When it comes to selling, vision is key

I’ve spoken in previous articles about the importance of highlighting product and service benefits over features (no one really cares about the chip size, they just want to know how many pictures they can take), but the better version idea takes it to the next level: beyond simply addressing what our products can do for a person, we ought to promote what kind of person our products will transform the buyer into.

I couldn’t find out who the quote was originally attributed to (it’s appeared in various versions across various medias over the years) but it highlights a key point.

So many of us focus on ourselves and our own visions when it comes to creating and selling products and services. We think about what impact we want our businesses to have on our own lives; freeing us from bosses, caring for our children, maybe doing some social good. But many of us quickly lose focus on the most important player: the customer.

Story is everything.

There’s another quote I’d like to draw attention to here, from Donald Miller’s book Building a Story Brand. It goes like this: “Never assume people will understand how your brand can change their lives. Tell them.”

I was recently consulting for a client, and while doing a user experience audit of their website I realized why they were failing to convert the customers they were hoping for. They wanted to break out of their niche, broaden their audience and gain a larger foothold in their local community.

But when I went onto their website, that message was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, there was the usual jargon, the photos of their existing clientele base, and the assumption that anyone visiting the website would already be familiar with the product. They lacked story, clarity, and cohesiveness.

Take the time to sit down and examine whether you’re actually clearly communicating your goals with your audience: let them know exactly what you’re going to do to help them live the life they want to. Don’t assume they know anything: you’ve got to meet them half, or even three quarters, of the way.