Posted by: Daniel Levis
April 1, 2009
Issue #642

The Three Biggest Mistakes
My Clients Never Make …

Dear Web Business-Builder:

One of the biggest mistakes I see people making online is creating websites devoid of humanity.

Some marketers seem to think that presenting their wares through a faceless, formless corporate entity will be impressive to buyers. It isn’t. It bores them to death.

Real flesh and blood consumers would much rather buy from other real flesh and blood human beings who communicate with them directly and take personal responsibility for their happiness.

Just makes sense doesn’t it?

Some marketers understand this notion “that people buy from people,” but mess up in other ways …

They think they can be everything to everyone in their product category. And they end up spewing blather so ambivalent it appeals to no one.

Whenever I take on a new client who’s suffering from either of these deadly sales killing diseases, one of the first things I try to do is unlock the real drama.

Because lurking under the surface of any worthwhile business are all of the elements of a real selling story. A story lush with interesting characters and situations capable of connecting with the businesses natural customers.

As a business owner, job one should be to cast yourself as the central character in stories that reveal your core personal values, ideologies and mission … the stuff that transcends money … and that bonds buyers to sellers long after the initial sale is made.

In other words — what’s really driving you to do this?

If you don’t understand your mission as a business owner — beyond money — then you’re just another piss ant pretender chasing after the real contenders.

I can pretty much guarantee that sooner or later your mission will fail.

Selling is about leadership …

When your business is a vehicle for a higher mission that you tackle each day with evangelical zeal and a single-minded passion that transcends the profit motive — you take a giant leap toward becoming a true market leader.

Your passion is what ignites your sales story in the hearts of your target audience. When they first come upon your story, they’re cold. They come to you as loners with different desires, needs, and distractions.

They need to be unified with others of their kind around your cause. And in that sense of unity, there is a tremendous explosion of motive power. That’s what passion does!

It’s not just about finding out what people think they want and giving it to them. You have to find the intersection between your own personal passion and the true needs and wants of the target market.

You have to be willing to invest your own personal identity and creative force into the equation. Because the reality is this:

People often don’t know what they want
until you put it in front of them …

And when you have the guts to follow your own personal passion and blaze bold new trails that may never have been blazed before, you won’t face your marketing challenges with a mind that’s mushy with doubt and indecision.

Your focus will be laser sharp. And you’ll pity the poor son of a gun who tries to stand between you and your business goals.

When you achieve this rare state of self-understanding, and you communicate it effectively, the people who come to your website will know it.

You won’t have to yell to get their attention, or stand on your head to get their respect. You’ll radiate leadership, and people will want to follow you.

People buy from people they feel they know, like and trust. And to be that person, you have to stand for something.

Your message has to be magnetic, attractive to people who are energized by your core beliefs, values and ideals — and repellent to those who don’t fit that mold.

Because when people know what you stand for … when they know what you stand against … and when they know what you believe in, I can guarantee you that not all of them are going to like it.

If they do, then you’ve got a big problem — because if everybody agrees with you — you obviously stand for nothing. And your destiny is to be ignored.

You can’t please everyone. Don’t even try …

You’ve seen this dynamic played out right here on this blog over the last several weeks.

You’ve seen me unflinchingly voice honest opinions that not everybody agrees with. And you’ve seen the storm of attention and interest it creates.

Had those opinions been tied to a promotion, you can rest assured that those in agreement with my ideologies and values would have been filled with desire for what I was selling — and primed for action as a result. And the reason is simple …

An effective selling story, like any engaging story, needs conflict. Life is a struggle for survival, for dominance, and for success.

Your business exists to help your customers to prevail in some conflict or another. Your business exists because YOU prevailed in some past conflict. And in any conflict there are heroes, villains, mentors, allies and more.

Engage your prospects in that drama, bond with them against a common enemy or enemies, and they will follow you.

They will believe in your promises, they will embrace your proofs, and they will respond willingly to your calls to action.

Ultimately, your business is not about
the widgets you sell. It’s about the identifications you create.
It’s about what side you are on
and the principles and ideals you stand for.

Take Apple for instance. Here’s a company with a hard-core following. Why?

Because Apple nuts believe in Steve Jobs’ passionate commitment to personal and creative freedom.

They also believe Bill Gates is the anti-Christ … and that Windows is an Orwellian threat to their very autonomy as individuals. Hero. Villain. Us against them. Conflict. Do you get the picture?

Apple is much more than a machine for creating money. It is a vehicle for the expression of what Steve Jobs believes is right and wrong in the world … in his industry … and in the lives of his prospects and customers.

Your mission, should you chose to accept it, is to communicate that same level of passion in your marketing.

Your prospects want to know your core beliefs, ideals and values, and above all, they want to smell your authenticity and sincere desire to lead them to the attainment of their desires.

