This is the third in a series I’m writing about the foundational building blocks every business needs. If you haven’t checked out the first two — the Overview, and Discovering Your Why, feel free to head over and look at those as well!
Here we are with the second foundational stone you need in your business — a clear message. I cannot stress the importance of this in the oversaturated social media age we live in. The amount of time someone spends on a website before making a decision whether to stay or bolt is approximately 2.6 seconds. If you don’t clearly state what you do and get someone curious about your business and your message, they won’t stay on your site.
How do you find your message, though? How do you find ways to truly speak to your clients? I’ve come up with three questions that will give you a great start to discovering how to speak directly to them.
- What are 10-12 things that describe your ideal client? I don’t want you to just write down where they shop and what brands they like, but think through the character traits that describe them, the creativity displayed by your favorite clients, or even the way they care for their families. Write down some things that best describe them, and remember you can always add and revise the list later.
- What are your clients thinking and feeling right now? Do they have things they’re struggling with and that’s why they need your product or service? Are they searching for cute clothes for their kids? Are they overwhelmed with trying to design a website? Is there something that’s keeping them up at night? Write down as many things you can think of that they’re going through right now.
- How would your clients’ lives be different now that they have purchased your product or bought your service? Are they thrilled with their new product purchase? Have you made their lives easier? Have you helped them organize their home so they can relax and enjoy their space? Write down as many as you can think of!
Once you have those written down, circle the ones that really stand out to you and you’ve got the start of a really great message. All of these things you just wrote down can be questions you address in social media posts and ways you talk about how you change lives. This is all about changing your customers’ lives and making sure they know how you’re changing it. Achieve clarity in your message, and you’re well on your way toward a better brand and a more successful business.
