Do you feel that you keep working hard but just don’t see the results you hoped for?
Do you love what you do but hate marketing because it feels SO inauthentic?
Are you tired of working REALLY hard but not seeing results?
If these questions sound familiar, you are not alone. You probably have seen these questions – or very similar versions – over and over on coaching websites. I’ve picked on coaching but no matter what you field, you’ll find the same challenge.
What’s wrong with these questions?
— They don’t introduce your unique personality and style.
— They don’t show how you’re different.
— They don’t resonate with clients who are jaded from working with dozens of other coaches.
Why do we keep seeing questions like these? My hunch is that many of these business owners are hiring business coaches who are very good at the “what” but not the “how.” Many business coaches are frankly bored with fine-tuning words, phrases and bullets. Often they haven’t been trained themselves.
If you’re working with a coach who claims to be wildly successful, chances are she’s not writing her own copy anymore (if she ever did). If she IS writing her own copy, something is wrong and she should call me immediately. 😉
When you’re stuck for an opening for your home page or sales letter, it’s tempting to turn to “pull questions.” Pull questions are questions or bullets that resonate so strongly with your audience, they pull readers into your world.
How To Make Those Pull Questions REALLY Grab Your Audience
(1) Base your pull questions on your clients’ backstories.
Instead of abstract questions, ask, “Can you relate to these scenarios?”
Each scenario will be based on a client’s backstory. For instance: e
“You’ve worked with 5 mentors and 4 home study courses and you are still struggling to get past $20K a year.”
“You’re determined to get out and network but it’s 10 AM and you’re still drinking coffee in your tired old jeans.”
“You promise yourself you’ll order fruit slices for dessert, but for the third time this week there’s a fudge sundae on your plate.”
(2) Use pull questions to show empathy for your clients’ specific challenges.
Build emotion into your pull questions – but it’s a fine line. When you write questions that are extreme and too scary, you can actually scare prospects away.
Your message is, “You’ve got a problem. Lots of wonderful, smart people share that problem. I see people with that problem all the time and I can help you.”
The key is to create word pictures with each question, encouraging your readers or listeners to imagine themselves in the middle of the scenario. At the same time, you are not judgmental. Your message is, “hey, everybody does this.”
(3) Write pull questions that will make your audience say, “Yes – that’s me!”
For instance,
A professional organizer:
Did you know that many people pay late fees simply because they can’t find their bills?
Have you bought three pairs of gloves because you thought you lost them (and they turn up in your own closet, under a pile of old sweaters)?
A dating coach:
Have you gone home after your last six dates and thought, “I hope I never have to do that again.”
Do you force yourself to go out on dates and then find yourself sneaking peeks at your cell phone, hoping it’ll be over soon?
Do you feel your stomach hurting when you think, “Oh no … another date from the matching service.”
A fitness trainer :
“Do you tell yourself it’s time to hit the gym, but somehow you’re too tired to leave the couch?”
“Do you find yourself puffing up a flight of stairs when you see others flying by?”
“Do you feel dog-tired after a short walk with the dog?” (OK, that might be overdoing it.)
What are your thoughts about pull questions?
Reply in the comments below.
If you’d like to work with me to get higher conversions from your content, answer the “what’s your story” question or nail your small business brand? The best way to begin: sign up for a consultation at http://mycopy.info/storyconsult
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