Flaws
Everyone knows that products or services aren’t purchased on the basis of their quality alone. Instead, potential customers and clients need to be introduced to an idea, or to hear something good about it, or to see it in action. One issue that can crop up, however, is someone losing interest because while you managed to get their attention it was for all the wrong reasons. This is something that can be referred to like the flaws of attraction, and here are 3 ways that you may be deterring people with your marketing AND how to fix them:
1. Sloppy Copy: Are you guilty of forgetting to proofread your marketing material, or of using overly stylized fonts that are hard to read, or of using text that’s too small or too light-colored to be read? If so, then you’ve created the kind of copy that’s likely to turn someone away before they even get a chance to try you out.
How to fix it: First, be sure to look over your marketing material carefully. Make sure that no words are misspelled, duplicated or in the wrong places. Also check to ensure that all offers, hours and any contact information is correct. Additionally, avoid any fonts where you have to question what a certain letter is. Finally, always get a digital proof or test print done and have someone else who wasn’t involved in its creation and who doesn’t know what it’s supposed to say look it over. If they have trouble deciphering it then you need to try again.
2. Mixed Messaging: Both what you’re saying in your advertising and how you’re saying it is important and it’s difficult to take a business seriously when they don’t seem to know that. Too often I’ve seen marketing material that appears confused because businesses aren’t being true to either what their brands are or should be.
How to fix it: Make sure that your message and how it’s conveyed match up. For example, if you offer luxury products or services then make sure that you’re also using quality professional images versus cell phone pics. Similarly, if you’re selling something that’s meant to be “all-natural” or healthy than opt for earth tones instead of neon hues. Essentially, you need to make sure that your marketing matches your brand.
3. Incorrect audience: Chances are good that if I asked if you’d try to directly market dog biscuits to someone without a dog or firewood to someone with a fireplace that you’d likely say “no”. And the reason for that response would be clear because those people don’t need those things. Now think about your own marketing, are you targeting it at people who don’t need or may not realistically want, your products or services?
How to fix it: No matter how awesome your product or service is that it’s not for everyone. And the more specialized it is the harder that you’re going to have to work to find your niche. If you’re unsure of how to do this then reach out to your network for assistance; for example, the other women on SuccessHer may have suggestions.
Marketing missteps don’t have to be mistakes that business owners keep repeating. Instead once an issue is identified they can begin working on ways to rectify it.