In This Lesson: How could your customers life be better with you in it?
If you complete this lesson you’ll really be unlocking the power that makes customers feel drawn towards your products. Cynicism falls away and they become internally motivated. In this state, customers start to look for reasons to say yes, instead of reasons to say no.
The Challenge: This has to happen before customers are motivated to act.
Motivation to act, in this case to buy your stuff, can’t ever take place until your customer goes through this internal process. They have to paint a picture (or create a movie) in their minds eye. A movie that shows them enjoying a better life because of your product or service. Until they paint that picture, there is no internal motivation and there is no action. So we have to give them the raw materials to spark that process.
The Obstacle: We think we shouldn’t blow our own horn.
Some people struggle with pointing out how good their products are. A lot of us have been raised to believe that “boasting is bad” that we shouldn’t “blow our own horn” or that “pride comes before a fall”.
Bollocks, is the technical marketing term for all that.
People also tell me that their product “speak for themselves”. This is rarely true either. It usually just means “I’m afraid of saying good things about my products, incase someone calls me a liar”. It’s a similar fear to public speaking. We are wired not to say anything the group might disagree with. It’s also a good reason to make epic products and services. That’s really the first step to being confident in selling them.
Reversal Of Perspective: If you don’t have confidence in your own stuff, why should anyone else?
I have to take a hard line when it comes to this resistance to promote our own products. The simple truth is, if you don’t promote your own products, no one else is going to. Or those that will, will take the lions share of your profits and leave you with the scraps. You simply can’t outsource confidence in yourself or your products. It’s a critical part of being an Entrepreneur, of running a business. So put your man-pants on and lets get to it. 🙂
The Strategy: Paint a brighter future for your customers.
So far everything we’ve looked at has been in the past. Past problems, past stories, past failures. Now, it’s time to look into the future. Our customers future. A future in which our products and services have solved their challenges and made their lives brighter and better.
Have an optimistic vision of your customers success.
Most adults are somewhat pessimistic about the future. In this step, it’s our job to help them be optimistic about the future. Until our customers can see the results they want, in their minds eye, they aren’t going to be motivated to buy our solutions. So we have to start that process of being optimistic for them. We do that by painting an appealing picture of life with our products in it.
Examples of bright futures…
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iPod: “1000 songs in your pocket” expresses beautifully the future world where a music lover can carry and access their entire music collection anywhere they want.
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iPhone: following the “in your pocket” theme, the iPhone was launched as “the Internet in your pocket” painting a picture of the ultimate in access anywhere computing.
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McDonalds: paint a picture of “good times” in all their ads, particularly for your children. When the kids are happy, it’s easier for you to be happy.
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Netflix: paints a picture of a comfortable future. One where you never need to leave the comfort of your sofa to go get, or return a movie ever again.
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Starbucks: is all about a future where you are the champion of your stressful office based ambitions. Coffee being the drug of choice for champions. And when the work is done, you can be a more social person, in safe surroundings.
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Diet Coke: shows us a future where you can enjoy a caffeine break, but without compromising your slim and sexy figure. (You never know when a shirtless hunk might pop-up outside your office window).
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Prius: paints a picture of a greener planet, where you and your car are in harmony with nature and able to drive further for less.
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Tesla: compared to Prius’s treehugger image, Tesla paints a different picture of the electric car driver. A sportier, sexier, performance based individual on the cutting edge of driving technology.
Putting It Into Action: Estimated time 45 minutes.
In just a few sentences, paint an optimistic picture of a brighter future for your customers. But don’t go into the details of HOW your product will get them to that future at this stage. Just remind them of what it is they ultimately want to achieve. What will they have. What will they be able to do. The freedom, the flexibility, the security, the happiness, the sexiness, the coolness, the success, the significance, the power, the harmony, the connection, the love.
It’s not really about your product. It’s about how their life will be better. How they will feel better. Your product is simply a means to achieve that brighter future. Start by brainstorming at least 10 ways life will be better with you in it. Then prioritise the most powerful 3 or 4. Leave your answers in the comments below.