3 Steps to Small Business Advertising Success with Classic Salesmanship
What makes a customer purchase a product or service? One way could be from a salesman using classic salesmanship with a customer. And what does classic salesmanship entail? Classic salesmanship includes getting to know the customer and discussing how they can benefit from a product or service. The salesman then moves the customer to the product or service using the features the customer needs in order to gain the benefits.
A good salesman does things that most small business advertising don’t. It makes a personal connection with the customer and elicits an emotional reaction. Then they back up that emotion with reasoning and logic that supports what they want to do based on that emotional response.
Most small business that advertises using print and other media simply tout the features of a product or service instead of explaining to the customer how they will benefit from those features. Customers don’t really care about features unless they directly benefit them.
For instance, one feature of a vehicle might be that it can fit seven passengers. But if I have a family of three, I have no reason to want or need this feature. It has no benefit for me. But if a good salesman discovers that my only child always has a bunch of friends over to our house and I am shuttling them around between activities frequently, classic salesmanship takes over and this salesman suddenly recognizes how that feature can be a benefit to me. That vehicle with room for seven can make my life easier because I can fit everyone into the vehicle and be the great parent because my child can spend time with more friends.
In order to create effective small business advertising, it is important to know your customers or potential customers and to know something about them. Once you know enough about your customers to describe them, you can make small business advertising that directly speaks to the customers. You can show how they’ll benefit from your product or service.
The key to small business advertising could be summarized in three words: Features, Benefits, and Emotion. But the response you want to get and the order of these words and concepts matter to potential customers is backwards.
Emotion is the first that your small business advertising must elicit. An emotional response or reaction must be created. They need to desire and feel connected to your product or service.
Next, you must justify the emotional desire from your customer by showcasing the benefits in your advertising. People are looking to purchase a product or service that they desire, but they must first justify the expense. To help your customer justify their expenditure on your product or service, you need to describe the benefits.
Showcasing the features of a product or service comes last. But remember, features only matter if they actually demonstrate real benefits that support the customer’s emotional reaction and desire to purchase in the first place. So never start in your small business advertising by focusing on the features.
Remember, if you want your advertising to result in actual business, then you want to elicit your responses in the proper order. First, get your emotional response. Second, describe the benefits that will justify the purchase. And last, showcase the features that provide the benefits.