Hot Marketing Opps

What makes a customer purchase a product or service? One way could be from a salesman using classic salesmanship with a customer. But what determines classic salesmanship? Classic salesmanship includes getting to know the customer and discussing how they can benefit from a product or service. Then the salesman directs the customer to the product or service with the features the customer needs to get the benefits desired.

A good salesman will do things that most small business advertising does not. They make a personal connection with customers and gain emotional reactions. They then back up the emotional response with logic and reasoning that support what they want to do based on that emotion.

The majority of small business advertising in print an other media simply show the features of a product or service, instead of showing the customer how they’ll benefit from those features. Customers don’t really care about features unless they directly benefit them.

For example, one feature of a car may be that it holds up to seven passengers. But why would I want or need this feature if I only have a family of three? I gain no benefit from it. If a good salesman were to learn that my only child has a ton of friends over all the time, and that I shuttle them between activities, then classic salesmanship takes over and the salesman suddenly recognizes how the feature can benefit me.. That car with room for seven could make life easier because I can fit everyone into the vehicle, and be the cool parent because my kid can spend more time with friends.

In order to create effective small business advertising, it is important to know your customers or potential customers and to know something about them. Once you know enough about your customers to describe them, you can make small business advertising that directly speaks to the customers. Then you can demonstrate how they’ll benefit from your product or service.

The key to success in small business advertising can be summarized in three words: Features. Benefits. Emotion. The response you’re looking to elicit, and the order in which the words and concepts matter to potential customers, is backwards.

Your small business advertising must elicit emotion first. It must create an emotional reaction or response. They need to feel connected to your product or service and desire it.

Next, you must justify the emotional desire from your customer by showcasing the benefits in your advertising. People are looking to purchase a product or service that they desire, but they must first justify the expense. To help your customer justify their expenditure on your product or service, you need to describe the benefits.

Finally the features of a product or service can be showcased. But remember, benefits of the features only matter if they support the customer’s emotional reaction and desire to buy in the first place. So never start in your small business advertising by focusing on the features.

Remember, you want to elicit responses in the proper order if your advertising is to result in actual business for you. First, get your emotional response. Describe the benefits that justify the purchase second. Then third, show off the features that provide these benefits.