The #1 Reason Why Your Marketing Isn’t Working

You have done the hard work of turning a brilliant idea into a product or a service that you’re excited to finally bring to the market. Congratulations girl! Seriously, that is a MAJOR achievement!

So you jump on social media, or your favorite corner of the internet and you start marketing your product and creating content about your services. So far, so good. You’re getting likes, a comment here and there and every so often you even manage to make some sales. 

The only problem is that the sales are slow. Very, very slow. Not at all matching the energy and effort that you’re putting into posting, editing, curating, etc.

So you decide to try harder. You take better pictures, you post more frequently, you try new platforms, flyers, some hype music, some new formats, all the above, and still… meh.

And now you’re starting to get discouraged and a bit anxious about the business. You have invested a lot into it and the future you had dreamed up is now looking fuzzy.

Let’s talk about it girl because you’re doing the right things. All you need is a simple shift in your messaging to turn things around in a major way. Once you make this shift, I guarantee you will get more sales, more consultations, and make more money to grow your business like never before.

Shift The Focus of Your Messaging

Chances are, you talk about your product A LOT. And that makes sense because you spent a lot of time and effort creating it and making sure that it is the best in the market. You’re an expert in your space and that makes it effortless to talk about what you do and how you do it.

But therein lies the problem. People don’t buy things, they buy solutions to problems.

The only reason why someone will take out their credit card and purchase something from you is that they desire to go from their current state to a more desirable state. They want to go from hungry, to satisfied, from stressed to relieved, from confusion to clarity, etc. Sometimes they’re not even aware of how they will get there. All they have is a desire. 

Your role as an entrepreneur is to tap into that desire. The product you offer is a vehicle that transports them to a state where their problem is alleviated. 

So before you begin marketing the number one question that you want to ask yourself is what problem does my product solve? What state is my ideal customer in, and will my product transport them to a more desirable state?

Documentation Equals Clarity

To understand how your customer views your product or service take some time to document it.  A simple tool that you can use is called the before-after grid. It gives you clarity on your client's current state and allows you to envision a more desirable state for them. The goal is to offer a transformation from one state to another and NOT a product

Let’s say for example you provide cleaning services.

• In the before state, your client has a living room that looks like a tornado just blew through it. In the after state, they have a peaceful and tranquil space to relax in.

• In the before state, they feel overwhelmed and unable to catch a break. In the after state, they feel proud of their clean and nurturing home

• In the before state, their average day involves chasing the clock as they try to get an impossible amount of tasks done before the school pickup time. In the after state, they get to kick up their feet and catch up on their favorite show in peace and quiet

• In the before state, they are a struggling overwhelmed parent. In the after state, they are the envy of the PTA

Once you’ve completed this exercise, you want to use these soundbites in your marketing either on social media, emails, or wherever you do your marketing. This exercise alone will get you more sales, make you more money and grow your business. It is an absolute game changer!

Status sells like hot cakes

Listen up because I’m letting you in on a big secret. Status is one of the most powerful and compelling driver of sales. Our brains perceive an elevation of status as directly associated with survival and as such anything that raises a person’s status is highly desirable. As human beings, we want to seen as stronger, healthier, physically attractive, richer, more popular etc.

When it comes to messaging, you want to present your offer in such a way that makes people feel like they’re climbing up the social ladder. Examples of words that elevate one’s status are Executive, Note-worthy, Respected, Famous, High ranking, Celebrated, Influential, etc.

The key is to paint a vision of your product transforming them into a higher self.

Here’s an example that I really like. Pay attention to how much they talk about the problem before they even tell you what they’re selling. The way they talk about how you feel when you stink up a shared toilet and how in the after state, you become a person whose poop doesn’t stink!

To recap, talk about your customers problems and paint a picture of success when they use your product. Focus on the transformation and invite them to elevate their status. If you begin applying these principles today, you will make more sales and grow your business.