A while back, I read this sad rant from a biz owner that perfectly illustrated one of the biggest annoyances of biz owners lacking sales and marketing chops.
Here’s the recap:
They own a clothing line that’s been running for 7 years.
Yes, the sales are there, but they always fall short of hitting that ‘next level.’
Back then, their video content sometimes went ‘viral.’ But now? Crickets.
They tried influencer marketing too, but it was no bueno. Those influencers just wore the clothes while making finger hearts. But no selling or a simple shout-out.
And now standing on thin ice, the biz owner asked:
How the hell should we market our products??
Well, this problem is why I think these local businesses should take a refresher course on foundational selling and marketing.
I have zero idea what kind of content they post or which influencers they dress up…
But it seems to me that all they do is let Lady Luck and her boyfriend, annoying algo, take the wheel.
That’s not good, not good at all.
Because here’s the truth most businesses don’t wanna admit:
If you don’t know your market, don’t have an interesting offer, and can’t craft your sales message that makes people’s ears perk up… then you’re not in business.
You’re just gambling.
Viral videos? That’s not a strategy. Especially these days, with the algorithm moodier than your ex, “luck” is way too big a factor to bet the house on.
Same with influencers parading your stuff. Most of those people don’t know how to sell anything but themselves. That’s their power, their paycheck… not yours.
All I’m saying is, running a biz on “hope marketing” is like walking on thin ice with a blindfold.
You wanna go the ‘next level ’?
Stack odds in your favor.
Instead of out-yelling the competition? Out-think and out-work them.
Use the fundamentals.
And don’t put a single cent on ads, influencers, or content creation if you can’t recite the answers to these in your sleep:
- Who the hell are you selling to (and no, “everyone” isn’t an answer).
- What your offer is (not just a product, but the reason they’d be dumb not to buy).
- How you’re saying it (your hook, your angle, your voice in the marketplace).
This can make you stand out. It can make your biz much more enjoyable to scale.
7 years of “meh” when you wanna be “woah” is self-torture when all you’re doing is what everybody else is doing.
Have you even tried to actually sell instead of promote?
Look, there are so many touch points in your biz where your audience interacts with your brand.
For example, product descriptions.
Most biz owners sleepwalk through them. But they’re one of the last things your prospect reads before they buy.
In my project, The Last Nudge Challenge, I revamp product descriptions of random businesses.
My process is simple:
A quick check of what the biz is about, ask myself who would buy this, what kind of offer will make them smile, and then I carefully arrange words that will tickle them to their core.
And that’s just from a single product description…
Just a single touch point…
But I wanna make sure
it makes an impact.
Because if you don’t talk to them the way they want to? They could walk away with no hesitation.
So before you listen to generic advice like create more engaging ads, build a brand, create a community, stay consistent? Make sure you know the basics of selling.
And make sure you integrate them in those little touch points.
Now, as a working copywriter, I know exactly where those unseen touch points are. I’m not one of those who’ll just tell you to use puns and jokes to get attention.
That’s only a part of the game.
If you’re curious about what else I do as a copywriter, click here: https://johnrillemanalo.com/