Free Report: Creating Trust
Using Words That Sell
If
you have ever read anything I’ve written regarding how to
increase your marketing results, you know by now that my style of
writing is sharp, curt and cuts directly to the point. I don't mince
words.
This is not by accident but is rather by design. You are not reading
this article for the sheer enjoyment of hearing me blather endlessly on
and on about something, but are rather here looking for good
information. This is what you will always get from
me, using as few words as possible.
That being said, here is an extremely blunt statement. Everyone is
selling something. Product, service, skill, knowledge or
perhaps consultation.
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Nothing at all happens in the marketplace until something of
value changes hands. You might not believe this, or perhaps feel
somehow that marketing is a four-letter word - something you would
really prefer not get involved with. This is perfectly fine, but do not
expect to be in business much longer.
Now, if you have made it this far without clicking away, what you have
just seen me demonstrate is a 'technique'. Some of you may have been
asking 'Who does this guy think he is, anyway?' Perhaps you
felt
a
little twinge of anger as you read these words. This was done on
purpose. The tone here was carefully constructed to
create
that bit of controversy. This tone creates emotion. It creates tension.
Such is the power of the properly crafted written word. So let's begin
again using a lighter tone . . .
For our purposes here, I shall define marketing as follows:
Marketing is the artful use of (any form of) communication to
successfully convince another that you
possess something of value to the receiver of that communication.
Your doctor is a marketer. Your minister is a marketer. Your
significant other did a great job of marketing. Your children are
learning.
When I write sales copy, my writing style changes.It
uses a different tone; a feel that is far removed from what I offer
here, while speaking directly to potential marketers such as yourself.
As most of you know, I have had the pleasure of helping hundreds upon
hundreds of businesses get their message out to clients in such a way
as to create positive action. Though marketing methodology changes due
to improvement in delivery systems, the process of marketing changes
not at all. This is because human nature changes not at all.
Writing good copy, copy that causes a perfect stranger to trust in you
immediately, copy that causes your potential client to do business with
you, is not easy. It is, in every sense, an art form.
I am frankly appalled at what I see when I examine the web pages, press
releases and, in general, the image being projected by the words of
those attempting to develop that all important trust with their
potential clients.
What follows are just a few examples regarding how you might begin to
develop trust with your potential clients or customers, causing them to
consider doing business with you, versus your competition. The singular
key ingredient is trust. You must create trust if you hope to be
successful.
Owners
Ads
Anything can be said in myriad ways. The primary point you must
understand is that it is NOT about you. I never cease to be amazed by
the number of (what we in the business call) the ‘owner’s
ads’ out there. You’ve seen hundreds, perhaps thousands of
these. They are the telltale mark of the inexperienced.
These are the messages that contain the picture of the owner IN THE AD.
(Real estate people are famous for this). If the message is a
television commercial, these might show the entire staff standing
outside the building, waving politely at the camera or some such scene.
Please do not get me started on websites.
The message these self-serving pieces send is a simple one: ME ME ME!
Precisely the opposite of what a trustbuilding message should portray.
If you are doing this, please stop it. Please. Stop it now. Your
potential clients will thank you. Your wallet will thank you.
When I was a very young puppy, brash, cocky and ready to tear up the
world, I took my first job selling
newspaper advertising. The 'owner's ad' concept was a carefully
concealed joke between the cigar chomping, grizzled 'old school'
veterans We sold these types of ads all day long. We made a ton of
money selling them to hapless business owners who bought them happily.
'Just put their picture on it and they'll buy it,' was a remark uttered
often in the smoky inner sanctum of the newspaper sales offce.
The older, experienced reps understood human nature. They knew that if
the owner saw HIMSELF in the
newspaper, the owner would run that ad forever, even if it produced no
results whatsoever. This would fill the rep's pockets with commissions.
The ‘owner’s ad’. Do not do this unless you have
unlimited funding, love to waste money, or are trying to get even with
the big boys upstairs by depleting their coffers.
Thankfully I changed my hairstyle and moved on long ago. But I never
forgot what I learned in those early years and in the years since.
Do yourself a quick favor. Log onto your own website and count the
number of instances of the word 'I" or 'we' or 'our company'. Then go
back and count the number of instances of the word 'you'. You will see
clearly what I mean.
Forgive me for saying this. Website DESIGNERS are not
marketers. They understand DESIGN. They understand language, but the
language is html. They do not know how to deliver an effective
marketing experience. Love them for what they do. Most ARE very good at
what they do. But do NOT allow them to create the EXPERIENCE.
