English
Have you ever thought that maybe your business website doesn’t do much to find new clients?
It’s a persistent question, and many companies turn to marketing agencies for answers and advice.
Why?
Well, the internet has molded consumer behavior and tastes, and this sparks curiosity about other ways of buying and selling.
The smart solution is to continually adapt to change—but you already know that.
As it happens, many business sites (perhaps too many) have not been developed in the context of a sales plan.
-They are a depository for institutional knowledge and news related to the company that very few people read (aside from owners and CEOs, of course).
– They often function as a “shop window” that may show products and services but doesn’t add much value.
This is the key
If buying behaviors have changed (and the internet has become an area of decision making, where customers research and explore before acquiring a product or service), how can you adjust your website to gain new clients?
The solution lies in listening to your potential customers and be proactive to obtain the best results.
There’s a lot to do in that respect, but for now, we’ll focus on one of the most important questions about your website:
What makes your product or your service unique?
Now, think about it in terms of benefits.
Can you?
The challenge, here, is to change your perspective and understand that potential (and current) clients are not interested in your business or products per se.
What does that mean?
Customers want to know how your products will provide solutions to problems at work, in their activities or in their daily life.
Your future clients will invest their money and trust in your business.
It’s time to offer them concrete solutions.
Let’s say that you work for a management software company. You may have a highly detailed description of the technical aspects of your software.
But potential buyers want to know the benefits and utilities it has to offer.
For example, they want to know that with your software, they’ll get:
– Increased earnings
– optimized time and improved productivity rates
– Reduced costs
In other words:
– more free time
– less stress
– better employee satisfaction
Apply this to your sales pitch
To generate more interest and support your sales strategy has to:
– Concentrate on benefits, not on characteristics.
– Utilize all possible media (notes, infographics and short videos) to explain them.
– Offer tutorials and free guides.
– Survey real clients to find out their opinions and needs.
– Come up with answers to frequently asked questions.
To reduce confusion:
– Characteristics are part of your product or service (and aren’t sales argument).
– Benefits describe or imply what your product or service can do for clients.
Take this real life example of a digital camera:
Characteristics are: | Benefits are: |
64 GB memory | You won’t run out of space.
You can shoot photos during your entire trip without needing to download them to a USB stick or an external drive. |
Optical SteadyShot with intelligent active mode | No more blurry photos from your kids’ birthday parties.
Avoid those blurry photos taken from the train |
Understand and Connect with your Client
If you support the idea of a sales strategy that includes your business website, it’s time to change the way it interacts with your audience.
Start by understanding your (potential and current) customers. What do they need? How can you help them?
Next, translate this information into concrete benefits.
Finally, cut the typical corporate jargon from your homepage and publish these benefits instead, front and center, in a prime spot.
Questions? We can give you a hand. Contact us and keep moving forward!
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English
Welcome to the world of inbound marketing, where content is currency.
It’s true! In this realm, forming relationships and participating in conversations is very important.
Therefore, finding the right words and putting expressions in the right context will allow you to connect with others and help you to establish lasting bonds.
But to what end? Okay, we’ll get to the point.
If you are studying new marketing methods to add clients and increase your sales, chances are you are already dedicating some time to reading about this topic. In that case, it’s possible that you’re already familiar with one critical little word: content.
What Are the Objectives of Content?
– Inform
– Entertain
– Inspire
– Advise
– Inspire curiosity
– Teach
– Give feedback
– Solve problems
As you’ve already no doubt realized, “sell” is not on that list.
Creating selling pieces (such as advertisement) is a responsibility of the copywriter, not the content creating team.
What are the objectives of copywriting?
– Sell
– Persuade
– Promote
– Convert
– Inspire action
Do you see the difference between the two? If you are looking to build trust and be used as a reference, it is beneficial to focus on your content.
You don’t want to come off as a salesperson. To the contrary, you have to adopt the persona of a counselor.
When Do Sales Begin, Strictly Speaking?
All of this is not to say that within every piece of content there is not at least a pinch of copywriting. More precisely, the desire is to give potential clients an incentive to do a certain thing; that is, to buy products or services.
But this must be accomplished slowly and cautiously, through all the steps visitors to a business’ website must take, from the discovery of a problem or need, to the consideration and finally purchase of such product.
What Skills Should a Content Editor Have?
– Excellent editorial skills
– Good spelling
– Experience in blogging or journalistic editing
– Knowledge of copywriting
– Ability to write about diverse topics
– Command of several styles of writing (formal and informal)
– Creative spirit
– Ability to work as a team
– Editing and revision skills
Hello? Who’s This?
Before editing starts, you need to identify your audience. It’s important to understand the profile of the person you are talking to.
Example: a modern and well-equipped gym identifies its clients in the following way.
– Pablo, 20, a young man who wants to train to increase his muscle mass before the summer.
– Marta, an older woman who wants to stay in shape and enjoy a group activity and social life.
– Luciano, 35, who suffered a back injury playing football and needs rehabilitation.
If you don’t follow these steps, you are not “talking” to anybody in particular, and it’s possible that your efforts will be for naught.
Characteristics Content Must Have to Meet its Goals
– Quality and good information
– Lasting themes (or at least themes that are not of only short-term interest)
– Easy-to-read copy
– An attractive and attention-grabbing title
– Keywords in the title and first 100 words
– Subtitles and key points, to facilitate a quick read
– Links to your other articles
– A small dose of copywriting when necessary
Ready to start writing?
You should remember that quality is the most important part. In this way, you can ensure that your readers trust you.
What results will you get? Followers and people that consider you a reliable source of knowledge.
After some time, you will know who is really interested in your company and in your products and services.
You can gear the strategy of a modality towards sales without taking on an overwhelming attitude or sounding like a charlatan who is only interested in money.
Because, at this point, the relationship between business and the potential client is already one of trust and mutual respect.
All thanks to the power of your words.
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