How do you know when your blog, as well as all your other marketing tools -your website, brochures, sales letters, AdWords ads, email messages, even your letterhead -are on the right track?
Here’s a bit of Mojo I discovered years ago.
Just two words that’ll get you moving in the right direction.
“Who Cares?”
:::
Yes. “Who Cares?”
Let me explain this.
When I was an ad agency creative honcho, I drove more than one art director or designer to the point of madness by asking this question about every headline, every graphic, every subhead, every color choice and every paragraph of copy on our clients’ brochures and marketing collateral.
It got to the point that one Christmas, the bozos in the creative department (and being one myself at that point, I call them that with great respect and fondness) even had a “Who Cares?” rubber stamp made up for me -to save us all the time of my asking them that question over and over.
I didn’t do it to be difficult.
I did it to keep them focused on the task at hand -which, pretty pictures and carefully polished words aside, is to communicate your message to your clients and prospects as clearly as possible.
And it’s not just a rule for newb writers and print designers; I do it to my own stuff constantly, too -even after decades of full-time writing.
:::
“Who Cares?”
If you can’t justify the headline, the picture or the sentence or the graphic…if you can’t figure out its relevance to your target audience…
…it’s the wrong thing.
THEM: “We have digital camcorders!”
ME: “Who Cares?”
THEM: “Well…they’re better cameras.”
ME: “Who Cares?”
THEM: “The clients will care because we are able to capture their presentation with flawless, network-quality equipment.”
ME: “Aha! Now we’re getting somewhere.”
:::
Asking “Who Cares?” as you work on your own promotional materials will keep you focused on the benefits that your clients receive from utilizing your products and services, rather than on the features; which, by themselves, don’t provide much of a compelling reason for people to sign that contract or toss a purchase order (or credit card) on your desktop.
:::
Try it yourself.
Apply the “Who Cares?” question to your own blog posts, your brochures, every page on your website, your AdWords campaigns, even as you develop your business slogan and your letterhead.
Focus on the benefits your clients will reap when they work with you…and you can rest assured that everything you do to promote your business will stay on the right track.
Good stuff as usual Steve. Thanks!
Thank you, Karrie. Always a pleasure to hear from you.
It almost sounds too obvious. But I think that’s the point.
We all get so wrapped up in the wrapping, we forget to put the present inside the box.
This is almost exactly what I tell myself all the time:
Everybody listens to WII-FM.
“What’s In It For Me”
If you haven’t addressed that question, or if there isn’t anything in it for them….then it probably should be reworked to address WII-FM, or just not said.
Eric – nicely said. It’s very easy to overlook the obvious.
And Case, I’ve always liked your suggestion/analogy about listening to WII-FM . It’s a great little reminder.
Who cares, I care that you wrote a slap upside the head post to remind me what is important in my business communications.
Stephen -great! Glad you can use this. To avoid future slappage (or slippage), print those two words out on a postcard and tack it up over your desk.