Getting the Sale: Are You and Your Customers Speaking the Same Language?

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas here in Minnesota with a snow covered landscape and brightly lit decorations everywhere, and, as I seem to do every year, I have been thinking a lot about how to eat healthy during the holidays and boost my family’s immunity in prevention of common winter illnesses.

Trying to find some simple, practical solutions, I decided to research some wellness related sites and information.  What I found left me absolutely frustrated!

It turned out that much of the information out there is so loaded with industry gobbledygook that it’s incredibly difficult for the average person to really figure out who or what they should consider in improving their well-being.

Quite honestly, for someone like me who is neither heavily into running or workout routines (I like martial arts) nor obsessed with studying nutrition and the art of using supplements, it all felt quite overwhelming and confusing.

It certainly didn’t feel like an easily achievable goal or something I wanted to write someone a big check for.

This experience did, however, make me think of the messages we communicate to our leads and customers about our products and services.

When it comes to how you speak to your audience about what you offer, do you use simple, easy to understand language? Or, do you opt for expert jargon and end up making things sound so complicated and unattainable that no one is willing to risk giving your products or services a try?

Here are my top three tips for communicating your marketing message in a way that will not only attract your ideal prospects but also convert them into buying customers.

1. Stay away from big, fancy words. If your clients need to reach for a dictionary before they can understand what you are communicating, it’s time to re-write your content. Use simple and confident words such as: easy, fun, proven, simple, convenient, safe, quick, fast, effective, and other power words that sell.
2. Imagine the self-talk of your prospects and customers. What are their real thoughts about their needs or circumstances? People just don’t walk around thinking (or saying) things like, “I would really like to transform my post-baby body through holistic nutrition and targeted exercise!” Instead, they think more along the lines of, “I hate how fat I look and feel since I had my baby.”
3. Pay attention to the language people use in public forums. Even if you are just starting out in business and don’t have a huge following you can survey directly, you can benefit from reading others’ book reviews, blog comments, testimonials, Facebook comments, and other social media conversations to gain insight to how people talk about the problems they need solutions for.

Always remember that your goal is not to dazzle your prospects and customers with fancy language but rather to demonstrate that you understand and care about their needs, that you have a solution to their problems, and that you will serve them to make sure they see the results they desire.

If you have been struggling with selling your products and services and can’t quite figure out why, check your marketing messages against the criteria I shared above and make sure you are communicating the features and benefits of what you offer in a way that speaks to what your ideal customers really want.

Sabine Brandt is president of Nobility Coaching and Consulting, Inc., and a certified business expert with nearly two decades of experience as an entrepreneur and corporate leader. Sabine delights in teaching her clients at www.nobilitycoaching.com how to create small businesses that not only provide financial freedom, but also a deep fulfillment of serving others and contributing to God’s greater plan.  In addition, Sabine serves as an executive coach and consultant to large organizations that wish to improve their operational processes and enhance their leadership capabilities.