Getting to Know You
I’m fortunate enough to say I’ve never had to use a dating app, although I did a free trial of Cupid.com at a very young age. We’ll just say I was off before the trial was up.
Although I’ve had a few awkward dates, one type I’ve never experienced is having the other person be a self-promoter. From what I understand, they spend most of the time talking about themselves and never give you a chance to get a word in or ask questions about you. How dull! I hope they would at least pay for the meal.
Maybe you’ve been on that date. Hopefully you’ve never been that person on the date.
Could the same be said for your marketing content? Here are a few examples to consider:
Your web copy is full of “we” and “I” in every sentence.
You stuff so much into your weekly or monthly email it looks more like a supermarket mailer than a place with good information.
Your other emails only promote your next sale or new product/service offering.
Don’t be ashamed if you fit one of these or something along those lines. As you would expect a friend to give you feedback after a bad date, here’s my friendly marketing advice: cut down on talking about you and your services by at least half. What do I mean by this?
On your website, change out as many of the “we” and even generics like “they” or “our customers” with “you” as often as it makes sense. People don’t want to only hear how awesome you are but why that’s important to them. Tell them how you’re going to make their day/week/life better. Save the “all about me” for the copy on the About Us page. That is where people expect (and rightly so) to read the most about you. FYI: Search engines aren't just looking for keywords anymore. If they see people spend more time on your site (because it has info they actually want to read), it helps more than stuffing keywords ever will.
In your emails, keep it simple and helpful. Stick to the rule of one: address one person with one topic in one email. Always write as if you’re talking to one person and only tell them one thing in the email. It’s a great way to show them what you know and give them great advice and tips at the same time. SIDENOTE: if you ask for email addresses and you say it's for sending helpful information, don’t send them something about a sale or discount. Only send what you said you would, otherwise they’ll unsubscribe or, worse, block you.
If you write blogs, use them to give advice and show your expertise. Think of questions you get frequently and answer them. (Can also be used for emails but if it gets too lengthy, a blog is better!) BONUS: it’s continually adding new copy and keywords to your website, which the Big G likes.
Overall, be thoughtful when it comes to the marketing content you create, whether it be an email, blog, or web copy. Give them the answers they’re looking for. Be relatable and insightful. Give them something they want to share and talk about (positively) with their friends! Most importantly, build those relationships and trust using less “we” or “they” and more “you”.
