Are your sales presentations, collateral, and digital experiences NOT converting prospects into clients?
Are you trying to figure out why your sales messages and materials aren’t resonating with your target audiences?
The issue may not be the writing quality, subject matter or how the information is presented.
It could be something as simple as EGO getting in the way of communicating effectively.
People don’t realize companies have egos, but they do. Inserting ego into marketing and sales content turns off readers, preventing them from engaging with it.
Did you know: Company egos have a similar effect on people that human egos do? Imagine yourself at a cocktail party. You meet someone who talks about themselves non-stop. How do you view them? You likely think of them as pompous, boring, dull, arrogant, self-absorbed — or a combination of all these things. You would certainly NOT find them attractive or engaging.
That’s exactly how prospective clients or customers feel when they read or watch egotistical business content that is purely promotional and not beneficial to them.
It’s not hard to remove ego from your sales content. Here are five simple things you can do to make your messages more inclusive.
1. Get over it.
When you create content, always remember that no one really cares about your business. That may seem harsh, but it’s true.
The first step toward shifting the focus from “us” to “you” messaging is to figure out why people read your sales materials in the first place. It isn’t to find out how great your products or services are. Instead, it’s to learn how you can help them with a problem or issue and make their lives better.
You’ll engage more prospects if you focus your messages on their needs and explain how you can help them.
2. Don’t forget about the title.
Many content creators are so focused on getting the body of their pieces right, they put too little time and effort into the titles and headlines.
A title is your first chance to encourage people to engage with your content, so it’s important to get it right. Don’t focus on your business. Instead, find a short and impactful way to deliver a benefit statement tailored to your target audience.
Instead of “See why our technology is the best in the industry,” title your piece, “Introducing technology that can make doing your work easier and add dollars to your bottom line.”
3. Stroke THEIR ego.
Instead of focusing on your company’s ego, put some time into understanding the egos of your customers. Once you do that, you’re able to develop messages and write in a way that engages them. Always think about how your business adds value to their lives and convey that in all your sales content. It makes it seem more thoughtful and relevant. It will also build trust, which will make people feel more comfortable and confident about doing business with you.
4. Speak directly to consumers.
Start by removing “we”, “us”, “me” and “I” references from your content. This will cut the ego quotient significantly.
However, doing this isn’t enough. You also need to speak directly to readers in a direct, active voice, using the words “you” and “your”. It should feel like you’re having a conversation WITH them, not just talking AT them.
When writing marketing messages or sales content, always have an individual client or prospect in mind and pretend you’re having a discussion. Always consider their mindset. Stroke THEIR egos by providing solutions to the things that concern them. When you completely address the “you”, you’ll be able to close more sales.
5. Take your time
Trying to rush a sale is egotistical. It’s centered on closing the deal, not serving the needs of the client. You have to reverse this and take whatever time is required to nurture relationships so you can close more sales. This has to be considered in every step of the sales process, so you say all the right things on every web page, email, presentation, and piece of sales collateral. Any message delivered improperly or too soon could make a negative impression and prevent a sale.
Tip: Using a sales enablement system like the one offered by Mobile Locker ensures your sales reps use the correct sales collateral at the right times. It will prevent costly mistakes and help close more sales.
