Create a Compelling Advertisement
Self-employment is a difficult place to be. We need to find support wherever we can go. I highly recommend attending business networking events. This is where you can bounce off ideas and communicate with other like-minded people.
I frequently communicate with fellow business owners in various Facebook groups. This also includes communicating with others through my Facebook page. From time to time, I will receive communications with people who are less than genuine with me.
Fake conversations do not lead to sales
Below is a recent conversation I had with someone online. This began after I responded to a post that simply asked, “What is your business?”
I responded and suddenly found myself being qualified as a prospect. Below is the interaction I had on this post. It ended with them trying to encourage me to join their own Facebook group.
This is not an uncommon experience for me.
I frequently see people post on Facebook or other social media channels with these types of messages:
Join my private group!
Buy my service, it’s only $99!
Let’s have a free consultation!
I don’t like it and I bet you feel the same.
But we still do it. Again, again, and again!
Why?
You may tell me that you had prior success with this method.
There are bigger fish in the waters.
I understand we all need to eat and are grateful to make a sale. Any sale, sometimes. But don’t you want the bigger fish? Don’t you want clients who know the worth of your product/service and are anxious AND willing to pay you?
I do not send private messages to cold contacts or invite them to buy anything from me. This is not my style. All I do is share my knowledge and experience. Right now, for instance, you are reading and absorbing information from me with no expectations of a sale.
So, you may then ask, “Where do you get your sales?”
My sales come from nurtured and developed relationships.
I remind all of my clients that people will not give you their hard earned money if they do not know, like, and trust you. This is especially true if a client’s LTV (lifetime value) exceeds $1,000 or more.
Would you give more than $1,000 away of your own personal money without doing any research? I sure wouldn’t and I strongly believe you feel the same. They must know, like, and trust you before a sale is made.
Let’s break down and explain how to create an effective “know, like, and trust” campaign.
Know
This is the most and important step in building brand awareness. You are conveying to your prospect about not just what you sell but your values. You are telling your prospects how you choose to do business. Do not side step or ignore this process.
Make sure before you build any marketing material (e.g., website, business card, flier, advertisement) you communicate who you are and what you stand for. This is how you differentiate yourself from the crowd. Everything that you do will come from this.
Identify and cater to your ideal audience.
Your business is unique. Your customer is also unique. Your brand must appeal to your ideal customer.
For example, below is a screenshot of shaving creams for men and women.
We all know that these are functionally the same but with varying fragrances. But look at the packaging differences between creams for men and women. Also, notice the differences in packaging within the same gender. Some creams looks pricer simply because of the packaging and labeling.
Why does each product look so different?
Each cream looks different because each company researched to create a product that will appeal to their idea customer.
Each shaving company surveyed and asked their prospect and current customers which colors they like, which smell they like the best, which packaging appeal to them the most, amongst numerous others questions.
Like
Once your ideal customer knows who you are and what you stand for, this is the time to engage with them.
Engagement is not the same as a call to action. Engagement is where you draw people into your sphere. It is not necessarily designed to create sales.
The goal in a like campaign is to get people to visit your website and engage with your posts through comments, shares and likes.
Below is a video of an Old Spice Commercial.
It is a humorous video where a man complains that his mate used all of his body wash. It ends with the line, “men have skin too.” You are more likely to remember the product because it evoked an emotion. In this case, they used humor.
Create engaging materials that give your customers reasons to know and comment about your products.
Trust
Trust is gained when you have a willing and receptive prospect.
This is when you pull out the big guns and ask for a sale. You ask only qualified and receptive prospects that understand the quality or your service and are able to make a purchase.
Everyone knows that Mercedes-Benz makes quality automobiles, but can everyone afford a Benz? Of course not, they only make invitations to people that value and are able to afford their products. This is where you use a call to action. What does a call to action look like?
A call to action is where you:
>Create a sense of urgency, the offer is limited by either quantity or time.
>Have a compelling copy that appeals to an ideal customer.
>Communicate value to the customer.
Below is an example from a sales post.
Notice the language that is used.
“You guys keep asking — so I’m delivering.”
This tells the reader that this is a popular item.
‘“Until FRIDAY, the $500k Sales System is on sale for just $397 or 5 payments of $97.”
This is a limited time offer that will give you $500,000 sales system for only $397.
“In a nutshell, this program….”
The ad then explains the program in detail.
This ad is inviting people who already know, like and trust the coach to purchase her product. This coach is making a call to action within her group, which contains almost 3,000 members. She has established herself as an authority figure and is using her leverage to make a sale.
A call to action is made to people who have regularly reviewed and consumed prior content. This is what I mentioned earlier about nurturing and developing relationships.
In Summary
Do not rush this process. Make sure you gain a community of followers eager to hear your ideas before you ask for a sale.
Make sure you develop compelling, informative and valuable material before you ask for a sale.
Like this or not? Let me know in the comment section below.
Originally published at victornovis.com on April 1, 2019.
