Writers, marketers, communications experts: it’s time to recall a foundational truth that can make a huge impact on your results.
No matter what you write, no matter what communication you put in front of your readers, before you put your fingers on the keyboard, you need to answer one question…
What’s the point?
As communicators, we should always have a reason for printing or publishing our content and collateral. We should respect our readers’ time. We should remember that if we don’t know what we’re saying, our readers certainly won’t be able to figure it out.
The dangerous trap of a marketing plan
As a marketing professional, it’s far too easy to sit in a room with five other marketing professionals and decide, we need a touch point for every month. Let’s send our list a letter in June, a postcard in July, an email in August, a white paper in September…
When regular touches become the goal rather than valuable information, you can lose touch with your unique selling proposition. You forget to focus on your readers’ needs. Instead, you write “touches” with no point and no useful connection to the prospect or your selling cycle.
What’s your point?
Every communication should have a valid reason for existing. It should fit within your marketing plan. But it should also deliver value, build relationship and differentiate you from the competition.
Rather than starting with touch points, when creating a communication plan, it might be better to start with the communication gap you’re addressing. Then ask yourself four questions:
- Why would anyone read this communication?
- What need, fear or desire are we addressing?
- What is the one thing we want to say to our readers?
- What do we want them to do after reading it?
“Reason why” marketing keeps you on point
Not only do you need to have a reason for creating content, the “reason why” can often help you connect with your reader.
Your prospects are suffering from intensive information overload. They’ve been spammed, hacked and taken advantage of by disreputable marketers. They don’t trust us.
If we can get them to open an envelope or click on a link, the question that niggles at the back of their minds is, “What’s the catch?”
If you know why you’re making the offer and communicate it clearly, you answer that question and stop the niggling. That removes at least one of the doubts that could keep your prospect from taking action.
But knowing why you’re reaching out to your prospect helps keep you focused as well. The point of your communication should be to benefit your prospects and your company — both.
If your communication benefits you, but not your prospect, you’ll lose their respect and possibly the relationship. If it benefits them, but not you, you’ve wasted time and money.
As you plan your touch points, consider both sides of the equation. How will it benefit your prospect, and how will it benefit you? For example:
- Offer helpful information = nurture relationship.
- Ask for help = open two-way dialog.
- Answer a question = become go-to resource.
- Remind your prospect of something s/he needs to do = nurture relationship.
- Make an offer = make a sale.
What about you?
What’s your process? Do you plan your communications to make a specific point, or do you create your content and then find the point? What keeps you on point? Do you have a specific strategy for making your point?
Share your thoughts below.
P.S. A communications audit is a great way to review your current communications and make sure every touch point has a valid point for existing. If this sounds like something you’d like to discuss, contact me. Your initial consultation is free.
photo credit: Neo_II
