Suppose you’re writing some content for your business. It could be a sales letter, web page, or article.
Where do you start?
Go back to the time your best clients called you. They probably began with something like:
“I’ve been wanting to fix up my website. Now I’ve got a presentation coming up…and I realize my website isn’t up to the job.”
“I’ve been putting off writing a will. My friend got into an accident and I realized anything could happen, anytime. I called a lawyer today.”
“I’ve been with the same professional service business for years. Lately they’ve been taking their time returning calls and they tried to charge a late fee when I was on time. I’ve been wondering if I can do better elsewhere. This last episode sealed the deal for me.”
These statements demonstrate “last-straw moments.” It’s like the cliche about “the straw that breaks the camel’s back.” It’s the moment when you’re ready to make a change.
It doesn’t have to be especially negative. It could happen after you’ve been working with a service, putting in time on a day job, or even socializing with a friend.
They say something or do something that triggers a response in your brain. You may realize you hold different values. Or you’re not getting enough good things from the relationship.
In our personal lives, this awareness often leads to “ghosting.” They stop calling. They don’t respond to messages. You wonder what’s happened.
Personal relationships are beyond my scope. But usually talking about it doesn’t help much.
From a marketer’s perspective, once someone’s ready to move on, it’s best to wish them luck and leave the door open.
Your key to creating profitable content is to be ready for someone who’s had a last straw moment in their lives. Your content shows you get where they’re coming from.
So you tell stories that begin at the last straw moment and go from there. Your copy shows you recognize their frustration. You might create a special offer to introduce them to your services, as a solution to their problem or as an alternative to where they are now.
Episode #83 of the Strategic Storytelling podcast goes into this topic in detail. As I’m writing this message, It’s scheduled. Go to my podcast page and click on any link. This episode comes up as the latest.
If you’d like to learn more about understanding your client’s motivation, my popular course, The Client Advantage, will be on sale till the end of the year. Take 30% off with the coupon code LISTEN20.
You can also claim my course on writing content that will motivate your clients to trust you. A major reason people don’t buy is, they simply don’t believe you do what you say you can.
Copywriters have very subtle tactics to make the copy sound believable. And the good ones know how a story can turn an eager “yes please” into a disillusioned “no way.”
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