This week, a friend asked to buy me lunch in exchange for some advice.
He had tried to launch an in-person program this summer, but canceled it due to low enrollment.
As he planned to launch again in the fall, he wanted ideas about how to fill his slots more effectively.
- What should he change about his marketing?
- Could I recommend when and where to show up on social media?
- What should his emails say?
These were all good questions. But I wasn’t willing to answer any of them yet.
Instead, we spent most of our time talking about his OFFER.
Meaning: The thing he’s actually selling.
Meaning: What, exactly, is “in the box” when people hand over their money.
(In this case, it was a series of facilitated gatherings on some beautiful land outside of town for 8 Monday afternoons.)
I asked a core question every business owner needs to be ruthless about answering every time they create something new: Are you sure this is something people want?
In this case, the evidence wasn’t very favorable.
So I gave him a hard truth that I hope will save him some time and heartache:
Before you invest more in marketing an offer that isn’t selling, make sure the problem isn’t the offer itself.
Better emails can’t fix something people don’t want.
Neither can Instagram.
Neither can a gorgeous sales page.
Marketing can help the right people understand and want a good offer. It can’t magically turn the wrong offer into the right one.
So before you start tinkering with your marketing, look at the thing you’re asking people to buy.
Here’s a useful framework for the three parts of a good offer. (This comes from my friends and marketing mentors Josh Brammer and Erika Bryant.)
- Tangible: What are they actually going to receive from you? What’s in the box? Even if it’s a service, make it something people can clearly imagine.
- Benefits-oriented: How will their life be better as a result?
- Aspirational: Who are they going to become after working with you? Why should they care on a deeper level?
For example, here’s an offer of mine:
Copy Review: Bring me your website, landing page, sales page, emails, or other copy for a live one-hour review. I’ll bring years of professional editing and conversion copywriting experience and help you figure out what’s working, what isn’t, and exactly what I’d change.
Tangible? Yes.
Benefits-oriented? Yes
Aspirational? Yes
If you’re having trouble selling something, don’t immediately assume you need to post more, email more, or find the perfect marketing strategy.
Check your offer first.
Otherwise, all the messaging and marketing in the world is just lipstick on a pig.
And nobody wants to buy that.
Rachel
PS — Want my eyes on the offer and the words you’re using to sell it? Book a Copy Review. We’ll spend an hour together making both stronger.
