No matter what service you’re selling there are different potential buyers for your services.  This is true for every product or service.  To make my point let’s look at something as mundane and simple as a can of tuna.

You can buy a can of regular tuna for under $1.  You can buy a can of white albacore tuna for about $2.  You can buy a can of organic white tuna for around $5.  Those 3 cans of tuna represent 3 entirely different groups of buyers with 3 entirely different points of view.

In your business you could say the $1 tuna buyers represent desperate buyers.  There are far more desperate buyers than other types of buyers.  These are the people who need your services the most.  They stand to gain the most from what you have to offer.

If you are like most business owners you truly want to help these buyers.  It breaks your heart to see their pain and suffering especially when you know that pain and suffering is needless.

The problem is those desperate buyers don’t see things the same way you do.  Plus they tend to seek quick fixes and instant solutions in an effort to get themselves out of desperation.

Their fears make it nearly impossible for them to invest in your services.  When they do make that scary decision to use your services (from their perspective) they rarely achieve the results they could or should because their fears prevent them from taking the actions they need to take.  When they do take actions they are likely to act in a helter-skelter unfocused way because they are desperately trying to find that instant fix.  Due to their near panic they don’t get the results they should because they aren’t focused on the right things.

The $2 tuna buyers represent the “squishy middle”.  This is a large group of potential buyers who range from nearly desperate to mostly satisfied to those looking to take things to the next level.  You can’t help the nearly desperate or the mostly satisfied because they lack the commitment to take the focused actions required to get the most from your services.  You can help those looking to take things to the next level.  You want your communications to slice those potential buyers from the “squishy middle” and move them into the last group.

The final group is the $5 tuna buyers.  These buyers represent the movers.  By most standards these buyers are already doing well; however, they know they can do better and they are looking for opportunities to get even better results than they are now.  These are your best potential buyers.  They will get the best results and the greatest value from your services because they have the commitment to follow through on the actions they need to take to get the most value and benefit from your services.

The movers and looking to move are your best potential buyers even though they represent the smallest section in your world of potential buyers.  They are the easiest to work with and the easiest to sell.  They get the most value and best results.

Because each set of buyers has an entirely different perspective your marketing communications must be tailored to the specific buyers you want.  The language they use and respond to is very different.  One of the easiest ways for you to find out how they talk about the things they want, and what they need to hear is to look at the books and magazines geared to those buyers.  A trip to your local librairy or bookstore can help you see who your marketing communications are really talking to.

You’ll notice the desperate buyers respond to things that save, promise instant fixes, and cost the least.

The “squishy middle” is only approachable from the nearly desperate and looking to move up ends because the rest are satisfied and unlikely to do anything.  They lack the motivation to take action and you can’t force it.

The movers respond to things that help them gain and grow.  They understand they need effective systems and strategies for long-term success.  They are less focused on price and more focused on the potential value they stand to gain.

So set aside some time to review your marketing communications.  Listen with new ears and see with new eyes.

Who are you talking to?

If you aren’t talking to the potential buyers you want then adapt your communications to better fit the message they need to hear to want to learn more how you could help them.

photo credit: Julien Menichini

Recently copywriter Michel Fortin stated, “long-term business comes down to three principal components:

1. Solve problems,
2. Sell solutions,
3. Serve customers.“

I couldn’t agree more.  One of the biggest challenges you face is understanding that if you want to succeed you have to help your best future clients understand the reason your business exists in terms of “what’s in it for me”.  Your best future clients must immediately “get” how what you offer helps them get what they want or avoid what they don’t want.

It’s a matter of communication.  If you succinctly and powerfully communicate a good reason a potential client should care — you win.  You earn their attention and the opportunity to get their interest.

Let’s compare a couple messages.

Message 1: Doctor Bob Backmaster on Z street specializes in the Zeichkrieg technique (okay, so I made that up… you get the idea).  Our friendly office cares about our patients.  Give us a call and let us take care of your chiropractic needs.

• What problem does this solve?

• Where’s the solution doctor Backmaster’s patients are already looking for?

• Couldn’t every chiropractor in the country say the same thing about their customer service?

Message 2:  “What Every Back Pain Sufferer Must know about the Pain-free Drug-free Options to Eliminate Chronic Back Pain Forever”, call 800-000-0000 and leave a message telling Doctor Bob where you’d like him to send your free report.

• The problem - chronic back pain
• The solution - pain-free drug-free options
• Serve customers - no risk way to get valuable information

Now be honest.  Message 1 didn’t do anything to make you want to do anything did it?  However, if you’ve suffered with chronic back pain you’re eager to call and get that free report.  You’re curious to see what it says.  You have the problem, you’re looking for solutions especially if you’ve already discovered surgery and pills didn’t fix the problem.  And you appreciate being able to get information without having to suffer a sales pitch you aren’t sure you want to hear.

Once you got the report, if you thought the information was valuable is it a huge stretch of the imagination to think you might call Doctor Bob, or that you would take Doctor Bob up on an offer to come in a talk about the best options for you if he sent you a follow-up letter?

So put your thinking caps on and think about how you could apply this concept to your business.

Make sure you’re solving problems your best potential clients are interested in solving.

Make sure your solution is communicated in an interesting way.

Respect your future buyers by giving them low risk ways to connect with you.

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“Time! The Key to Your Sales Success”

Tuesday May 12th 2009 1.00 PM EASTERN

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