When you go to the movies, the projectionist does not write, direct and
film the movie. Try to think of the website designer as an extremely
talented projectionist. It is YOU that must write, direct and film your
own movie. That movie is your website - the only store your potential
buyers will ever see.
As regards any marketing message, insluding those on your website,
simply remember this: You do not create trust by showing your face. You
create trust by showing your heart.
You use words to show your heart, but they must be the RIGHT words. Let
us look at a few examples. I will create two fictional business owners
– Joe and Bob. Each own a widget factory. Joe is failing
miserable while Bob is setting the world on fire. Let’s look at
the image they each portray.
Joe:
‘WE OFFER A 100% IRONCLAD MONEY BACK GUARANTEE!’
This is good, but so what? So do most other companies. Though Joe
believes he is creating trust with this statement, he is not. Indeed,
he may be implying just the opposite. This implies that someone is
going to be unhappy perhaps, or that someone has complained in the
past. In addition, the capitals and the exclamation points are the
equivalent of SCREAMING! Screaming does not create trust; it creates
just the opposite.
Bob:
‘We want you to be happy with your purchase; our reputation
depends on it. Nothing is more important
to me personally than that you be completely satisfied with the service
you receive. But if you are not
satisfied, for any reason whatsoever, simply pick up the phone and call
me personally at 888-777-9999,
extension 103.
Do you see the difference here? Very low-key. However, from this
paragraph I can deduce:
1. Bob is the boss
2. Bob runs the place exclusively
3. Bob cares about the reputation of his company personally
4. Bob cares even more about me, as I am responsible for his success
Most importantly, Bob is not talking AT me. Bob is talking TO me
directly.
When I write copy for my clients, be it website, brochures, letters,
press releases, even a simple business card, I spend many hours not
merely WRITING the message, but rather DEVELOPING the RIGHT message.
A 'No
Brainer"?
For instance one of my clients asked me to create a simple newspaper ad
recently. I spent about an hour in her antique store, filling out my
questionaires and forms. But I was not so much interested in her
answers as I was interested in being immersed in the experience - her
experience. The end result? The tag line of her ad now reads:
' A Great Place To Spend An Afternoon'.
This has nothing at all to do with antiques. It says nothing at all
about pricing, selection, guarantees or refund policies. But it clearly
states what
her store is all about. Copy writing is never a 'no brainer'. You would
do well to have a third party take a look from the outside in. Get the
opinions of others and put great stock in their perceptions of you.
Survey your own customers. You
simply cannot accomplish this yourself. You are far too involved to
make an independent assessment. Make certain that third party is truly
independent. Don't ask your partner. Don't ask your mother. Ask a
stranger, as a stranger will often tell you the truth.
Emphasis
Capitalization and bold imply emphasis. Emphasis changes the entire
meaning of the communication based on the word be emphasized.
Let’s try this statement, changing the capitalization: Say these
out loud.
‘ She is a great communicator’
This is just a simple statement of fact
“SHE is a great communicator”
This implies the emphasis is on her skills as compared to others
'She IS a great communicator’
This implies that her skills are a given and we recognize this.
‘She is a GREAT communicator’
This implies that she stands head and shoulders above the competition.
‘She is a great COMMUNICATOR’
This implies that she has good communication skill but may be lacking
in other areas. There is an implied ‘but’ after this
statement . . .
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Let’s
look at another example, a bit more subtle, this time from a brochure.
Joe:
‘Our
company has been in business for over 100 years. We are the leaders in
our field. My grandfather
built our first store with his own hands!’
Joe is
getting a little better, but is not quite there yet . . .
Bob:
‘We
have been providing quality widget consultation services to our
customers since 1908. Our clients
have made this company what it is today. We are extremely grateful for
the trust you have placed in us
throughout the years. We continually strive to continue to earn and
continue to keep that trust.’
I believe
you are beginning to see the difference; ME ME ME vs YOU YOU YOU. This
is so basic that it need not be verbalized. Again I am appalled when I
view some of the messages being put forth in newspapers, tv, radio and
on the web. 'WE did this' or 'WE did that' or 'WE got this account' or
'this group relies on US". Those who run these types of messages would
do well to save their money. At all times, in his or her mind, your
potential client is asking a single question:
'What can
you do for me?'
Press Releases
Let us look
briefly now at Joe and Bob as they develop a press release for the
local newspaper.
