by Donna J Davis | Nov 6, 2023 | Communication, Marketing
This week, on the singing competition show “The Voice,” coaches shared valuable advice with the contestants about the value of connecting with others and storytelling. And you can use these two specific pieces of advice in your business, too!
At this stage in The Voice competition, contestants are competing in the Battle Rounds. They are paired with one other contestant to showcase their talent. Coaches then had to make difficult decisions about who they felt deserved to continue in the competition.
Good but missing a key element
Contestant A was a young teenager with a lovely voice. Even though she performed very well, she sang with her eyes closed during most of the performance.
Contestant B was in another pairing. She had a velvety tone to her voice and technically sang perfectly. But the emotions of the lyrics were lacking in her performance.
What did the coaches say?
Singing with eyes closed during most of her performance blocked Contestant A’s ability to connect to the audience.
Many singers briefly close their eyes to deeply feel the music. However, in this case, not looking at the audience during her song broke the full impact of her performance. Her competitor won this round of the competition.
Contestant B heard recommendations to really feel the lyrics and express emotion throughout the song. Some of the best artists in the industry are great storytellers. Singing with emotion helps those listening feel every nuance of the lyrics.
A story’s pain, heartbreak, or joy is more deeply conveyed when you can hear and feel the emotion in the artist’s voice.
Contestant B’s competitor did a much better job of singing with emotion…and won that round.
How does this apply to your business?
So, how does this apply to your business?
I’m sure you don’t go through your day with your eyes closed.
And you don’t speak in monotone to your customers.
But you are competing with others in your field.
Did you know that Google gets 8.5 BILLION searches every day? So, how do you stand out and “win” more customers?
Like in the singing competition,connecting with others and storytelling are two essential skills. Be vulnerable. Share your reason for doing what you do.
When writing blogs, emails, or video scripts, you want the customer or potential customer to resonate with you. You want them to feel “They get me!”
Today, you must develop “know, like, and trust” factors with customers. You can do that by providing genuine value and by being authentic. That is rare today, and customers connect with the businesses that show they understand them.
Imagine looking eye-to-eye and listening to someone. You feel a connection to them, right?
Create that in your marketing materials. Listen to the needs of your audience and provide the solution to help them.
Draw your audience in
Next, imagine how you feel when a friend tells you about a hilarious encounter while on vacation. It pulls you in and makes you feel like you were there, right?
Everyone leans in when they hear a good story.
Instead of rattling off all the facts of what your product or service can do for customers…tell a story. Share what happened to an actual customer.
Tell about someone experiencing a specific problem and how your product or service solved it. We all have pain and struggles. It’s encouraging when we hear how someone found a solution.
Connecting to others and storytelling were two priceless words of wisdom for “The Voice” contestants. Businesses should never forget the importance of these two concepts as well.
And if you love hearing an artist excel at storytelling when singing, check out contestant Alexa Wildish on “The Voice” – a four-chair turn for any Voice fans.
by Donna J Davis | Jul 11, 2023 | Business, Communication, Marketing
When readers do a search and click on your website, you want them to feel “This is the place.”
Does your site headline attract readers and pull them in? Does it offer benefits to the visitor so they want to read more?
Or is it vague? Do you have beautiful pictures at the top of your site but your headline is simply your business name?
Your headline (or H1 tag) on your Home page should identify what’s there for the reader. What are you offering?
If someone was looking for “How to write a winning proposal” and your site image had a picture of a person working on a laptop with just your company name, would they stay and read more?
Maybe and maybe not. It depends on what follows that, but that first impression was not strong, and you only have seconds to capture their attention.
Compare that to a site whose headline reads, “5 Easy Steps to Write Winning Proposals in an Hour.”
You want your site to be visually appealing, but in most cases words matter more than pretty images. Words tell the reader what to expect.
Headlines should be compelling, clear, and customer-focused
When someone lands on your site, your headline should make them curious or interested in some way.
Potential customers are always asking “WIIFM” (what’s in it for me). If you are clear on what your audience wants or needs you can craft a strong headline that has a bit of intrigue or curiosity wrapped in it.
