Educate, Don’t Sell
“You just found the best exercise routine on earth! Try it now for free!”
I edited the content for a fitness instructor’s website recently, and those were the first words on his home page. I deleted them and made this note: “Too sales-y. Educate. Don’t sell.”
Every person in business has a product, service or concept they are trying to sell, but most of your clients aren’t thinking about shopping and buying. They are thinking about finding products and services that will make their lives easier or healthier or more fun.
Clients need to be wooed in a gentle way. They need to learn who you are and what you do and what the benefits are for them in order to get interested in your wares. If you keep in mind my mantra – educate, don’t sell – you will much better appeal to them.
Here are some tips for moving your marketing content in a direction that is educational:
- Share your success stories. In your blog, your enewsletter, donor newsletter or on your website, share the stories of clients who have had a positive experience. Tell the stories of clients who came to you in need and are now thriving because of your good work.
- Avoid superlative phrases and or statements that could appear to go over the top. Maybe the fitness routine you offer is the best on the earth, you still have to teach your audience why. Educate. Explain that the routine was founded over 100 years ago, is used by top athletes and is the only routine that combines stretching with cardiovascular and strength training.
- Simple is best. Keep your content short, simple, clear and concise. Online messaging should be brief, between 300 and 500 words, so don’t waste time explaining things your audience already knows. For instance, my client’s audience knows that exercise is important yet difficult to fit in a busy day, so I told him not to waste time laying that groundwork. Instead this sentence covers it all: “This fitness routine takes 30 minutes to complete and, because there is no equipment involved, it can be done anywhere.”
You will have so much more success when you are gentle with your audience and teach them what they need to know about you.
