A very common mistake in sales presentations and business communications is to take the viewpoint of “I” or “we” (the company), instead of “you” (the customer.)
“We have been in business for 50 years!” (Why should I care? I need someone who can help me today! Why are you a better choice than another company?)
“We make the best pizzas in the county!” (Every other pizza parlor in the county says the same thing about themselves. Why should I believe you?)
“We offer the best engineered cars in the marketplace.” (What does that mean to me? I think your cars are ugly and I wouldn’t want to be seen driving one of them!)
Because we are in our line of business, we tend to think about the features and “quality” of our products and services. We tend to be self absorbed, including being obsessed with our “brand”. We can’t understand why our customers can’t see why our products or services are the logical choice to buy.
But our customers, clients and patients (for this discussion, “customers”) don’t think about our businesses, products and services like we do. Our businesses aren’t the center of their lives. They are concerned about their own lives — their problems, their desires, their loved ones, their pet interests/causes. This is a natural survival trait of all living things, including human beings.
This means that almost all business communications, especially sales and marketing communications, should be phrased from the concerns of the customer.
“If you have any questions or issues with the product or service, you can rely on our being here to serve you. We have a 50-year track record of excellent customer service. Here are some testimonials from several customers that had great experiences with us when they needed us.”
“Your family will love enjoying our delicious award-winning pizza. It’s made with loving care with the freshest cheese and toppings from the farmer’s market and hand-tossed crust made the traditional way. And it’s guaranteed to be hot when we deliver it to your door, or it’s FREE.”
“You can be confident that your family will enjoy comfortable, safe and reliable transportation in our fine automobiles that have been engineered with the latest technical innovations. You’ll love the way it handles turns on mountain roads when traveling on family vacations. Your children will love the surround-sound system and having wi-fi included so they can use their smart-phones and tablets when traveling. (And you can relax because you won’t have bored, whining children in the car when traveling.) You’ll also be proud to be seen driving an automobile designed with style that will impress your neighbors, while enjoying the economy of great gas mileage and durability for years of trouble-free service.”
In any sales presentation or business communication, count the number of times “I” or “we” is used and then count the number of times “you” is used. Then think about how to rephrase “I” or “we” sentences into “you” sentences.
Would you like our help putting “you” (the customer) into your businesses communications? Send an email to mgray@profitadvisors.com to schedule an initial consultation.
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