words that other people “get,” you are being selfish and withholding. You would rather be “clever” than clear. And it’s costing you dearly.
Because you are preventing yourself from connecting with the people who really need what you do.
So, if this is you, stop it. I love you. I adore your creativity. But stop it. There is room for creativity in your marketing, but you’ve got to be clear and make a connection first.
Creativity is fun. And down the line, yes, it can set you apart from the pack and win you all kinds of awesome clients.
But start with the basics first.
What’s at stake is your ability to attract and make a connection with your ideal clients… and be seen as an expert and a leader in your field.
Want more Stella? Stella’s next production lab starts the end of June, and is designed for up-and-coming service professionals who want to get clear on who they are writing to and how to write so those people want what they have. It’s a 6 month program, and we’ll be writing your homepage, free report, and 3 newsletter articles together. You’ll also get trained in basic yet powerful copywriting skills, and smart, simple money-making marketing strategy. Learn more here.
Mighty thanks to Dyvo flickr photostream for the flahsy model
