The Secret To Reaching More Prospects Without Gimmicks

We’ve all seen them.? Cheezy gimmicks, wild sales pitches, and marketing strategies that make you go hmmm.??

Those ads that can be more of a turn off than a turn on.? And they just might cause you to avoid buying the very products or services that they are trying to sell.

Yet sometimes, when looking for ways to reach our ideal clients, we can be tempted to stoop to the level of using cheap gimmicks.? After all, they must work, right?? These companies are still in business and it appears to be going well for them.

The problem of course, aside from losing a measure of self respect, is that your marketing is projecting an image of who you are.??

For instance, the image that we project about ourselves in the way that we dress and present ourselves often projects who we are as a person. In the same way, the image that our company or organization projects through marketing is also often how others see its quality and integrity.

While it may be tempting at times to use gimmicks, in the long run it is much better to protect who you are as an organization and not “sell out”.??

So what’s the solution?? How can you confidently market yourself so that the correct image is projected and you are reaching the right clients?

We are to talk about that, and I’ll give you 3 ways to use this powerful method.

But first, I’d like to tell you a little story.??

Once upon a time there was a princess locked away in the tallest tower of the largest castle, guarded by a ferocious, fire-breathing dragon…??

Well, maybe she wasn’t guarded by a dragon.? And maybe she wasn’t being held captive, or really even a princess.? Ok, so maybe she never even existed.? But for discussion’s sake, let’s just say that she did and was wandering around one day, exploring even.? And somehow the door to an abandoned tower locked on her after she entered its upper room.

Initially she sent out messages on ravens (let’s just stick with the fantasy aspect here; I have no idea how she got the ravens), writing things like “Princess stuck in a tall tower.? Rescue her and you will obtain riches beyond your wildest dreams!”, “Help!? I’m a Princess being held captive!? Please rescue me and you will be given all that the King has to offer!”, and “You can be my knight in shining armor!? I’m being held captive!? Please rescue me!”?

But in reality those that received the messages recognized them for what they were.? A lot of hype and likely fabricated.? I mean seriously, who captures Princesses and holds them for ransom so that some random person will swoop in to rescue her?

As time passed and she became dangerously low on food and water, she decided to take the more honest approach, trying to appeal to a would-be rescuer.? Her next set of messages all said the following: “Hello!? I got trapped in a room at the top of the old tower.? If you will rescue me, I will repay you in any way that I can.? Perhaps you could use an assistant?? Whatever I can do, please help and I will be in your debt.”

Needless to say, someone soon arrived and let her out.?

Hype and gimmicks may work in their own way, but they often give inaccurate impressions of the benefits that one will receive when purchasing the product or service.? While not being “untrue” in what they say, the message that transplants into the minds of the prospects, the impressions that form, are often untrue.? Or at the very least not very accurate.??

And while this may work on a large number of people, it likely will not work on your ideal clients.? Nor should it.??

There is a level of disrespect that can come with gimmicks also that cannot be undone and can leave a lasting false impression of who you are.? And the last thing that we want is to disrespect our clients.

On the other hand, accurately depicting what you offer, and doing so in a way that draws the attention of your ideal clients, is, well, ideal.??

This is why, in normal situations, gimmicks are not the best decision for a marketing strategy.? It is why you want to use something a lot more effective, more powerful, that also allows you to maintain your respect as an organization.

What is that special something?? Triggers, or words that “trigger” an immediate response.

You want to use the triggers that resonate with your ideal clients.? Words that hit home for them.? Words that create an emotional response.? A response that says “this is exactly what I am looking for!”.

These triggers are important, because they not only create the response, but they also tell the client that you are on the same wavelength as them.? You are speaking their language, and they are aware that you know exactly where they are coming from and what they need.

And best of all, you will be working with the clients that you really want to work with.

Take the story above for example.? The initial messages that our damsel in distress sent out were full of hype, lies and false promises.? If they had gotten a response they would not have brought her ideal rescuer.? In fact, who knows what someone in medieval times would have done to her when they discovered they had been manipulated and lied to.

On the other hand, when she sent out the second set of messages there were triggers in them that would attract someone motivated to respond.? For example, maybe someone was looking for an assistant, and wondering how they would be able to afford one.? This was a golden opportunity to get one for the simple task of traveling to the distant tower and letting her out.??

Of course someone may just want to help her out of the kindness of their heart and see nothing in return.? Now that she was being honest it was obvious that there was indeed someone in trouble who required assistance.? The honesty alone would have made a big difference.? Though there was not an honesty “trigger word”, the honest nature of the message would also be appealing to her ideal rescuers.

I know the illustration is crude, perhaps even a little silly.? But the point is this: if you want the right response you have to meet people where they are with what they can actually use.? And to do that effectively you must use the correct words to communicate that you are indeed what they are searching for, whether they are aware that they are or not.

Marketing in this way involves a simple 3 step process.

1. Make sure you understand your target audience

If your ideal client is in the same industry as you, then this possibly is a non-issue.? If not, if you are marketing to the general public for example, you will need to make sure that you define your ideal client and that you understand them.? How they think, how they feel, and, most importantly, how they communicate.??

Research is the key to either discovering who your ideal clients are and how they think, or to reaffirm that you indeed are of the same mind as them.? That you are speaking the same language.? Once you understand your target audience, it’s time for step two.

2. Identify their Key Emotional Triggers

Regardless of the situation in step one, you want to clearly identify key emotional triggers that your clients will recognize, that subconsciously affirm that you are one of them.? Those words that bring an instant connection with you at the deepest level.

This isn’t manipulation.? It is communicating the fact that you are their ideal provider as much as they are your ideal client.? It gives them instant familiarity with you.? A familiarity that would be there if they knew all about you.? You are just getting this across quickly in an attention challenged world.

3. Use those triggers in all of your marketing

Any time a potential client comes across any of your ads, receives an email from you, or reads a blog post, you want them to also come across these Key Emotional Triggers.? You want them to know right away that they need to be in league with you.? That you both belong together.? How else can you supply for them that which will make a huge, positive impact in their lives?

Using these keywords to associate with your clients at a foundational level is so much more effective than cheap gimmicks.? You will keep your self respect.? Maintain the best image for your organization.? And best of all, you will connect with your ideal clients.? The ones that will benefit the most from what you have to offer, and who you are most motivated to serve.

If this makes sense to you then you are already well on your way to connecting with the best clients in the world.??

However, maybe you get it but aren’t sure where to start.? Or you do but you need a skilled writer.? Or maybe none of this makes any sense at all.? Regardless of your situation I would be more than happy to assist you, with the trigger research, using the triggers in your copy, or just handling all of this for you.??

Contact me today so we can get started connecting you with your best clients.

They are waiting for you!

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Greg Duncan is a freelance Education Technology (EdTech) copywriter who helps EdTech companies to grow their influence by reaching more students and institutions through compelling content and creative marketing.

You can reach Greg at [email protected] or on LinkedIn at https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/gregory-duncan-b330b341/