7 Things I Told My Clients Not to Do This Week

There's an old marketing saying: fast, cheap, or good— pick two.

With the rise of AI in content this has become more true than ever!

It's become my hobby to pick out AI-generated posts and blogs without testing them, and then confirm it with GPTZero.

I think it's an unofficial skill I'm developing.

How do I know?

I look for generic text that can fit a variety of industries or topics with just a few teaks. I also look for vague advice using extremely common phrases.

Don't humans make the same mistakes?

Yes!

And that's the topic of this newsletter

I wrote down every piece of advice I gave to both clients and the awesome people behind The Business Storyteller over the past week (yes, it was a very busy week) to share with you today

1-Avoid negatives, they deter clients

? We spot inefficiencies in your operations

?? We help you optimize your process

Can you spot the difference?

One says we know it all, the other says you're great but we're here to help you achieve better levels.

2- Be specific, your audience can't relate to vague content that applies to everyone

Or even worse a sign of an inexperienced service provider.

If you were looking for a consulting company, which would you schedule a call with?

Company A: In today’s dynamic business environment, the ability to adapt and anticipate market changes is crucial. At Company XYZ, we provide forward-thinking advisory services that equip your business with the tools needed to thrive.

Company B: Achieving your vision begins with existing resources and strengths, whether it’s financial performance, operations effectiveness, or your strategy. One of our first steps begins by leveraging your existing data, followed by a detailed audit of every aspect of your operations.

Company B. They explained what they focus on and why, highlighting their level of expertise.

3- Don't be afraid to pinpoint a narrow target audience

Yes, your product can be applied to other client types.

But you get much better results when you spell it out to your ideal target audience that you can help them and do so better than others.

I had this conversation with two clients this week, I won one and lost the other... It's a difficult sell unfortunately to ask clients to pinpoint who they're speaking to.

For example for Company A: We re-focused their content to offer financial service to healthcare providers experiencing profit erosion.

As opposed to financial consulting for any large entity.

For Company B: We specifically mentioned that their strategy services were for mid-sized companies in the GCC.

The point is to have a stronger converting probability for a given segment, not an average converting potential with everyone

4- Always include your methodology (aka process)

Especially with intangible services such as management consultants, research houses, coaches, or healthcare providers, don't wait for your client to ask, clearly state your process, both on social media and on your website.

This is of course a given for products, software, applications, and so on.

5 - Avoid generic images of dollar signs and graphs, feature people

I don't know why this is one of the harder things to convince almost all my clients of.

It's a mental turn-off when you log on to a website, social media post, or browse a brochure and see a tree sprouting a dollar sign or a graph surrounded by blue tech noise

Nothing sells better than people.

Stock photos of people working who culturally fit your audience work better than other generic images

People testing your software work better than any and all kinds of stock images

And nothing captures attention and convinces better than photos of your real team, being who they are.

6- Statement headlines and email subjects are killing your business

Your audience is convinced to open an article or an email only because of the choice of your header image and title.

Secondary comes the meta description, email pretext, or caption. But people don't read including the CEO you're trying to land.

? Company XYZ's Leads the Change in Agri Tech

?? How Company XYZ Revolutionized the Agri Tech Industry in 3 Steps

Which would you click on?

Not only does the second one spark curiosity, but it highlights a piece of quantifiable information you will be rewarded with when you click on the link or open the email.

VERY BIG DIFFERENCE

Here are three tips to nail your next headline or subject line

?? 1- Have a number in your subject line. We respond better to what's quantifiable

?? 2- Grab attention with a strong verb

?? 3 - Phrase it as a question, it taps into the unconscious need to answer Qs.

7 - If you're selling to a B2B, a website is not an option

I explained this in a LinkedIn rant last week, based on personal experience

It doesn't matter if it's a one-page website with a summary of how you help your clients or a full corporate website, you need a website if your target audience are business decision-makers.

However, even a mini-website needs to include

• The specific services you offer
• Social Proof
• An Answer to Why you
• A bonus point would be: Who's your ideal client

If you need to discuss fine-tuning your content marketing to tap into more growth, or your options when upgrading your website or even getting one...

Feel free to reach out with your questions or go ahead and schedule a call