Are You 'Attractive' Enough?

No, I'm not getting personal... I'd just like you to think about a different way to approach the marketing and promoting of your business.

If somebody asks you, "What do you do?" how do you normally reply?

Many people make the mistake of answering a completely different question, and in doing so, limit their chances of attracting new customers. When somebody asks, "What do you do?" they hear the question as "What are you?"… As a result, their answer often begins with "I'm a …" and ends just one or two words later, in a dead full stop. You've probably heard it before; you may even have fallen foul of giving the wrong answer to this not-so-tricky question yourself. I'm a.... dentist, solicitor, accountant, coach, clothing retailer, telephony supplier, business owner, printer, computer analyst... The fact is, in marketing terms at least, these are not very attractive answers.

In order to be attractive and draw potential customers and those with the power to open the door to other potential customers to you, your answer needs to deal with two key points – you could call them your 'Attraction Messages':

- To whom do you provide your goods or services (ie, who is your customer)?
- What problems do you solve (ie, what do you do for them)?

Did you notice anything missing there? At no point in this introductory Attraction Message is it necessary to answer the question "What are you?"

Sometimes however, in giving your Attraction Messages in response, you may accidentally divulge clues to the "What are you" question that nobody asked you, maybe even causing people to guess the answer to the question they never asked. But that's ok, since the answer you're giving them is considerably more attractive than baldly announcing the name of your trade or profession.

The whole point of your Attraction Messages is that they’re not about you. They're about your customer. And if formulated well, they achieve several objectives:

• They help your target to identify for themselves whether they might be a potential customer. Whilst you’re talking, they’re asking themselves whether they are the sort of person to whom you provide your goods or services, and whether they are experiencing the sort of problem or issues that you solve. This is particularly important, as most people like to keep their cards very close to their chest, until they've built up enough confidence to announce themselves as a potential customer. They need to be able, in the first instance, to identify themselves to themselves.
• They provide an entry point through which you can engage your target in a more productive conversation. These Attraction Messages practically demand that your target responds with a request for more details! They’re a 'teaser' statement, which engages your target in conversation and begins the process of building rapport.
• They help your target to appreciate that you're the sort of supplier with whom they might like to do business. People warm to others who are, or appear to be, more interested in others, than in themselves. It shows you're an open, engaging person and starts the process of building trust and confidence. This in turn encourages your target to identify themselves to you.

In starting a conversation by telling people what trade or profession you're in, you are in effect pushing yourself at your targets. In delivering your Attraction Messages, you are pulling your potential customers towards you. Push is all about you, the supplier; pull is all about your customer.

Compare a few alternatives and feel how they make you react:

Push: I'm a personal trainer
Pull: I motivate, train and support people who want to build healthier, fitter and better-toned bodies

Push: I sell telephone systems
Pull: I help small businesses implement telephony systems which increase efficiency and improve customer service

Push: I'm a chauffeur
Pull: I help busy executives reduce the stress of long journeys and arrive in comfort, well prepared and rested

Follow up your Attraction Messages with a question which engages your target, and you're well on the way to creating the bond you need, and finding out whether you’re talking to a prospective customer or someone who could introduce you to other prospective customers.

Your Attraction Messages can be delivered face-to-face, for example in a meeting or networking environment, and they can be delivered through your marketing material – your brochures, letters and advertisements can all convey the same customer-focused spirit. All of these contribute to demonstrating to your potential customers that you care more about what you do for them, than about who you are – and that makes you a much more 'attractive' person to do business with.

26th Apr 2010