How To Present the Real You in a Way that Will Draw Customers

Especially in today’s economy, people are very careful to make sure they’re not making any mistakes in their purchases of goods and services. Everyone has his or her own criteria:

• Some concentrate on the country in which a product was manufactured.
• Some try to get the very lowest price.
• Some evaluate the dependability of the product and supplier.

In this market, it’s important for you to be real about who you are, so you can attract clients who are looking for someone like YOU. As such, you have to present the real you in the best, clearest way possible. Part of this task will entail you writing – selling yourself – through blogs, social media and through strategically-placed articles.

Here’s how to impress your clients with your knowledgeability and your approachability. It’s a balancing act, but it is absolutely possible and requires no safety net.

You can do this.

Here are some pointers:

Define what you have that makes you unique.

You sell scented bath soaps. Or you’re an electrician. There are a whole lot of people out there like you. What about you, your services, or the way you do business, are unique to you? Write as many ideas about your specialness as possible. Now take a look. Which of those things will make a practical difference in the life of your customer? Capitalize on that.

Grab ‘em from the get-go.

8 out of 10 people will read headlines. Only 2 out of 10 continue on to the rest. If your opening line falls flat, how many of those 2 will stick around? Your entire communication should be useful, helpful and interesting, but put the most concentrated thought into your headline and that opener. Make it captivating.

Write to others at their level.

Read over what you’re putting together. If this wasn’t your specialty, would you, as an intelligent person, understand what is written? The easier a writer is to understand, the more popular that writer tends to be. Writing for a grade school or middle school reading level isn’t belittling – it’s actually good business practice. Don’t overshoot and be unapproachable.

Be persistent and consistent.

There are many download-able and print-able editorial calendars available out there to help you keep track of your publishing plans. Make sure people are hearing from you. For somewhere between free and cheap, you can use social media, publish blog posts and email a mailing list. Many people connect more readily and regularly with one of these rather than the whole range of possibilities, so spread yourself around. People don’t usually write down a name the first time they see it, but if you’ve visible, you have more chances of being remembered or being tracked down when needed.

End with calls to action.

Have a link to your Facebook page from your blog and ask people to “like” your company. Have a free downloadable printable. Link from your blog to a sign-up mini-screen to receive exclusive email offers from you. Get people involved and invested.

Be knowledgeable, interesting and fun.

On top of sharing information and advice, share some interesting trivia facts or other fun stuff about your industry. I keep up with an amazing plumber who posts great, short YouTube clips and photos, not only of the fantastic plumbing jobs he’s done, but also of him juggling toilet plungers and solving plumbing mysteries. You can bet he’s the only guy I call when I even smell a plumbing issue!

In a nutshell, look as an outsider at how you’re presenting yourself. Would YOU like to do business with you?

Submitted by Aviela