Make sure you state how your content is going to help the reader. Give them specifics on what you can do for them.
Do not cross the line and write a cheesy or corny headline that’s aimed more at being witty than helping your reader.
Remember the 3 C’s:
Compelling – make your headline interesting; arouse curiosity that sparks interest, e.g., “5 Common Mistakes on Nonprofit and Local Websites.”
Clear – be as specific as possible in whatyou offer, e.g., “Discover the 3 Secrets to Effortless Writing.” Use numbers whenever possible. It gives a specific idea of what’s ahead.
Customer-focused – communicate the value that readers will gain from your website, e.g., “Learn Key Strategies Top Marketers Use for the Best SEO.”
Remember, you want visitors to spend time on your site. An interesting headline that attracts readers grabs their attention. Follow through on what that headline promises. Show them your site is the answer they were looking for.
Have them saying, “Yes, this was definitely the place I needed to find.”
by Donna J Davis | May 20, 2023 | Communication, Marketing
How well do you connect with your customers and prospects? Do your customers feel that you really understand them? Could that area of your business use an upgrade?
Let’s start by thinking about connection with others in a general sense. What comes to mind? Maybe your family or close friend? Neighborhood get-togethers? Or even business colleagues? Interactions can increase your bond with each of those people.
Author Brene Brown wrote in The Gift of Imperfection, “Connection is the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued.” Definitely fits with those we feel closest to, right?
What about your business? Do prospects and customers feel seen, heard, and valued? Have you thought of applying those same qualities to your business to build better connections with customers?
Everyone wants to feel valued. When someone has a problem, they hop online to search for any answer to that problem. And Entrepreneur.com says, “ you have eight seconds to hook your customers before their short attention span whisks them away.”
Eight seconds – that’s shorter than the attention span of a goldfish (which is only nine seconds)! If you don’t connect with that visitor when they first land on your website, they may not be back.
Here are 5 ways to connect with customers or prospects
1. Put yourself in their shoes
If you needed to find a solution for neck pain, would this get your attention? “Can’t sleep because of stabbing neck pains and throbbing headaches? 1,000s have found quick relief with this simple technique.”
If you’re a mom looking for a tutor for your 10-year-old dyslexic daughter, which page would make you want to learn more?
A: Tutor with 20 years of experience helping elementary kids read easier.
B: I understand the struggles of elementary kids with dyslexia – I was one.
Web visitors have thousands of options, which can create information overload. When you speak directly to their problem and offer a real solution, that’s a huge first step.
Ask yourself, “How are they feeling, and how can I help?
2. Provide value and be of service
All businesses need to make sales to stay in business. But so many people get everything backward. They pitch you the second you accept a connection or friend request.
I had someone the other day message me saying he knew his service would help increase my sales. He never even attempted an initial introduction or asked any questions.
Zero points on that shot and any interest I may have had in his service plummeted.
3. Your home page shouldn’t be all about you
There’s a place for all your successes, but that should not be the first thing a visitor sees when he lands on your site. There’s an old saying from Teddy Roosevelt, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” That’s still true today.
4. Ask questions to understand
Don’t assume you have all the answers. To learn more about your customers, ASK questions.
In business, you can post a survey online to gather more information. Or when you are talking to your customers, ask questions to help you learn how you are helping them and where there are gaps. Don’t let your ego get in your way. Learn from your customers. They can give you a different perspective on what’s missing.
And this also applies to any conversations personally. In order to prevent miscommunictions, ask to clarify so you understand their perspective.
5. Don’t be afraid to let them see YOU
Sharing your unique experiences lets people know who you are and what you’ve been through. Show glimpses of how those experiences have shaped you and why you offer your services or products.
If you went through a bitter divorce, that might not directly help you sell your graphic design services. BUT showing your resilience to start over and do something you love WILL resonate with many readers.
When visitors feel you’re a real person who’s been through challenges, they connect with you. Write in a way that readers say, “She gets me!” Show them everything wasn’t perfect in your world, but this is how you got here and why you want to help them too.
