Whether you’re selling or preparing to sell –how a story alters a skeptical mind.
Reduce the disconnect for not buying.
Step inside the mind of a skeptical potential customer.
Aka, savvy customers who’ve been horrified by nightmares of former entrepreneurs and coaches.
They now compare what you show over what you tell. Watch out for signs of BS or being sold. Believe what others say about whatever you offer over what you tell them. Have heightened sense of what’s transparent and authentic over anything hidden by an illusion of perfectionism.
Instead of telling what you should do –reflect what goes through your ideal customer’s mind as I show my skepticism. Stay tuned for how to shift that mindset through a story. Break down layers of protection by warming up trust.
I love when marketing fits.
The gap between what’s offered and what’s desired is miniscule.
While searching SMARTER ways to sell merch via Amazon, Steve Chou stood out. His company name fit the dream of many sellers, My Wife QUIT Her Job.
Other entrepreneurs only mention the remarkable successes they and their customers experienced on Amazon.
(Yeah, right! Back away slowly… you are being sold.)
Steve blogs about what really goes on. The Dangers of Selling on Amazon And Horror Stories from Read Amazon Sellers.
Pointing out how a loophole with Amazon’s return policy causes negative reviews that hurt sellers’ impressions and ultimately their business on the site.
Seller: Shipping for this return is free if I check this box –not an Amazon error. Check!
Amazon policy: Give seller a negative review.
Too many negative reviews → automatic closing of a store.
WOAH! The danger of not communicating with sellers ends their Amazon dream. All that credibility –VANISHES with the click of a button.
What if competitors arrange for phony negative reviews??
Steve’s transparency welcomes others to share lessons too.
Authentic social proof. Priceless value from Steve and his tribe for learning how to survive when the refs aren’t on your side.
Within content and emails, Steve shares many more beneath the sheets stories of keeping your Amazon store alive and ticking.
What these stories subtly revealed…
Buying Steve’s program means getting access to his years of research, wisdom from mistakes that cost him money and time, knowledge from local and international trade shows, experiences from traveling to places like Asia, helping dozens of customers with their ecommerce ventures, plus his network of Amazon sellers.
So, why didn’t I jump at the opportunity to purchase Steve’s program?
Looking over Steve’s extravagant sales page –I trusted he wrote it and not a copyrighting pro. Scrolling through customer review after review –social proof was ample. There were plenty of advantages for joining.
But Steve never addressed my top objections, anywhere.
SHOW why this program would work for me… for my unique situation.
How do I know I’m ready to join?
I don’t want to be grounded in your program, trying to validate an idea while others sail with cashflow wins.
What are the pre-requisites to boost success?
My goal is to facilitate selling on autopilot. –I’m curious about what customer research and experience your top students came with.
As I listened to a couple of Steve’s podcast interviews with sellers, and studied the sales activity of three customers on Amazon and their website, I made note of what would ease my decision to purchase. Tap into positive emotions while visualizing my journey with Steve as the guide.
Criteria for stories told from customers’ perspective…
Context.
Who they are? What are they selling? Why are they selling on Amazon? How did they select products? What marketing and selling background did they begin with?
Main challenge.
How did they ease getting sales –over competitors with substantially higher credibility and search rank potential?
Conflict and resolution.
What challenges and obstacles have they overcome?
How did Steve assist?
What was it like dealing with Steve to resolve these?
Lessons.
What have they learned?
Advice.
What would they do differently, if starting today?
What could happen by not joining Steve’s program? (What am I missing out on? Why would I be worse off for not joining?)
Sure, this seems excessive.
It’s work that pays off for you and potential dream customers.
The time spent drafting a story framework for 1–3 customers to complete, or recording Q & A customer interviews –has multiple payoffs.
Besides becoming sales and website material… it’s perfect as evidence within content.
Picture the alternative.
Will customers take the time to research answers for questions?
They probably don’t want to communicate with you until quite certain of their decision. Not wanting to be talked into a decision they’re not ready for or having to say ‘no’ to you.
Stories ease trusting you and feeling confident purchasing from you.
You’ll be ready for customers who are leery of being manipulated, not believing promises and buying before they’re ready.
Stories let you share top mistakes as tough lessons that save others from pain. They show potential customers that you understand their fears and objections, without making them feel worse. Demonstrating unexpected value you provide. How you’d be there when they need help. That you listen from questions to suggestions to difficult situations. Plus, reveal what potential customers miss out on.
Step aside. Have a customer reveal what goes on beneath the shades of working with you.
Paint a picture of getting to work with you and not missing out...
