22/03/2019
Want to attract more clients?
Aim to build digital relationships in the same way that you build relationships in the real world.
(And here’s a quick story to tell you why … )
So I’m on the phone to a new interior design client.
A loveable Mancunian a tad disillusioned with the whole digital marketing process:
“Web designers just don’t get it!”
“Get what?” I ask, knowing the flustered answer already.
“The S word: Sales.”
So I empathized, using my own art grad to agency backstory.
You know the one.
It starts out starry eyed and ends with a middle aged crisis where you wonder if your bag of tricks is just that...
Finally, I said:
“Web designers design so they don’t have to sell.”
To which he replied, lightning fast:
“Well they should at least learn to meet in the middle.”
To which I nodded wearily:
A long pause.
He was probably thinking.
So what had I got that could offer him to pull in the business?
What made my holy cow of a digital marketing solution the one for him?
I took a deep breath and filled in the blanks.
And I’ll do the same for you in a mo.
But it’s worth pausing ourselves for a sec to get something straight.
You see ...
If you really want to be valued as a services provider or an agency — and by valued I mean as a company who gets stunning results for your clients — then:
You HAVE to demonstrate you can deliver that value first.
Before they do business with you.
It’s about putting your client first, not yourself.
And here’s another thing:
The thing that most web agencies know deep down but never admit to themselves “or to you” — is that it’s the words — the brand story – the backstory story — even a little sales patter — that is the real star of your show.
Design is stage.
Prop.
Makeup.
Lighting.
Mood music.
Backdrop.
And your cleverly designed sales event should only strike when you know a client has a very real intention and DESIRE to buy that thing that your selling.
I call this bit of sweet spot targeting.
See.
The majority of businesses try to take clients from “how you doin?” to “let’s have children” in the blink of an eye.
No pleasantries.
No introductions.
No chit chat, no rapport building.
No empathising, courting, wooing.
Not even the hint of a brand story being told (nevermind sold).
The result: a clumsy fumble of a pitch that puts people off for life.
So:
Wherever and however you can, you should aim to build relationships online in the same way that you build relationships in the real world.
Yes, there are restrictions.
But people still buy people.
Stories still rule the online campfires of the world.
Relationships are still two way.
Which is why you have to share value upfront, a strategy I gleaned from Jay Abrahams, a strategy based on preeminence.
A preeminent business is the thought-leader in the industry.
It educates most — bringing the most powerful mix of best practices and new ideas.
In a nutshell:
This is strategy that makes a point of giving a damn.
Because if you show you care way before the sale, your clients care.
And it's a good lesson to learn.
Why?
Because caring opens the rickety old gate to a wonderful world called:
TRUST.
And if a potential client feels they can trust you because you’ve given them something awesome and of real value upfront before they hire you, they start a real journey with you.
But remember, this is just the start of a digital marketing journey.
Now you have to start leveraging buyer intent.
Which is just a way of using learning, segmentation and automation to control the end-to-end user experience.
e.g., "the visitor starts from A and feels compelled to end up at B.
The distance between A and B, is:
1) What value shall I provide them?
2) How do we serve them better?
3) How do we advise them about a problem?
And
4) How can we make them reach the right decision that's in their OWN best interest?
Now, you might be thinking that in some ways getting someone from A to B is achieved with usability and a slick UI.
And you’d be right!
Pat yourself on the back.
Swig a brew.
See, I’m not dissing your website here — As you’ll soon see, you’ve just got blunt tool at the moment.
As I said earlier, great digital marketing tells a great story: your client’s story.
It takes their clients by the hand and leads them down the primrose path to connect with what you have to say.
And purpose runs through the DNA of digital marketing in the following way:
Awareness > Interest > Desire > Action
A.I.D.A.
(Yep, for I’m talking about that old chestnut.)
If you can carefully map out these checkpoints within the overall marketing experience — as they align with your client’s compelling brand story — you’ll help that client build a closer business relationship (and with that, make more sales.)
Something that isn’t achieved by forcing people to a blunt but highly usable home page talking about how great you are.
Now, I’m sure you get all this.
But just to be clear:
No one cares about you, they only care about themselves
No one cares about you, they only care about themselves
No one cares about you, they only care about themselves
Your mum cares about you, but your clients only care about the VALUE you bring
Reread this 3 times in your head.
Even out loud.
Then shut up and clear your mind.
Because now it’s time to learn the artful science of selling a great brand story and adding this to your digital marketing toolkit:
And you can find that here ...
In my new (free) digital marketing eBook.
“Making Your Marketing Truly Valuable”
Comment below “ebook” and I’ll send you over the new guide as a PDF download.
It's 55 pages so prepare for a few “Aha!” moments.
Yours for the those blockbuster breakthroughs,
Stephen Shaw
Founder of anartfulscience.com
P.S
And if you know anyone who would ‘get’ this approach, I’d really appreciate it if you shared this post. 😊
