Engage with your prospect's heart
My husband. A strapping, 6ft something came flying down the stairs a few weeks ago shouting ... ”I've just been totally spun by a septuagenarian with only a few weeks to live!”
I was confused. It didn’t sound good, it didn’t sound feasible, it didn’t sound ethical.
But the pure joy on his face told a different story.
Let me explain. My husband, let’s call him Duncan (‘cos that’s his name!) is a sailor at heart. Spent 5 years working the Superyacht circuit, attending the University of Life post-college. A seasoned, competitive and capable dinghy and catamaran racer when we met in the early ‘90’s.
We live in Lymington, surrounded by water, boats, Olympic sailors and plenty of sailing/racing opportunities. But kids and life have introduced new activities and pastimes over the years, with sailing taking a back-seat. I’m what you might call reticent, in other words: terrified of sailing so that hasn’t helped. But, like any good wife, I’ve encouraged Duncan to sail, get back out there and re-join our local sailing club, “Lymington Town”. Especially during recent months, namely: lockdown. I don’t know about you, but there’s only so much of “under each other’s feet” we can take! So selflessly (I know!) I’ve encouraged him to pursue his love of the water, racing, the exhilaration, the buzz … on a more regular basis.
Duncan’s been toying with the idea of a Contender racing dinghy; having spotted “a real beaut” at last year’s Southampton Boat Show. He researched and located a couple which fitted the bill, one considerably more expensive and of higher spec than the other. He decided, as he was new to the boat, to plump for the cheaper option. Contacted the manufacturers, Hartley’s and made an offer. Done deal. Or so he thought.
The Hartley’s MD called …. “Mr Ward, I’m sure you’re a hard working man. I think you should reconsider …. ”
A man in his later years, he was tragically diagnosed with cancer some years back, told he only had weeks to live. A stark reminder of how fragile, precious and unpredictable life is. The lesson he’d learnt; to live for every day. Three years on and he was still living with a sharpened focus every single day.
He understood how hard Duncan worked, the hours he put in, the effort. Didn’t he deserve to spend a little more and have a boat he couldn’t wait to take out? Wouldn’t he much rather have the better, higher spec’d boat, feel the rush of pride and excitement when he pulled back the cover, wheeled it down to the slipway and launched into the water, knowing he was the envy of others in the boat park? Duncan was snagged; hook, line and sinker.
He agreed on the spot, placed the order and hung up. As a sales man himself, utterly marvelling at what had just happened.
Yes the guy made the sale and whether you agree with his tactics or not, he identified Duncan’s need to sail, his need to feel excited by the sport … and offered the “bells and whistles” solution.
It was quite extreme to cite his own mortality in the rhetoric, but by painting the picture he made the sale. Duncan (an Oracle Sales Director) was and still is, in absolute awe of his shameless, but honest sales patter, but as sad as we both are to hear his reasons for doing it, we’re glad he did.
Marketing is about identifying and meeting human and social needs.
Duncan absolutely loves his boat, goes out twice a week, has reconnected with other sailing fanatics, young and old. Sets off for the starting line, capsizes more than he’d like, gets confused by the buoys and stands at the bar to recount the course, but above all, he’s embracing and loving his new-found love. The Contender.
So, when it comes to marketing, connecting with your audience, don’t just tell people what you do, use your copy, your rhetoric, to identify the human and social need and explain how your product or service meets, or even exceeds it. Whether it’s by telling a story, setting the scene, entertaining/educating your audience or outlining a past-project.
Your words, your content, your copy has the power to make that happen. To make that sale.
So, have a think, do your customers buy with their head or their heart?
You’d probably like to think “head” but how many times has the “heart” won out?
If you’d like help writing the copy that makes the sale just email me: vicks@vickswardcopywriter.com