06 Mar It’s not about you. Ever

The purpose of marketing…all communication really…is about getting yourself/your message heard.  Well, not just heard. That’s only the first part of the process. What we really want is for our message to be heard, understood, accepted, and to generate the reaction that we want. And believe it or not, that means it’s never about you.

What it does mean is that it’s always about the person you are speaking to. Your audience. Your target. Whether you are speaking to them in person one to one or through your website or an ad, your goal is to connect with them. In which case, the more you understand about them, the better you can connect.

1.    Connect with them through your value proposition. Find something that you do that is of value to your target. All printers are the same, until you need something yesterday and you go to the guy who will deliver it.
2.    Tell your story where they will be receptive. The point behind Google ads is to be where people are searching for similar things. If your target is into social media, then that is where you need to be so they can hear you.
3.    Put your message in context. No matter how you are communicating to them, you want to be aligned with their interests or stage in the sales cycle. For example, your LinkedIn posts are read in a business context. Your Facebook posts, less so. You have less leeway in your LinkedIn content because of the environment it is in.

You can’t connect if you don’t understand what your target needs and where they are going for information.

So put yourself in their shoes. And then give those shoes what they want where they want it.