It’s absolutely critical you come out from behind the online shadows and reveal your personality, your passion, and your commitment to whatever it is you’re doing for them. And why you’re doing it.

Give them a chance to decide if you’re the right person to lead them to victory.
It’s not enough to present delicious promises and mountains of proof. Your prospects need to give themselves permission to believe. And that permission comes from their attachment to YOU as a human being.

There’s an old axiom that says never discuss politics, religion or sex in business — too controversial. Well I say that’s B.S. People divide along these lines. We identify most strongly with others who share our most vital beliefs and prejudices.

Trying to walk a politically correct line or avoiding controversial issues just relegates you to the boring pile …

If you want to truly bond with your natural customer, don’t shy away from voicing your opinions. Be opinionated as hell! Tie those opinions to your products and services. Say the things they wish they could.

Those that share your opinions will buy from you because you’re one of them. They’ll allow you to sell to them repeatedly with impunity because you’re one of them. They’ll refer you to others of their ilk because you’re one of them.

And they’ll remain loyal to you over the long haul — not just because of what you’re selling, but because of WHO YOU ARE.

Selling is leadership. To be a leader you have to stand for something. And that something has to be more than your own self-interest.

You acquire true credibility and lasting client relationships when you’re willing to stand for potentially polarizing principles and ideals you believe in.

Other true believers will constellate around you. The infidels may get a little prickly. That’s to be expected. Duck the bullets and shine on — you crazy diamond.

Until next time, Good Selling!

Daniel Levis
Editor, The Web Marketing Advisor
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9 Comments »

1. Comment by Liz Monte — April 1, 2009 @ 11:46 am

   That was an awesome post! I’m forwarding it to all my clients. I’ve believed in the principles of know-like-trust and telling compelling stories for a long time. But you, Daniel, have sharpened my focus and taken me to a new level of understanding. How exhilarating!

2. Comment by JT Chandler — April 1, 2009 @ 12:52 pm

   Brilliant, true, powerful and not for the faint of heart.

   The world is your oyster people… You just have to crack open the shell (you’re hiding in).

   Lead… Follow… or get the hell out of the way.

3. Comment by Pink Floyd — April 1, 2009 @ 1:13 pm

   Good point, Daniel. Take a stand.

4. Comment by Jennie Heckel — April 1, 2009 @ 2:09 pm

   Daniel,

   Internet Marketing on the web is full of sad, boring, misleading sales letters…and broken promises.

   We need to fight to make the web a better place to buy, sell and make money, the honest way!

   Your comments hit a chord with me since I find many of my clients come to me EXACTLY as you described. To humanize the sales letter is key, you as usual, are right on target.

   I am keeping your article as ammo for the WAR AGAINST BORING SALES LETTERS!

   I respect what you wrote…The key is to put yourself (your client, even if he is a fictional character)in your copy and you will find conversions will soar!

   Jennie Heckel
   Wisconsin Copy Cub

5. Comment by Mike Bresee — April 1, 2009 @ 3:04 pm

   WOW, what an awesome post Daniel.

   Thx so much for writing what I have been thinking and believing for a while now. You have now provided me with the consummate description of why an entrepreneur would want to stand for something greater than making money.

   Interestingly, this particular tact actually does allow you to make more money ultimately

   Internet marketers blather on incessantly about the “target audience”………yet here we are creating our own target audience that already share our beliefs.

   Sounds like a win-win to me.

   Thx again Daniel….Mike Bresee

6. Comment by Ron — April 1, 2009 @ 3:13 pm

   Great post Daniel!!

   This is just more ammo that I am looking for. Your post is another eye opener. This is the reason I keep coming back day in and day out. I look forward to your posts everyday.

   Thanks
   Ron

7. Comment by Henry — April 1, 2009 @ 10:17 pm

   oh great,,,, now I feel like going out and making somebody angry just so I’ll know I have business in the morning.

8. Comment by Solomon — April 3, 2009 @ 4:54 am

   Hi Daniel,
   You’re really doing a great service to change the topbrass in companies attitude. I, for one, always believe in knowing the person whom I’m working with. I need to know he or she is a good-hearted (kind and concerned), one who doesn’t hanker after profits but genuinely interested in my welfare. Then, only then, I’ll buy from him or her. Not only that, I’ll recommend everyone to go for it.
   But most of the times, not all business entrepreneurs are interested to open up their minds to their target customers. I don’t know why.
   It’s a great and timely post to all -marketers, entrepreneurs and all!
   Thanks for the great article!
   Solomon

9. Comment by Judith Atkinson — April 3, 2009 @ 5:24 am

   This is awesome, no nonesense reading and one I will forward to friends I know in the MLM industry.

   It came for me on a day when I had received notification of a super guide qualification. Your article stopped me in my tracks and made me examine who I am what values I have to offer tto my students.

   Thank you so much for a great article.