You are taking your client on a journey. Truth be told, you are inviting them to include you on THEIR journey. You’re not the hero swooping in to solve all their business problems, or give them the answers to their exact financial woes. In your emails, your website, or your sales pages, you are inviting people who are already on a journey to ask you to be their guide to the next destination. Maybe further, but we all need to start somewhere.
So much has been written about creating your ideal client or describing your client avatar. For many, creating a list of demographics to describe the person they are reaching works well. One solution doesn’t quite work for everyone though, and the ideal client or client avatar is really only a part of the question you need to address.
Let’s look at 5 foundational questions you need to answer before you start writing for your website, sales page or email sequence.
The Main Character
Ok, yes, we’re back to that ideal client. A little bit. You do need to know WHO you are talking to. “He/She” and the related derivatives may be politically correct, but they do not make compelling copy!
You’re looking for the general nature of your client. Women? Men? Life-stage? What common “problem” does your client share? Maybe it’s not enough time, constantly overwhelmed but wishing for better, or extroverts needing an outlet. You want some of the details, but it’s not going to matter if they binge watch Amazon Prime or Netflix originals. Unless you curate and sell binge-worthy show lists, that is.
The Guide
This is a disguised “About Me”, in a way. You are the guide looking to join this journey, and provide some direction. So, why should they trust YOU over some other expert. It’s time to explain a bit of your story, and what you can bring to the table to help your client reach their destination.
In truth, this part is small. It’s not really about you, like any good About Me. That’s such a misleading name for a section! You want to link:
- Their desired result with your experience to their desired result.
- Their destination with your mission or passion..
- Their potential exponential growth with your actual growth.
You get the picture there! While you need to be reliable, trustworthy and experienced, you also need to be your client’s biggest cheerleader and pleased to be in the background of their success.
The Quest/Journey
Your client or customer has a goal. You need to name it for them. Yes, they likely know what it is, but part of establishing that connection is making sure they understand that you know what it is as well.
You want to be able to speak as well to their hoped for accomplishments.
- A better night sleep, for everyone.
- A party that is talked about for years.
- Financial freedom to be able to travel or retire well.
Don’t go down the rabbit train of describing exactly what you think their goal is. They need the nitty-gritty details of the color of their someday yacht or the dress she plans to wear to her son’s graduation, but you can stay with the more general goals.
Conflict
It’s a key component in your client journey. We all want to avoid it, but we’re all mired in a conflict everyday. Your client certainly knows this! That’s why they’re looking for your product or service.
In your copy, you want to address that pain point or problem. You want to be specific to a point, and likely provide several variations on the pain point. You can even ask them to imagine or consider what life would be like if they solved that problem.
In addition, you’ll want to address a few of the objections that are holding your audience back from purchasing your specific solution. “You can find all of this information on your own, but My Course will save you days of searching the internet.”
Transformation/Destination
“Imagine the view from the top of Mt. Rainier! You and your small group of climbers will be able to bask in the rarely seen sights from over 14,000 feet.”
So might the guide promotional read for an actual guiding company. You too want to paint the picture of the end result.
- You’ll create an impact with your TpT store AND be able to enjoy the life you’ve always imagined.
- Together, we’ll create a budget and financial plan to guide your family for the next decade and beyond.
- These 5 resources will walk you from overwhelmed to organized in as little as 5 weeks.
Now, of course, none of these appear on your home page, but you’ll want to know them as you start writing, so that they are available for the right part of your website, or the middle of your sales page, or the 4th email of your welcome sequence.
By walking through this entire client journey, you’ll know who you’re writing to, where you’re taking them, and what you need to overcome (together) to get there.
NOW you’re ready to start writing!
These concepts, and specific questions to help find the answers, are part of what I walk clients through on every project. These apply to any message you are writing to your client. I’d be happy to take you through your own journey to discover a better connection with your client. It’s possible!
Erika Jones offers copy writing and copy editing services for online businesses seeking to establish and enhance their authority. Top notch copy is a great starting place to inform your emails, social media, and products. Schedule a call to discuss your business’s plans and goals or send us an email.