Joe:
STUNNING NEW
DEVELOPMENT AT ABC WIDGETS!
Capitals.
Exclamation points. More screaming. More ME ME ME. Your local editor
will can this in a proverbial heartbeat.
Bob:
XYZ Widgets
Develops New Product To Cut Personal Widget Failure By 50%
Ah. There
might be something in this for – dare I say it? – me. The
editor will see the value for his readers. The editor cares about one
thing and one thing only. His readers. Joe is simply tooting his own
widget horn. Bob, on the other hand, has created something that will
help everyone personally. The editor will see this and will be far more
likely to actually print this release.
On a side
note, I write reviews for books published by self published authors. I
receive hundreds of requests for review in the form of press releases
sent to me. Here is what I see over and over again, each and every day.
“STUNNING
NEW BOOK REVEALS . . . .”
‘GRIPPING
NEW NOVEL DETAILS . . . “
“GROUNDBREAKING
NEW STORY ABOUT . . . “
As the
editor in the Spiderman movies said, ‘Crap. Crap. Mega-crap'.
Nearly
without exception, the press releases worded in this way are simply
covering up the fact that these books hold little merit at all. I
trashcan them without a second glance.
I once
received a press release from a young man who started his release this
way:
“I
Have Written A Book About . . . “
I actually
began to laugh. I was so intrigued by this approach that I read the
entire thing. This man was selling a book for $40. It was only 20 pages
long! That is $2 per page! He did not even have the expertise to set
the price at $39.99 in an attempt to fool me into believing the price
was in the 30 dollar range.
I was so impressed that I immediately bought the book with my credit
card, Believe this or not, it was one of the smartest buys I have ever
made. Fantastic book.
Now, who in
their right mind would pay $40 for a 20 page book? Me. Why?
Because
though this young man was inexperienced, rough, unlearned and so far
out of bounds that it simply defied description, his press release
sounded like a letter to his mother. He was honest. He was completely
sincere. He was really proud of that book. He truly believed that the
20 page book he had written was well worth $40. And do you know what?
He was correct. It was.
If you can
simply learn to speak to a large audience in the same manner you might
speak to an individual person sitting at your kitchen table, you will
create success beyond measure. This is what sets successful
communicators apart from the crowd. We speak to just one person - a
singular receiver. As I write this, I am envisioning myself speaking
directly to you. Hence the style and the tone of this little piece. I
am not worried about the thousands of others who might be peeking over
our shoulders. I am speaking directly to you.
When writing
press releases, never, EVER use a canned approach. Reporter and editors
can spot
this from several miles away. Editors know that the author of the press
release IS the writer or business owner (or perhaps a paid PR person).
Please be aware that if you attempt to write an effective press release
by copying what others have written, you are doomed from the very
start. The editor will not trust you. This is somewhat akin to that
slick dude in the bar who says the same words to every girl he meets.
Loser.
Writing
words that cause your clients to make a buying decision comes down to a
single point. You must create trust. People only do business with
people they trust. The moment you say anything, make any statement that
serves to destroy trust, you lose any chance of ever having that person
become a customer or client.
Let us close
this by looking at a newspaper advertisement.
Suppose Joe
and Bob each run an ad, side by side in the newspaper. Each is 5 inches
by 5 inches. Each features a picture of their respective widget
factories.
Joe’s
ad text:
ABC Widgets
We’ve been in business for 100 years!
We sell our widgets for 50% less than the competition!
Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back!
Don’t wait until it’s too late!
Your Widgets – Your Way!
888-777-6666
Joe has said
it all. ABC has the experience. Their cost structure is lower than
anyone’s. There is a money-back, iron clad guarantee. They have
even developed a cool little tag line – ‘Your Widgets
– Your Way!’ Joe has said it all! And that is precisely the
problem.
Here is
Bob’s ad text.
XYZ Widgets
Since 1908
888-666-5555
Now, whom do
you trust?
The
impression being given here is that Bob need say nothing about his
reputation or guarantees or pricing or anything of the sort. Bob
ASSUMES everyone knows about these things. While Joe was screaming in
everyone’s ear, Bob destroyed him by simply stating ‘Since
1908’
This is an
example of how NOT saying something implies that it is a given.
Words create trust. Trust creates sales. It is the RIGHT words (or in
some cases the lack of words) that will reveal your innermost
intentions. Learning to use the right words to
create the right impression should be foremost in your mind if you wish
to be a successful builder of trust.
Posted by Don McCauley
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