Huge selection! Lowest prices! Something for everyone! Who cares? People don’t really want to know about your stuff anymore. They want to know your story.
The average person is bombarded with almost 3,000 marketing messages every day. If you live on social media, the internet, listen to the radio, watch TV, drive around town … you know how immune you’ve become to most of what you see and hear. If your business has really spectacular advertising, you might be one of the 50 or so messages consumers actually recognize. If you’re REALLY blessed, your message will be one of the four (yes, 4!) that’s actually remembered.
How do you make your marketing memorable? Tell your story! Every business sells stuff, whether it be products or services. Consumers want to know why your stuff is the stuff they should buy.
“I thought my stuff WAS my story!”
Nope, not really. When consumers purchase something, they’re buying a solution, a benefit or a perception. When a 25-year-old woman wants to buy a pair of “night on the town” shoes, she’s looking for a style that will make her feel sexy and look trendy, something that will make heads turn. How do you market to her? Not by having the largest selection or a BOGO special. Your marketing message will of course show your “stuff”, but your “story” needs to speak to her desire to get noticed.
How do I figure out what my story is?
Identify your market(s)!
Are you focused on a niche market, or do you try to be all things to all people?
Think about what your best customer looks like:
Age, gender
Income level
Stage in life (newlywed, empty nester, new parent, etc.)
Interests and activities
You might have several different types of “best customers”, but each segment needs to be targeted differently.
Create a persona for your target customer.
Marketing is all about the customer. Once you know them, you can develop a story that delivers the results they’re seeking. Solve their problem, and your story will be noticed! And of course, you’ll sell your stuff.