As a copywriter, I have to be prepared for a number of
scenarios whenever I deliver my completed copy to my clients.
But one reaction I often get is that clients often
mistake their reaction to the copy as that of their
customers.

So even before the copy is tested in the “real world” the
client would, maybe, give his spouse to read the copy and
takes her opinion as the standard for the prospective reader.

Then I’ll have to drill in his head, “You are not
your customer!”

But what do I mean by this though? Mainly three things:

1. You are so familiar with your product or service that
you’ll often assume that the customer knows too much. But
you can never give too much information or be too simple in
your explanations. Quite the opposite is possible
though-that you overestimate the intelligence level of your
customer.

Just think about the last time you made an important
purchase. How much did you research and read up on the
product before you made the final decision. As business
owners we are apt to think that we’ll bore the customer by
giving too much details but the opposite is often true.

I recently bought a new computer because I’ll be doing some
online video production and I went to every review site I
could find online before settling on a particular brand. Now
if I had to read that amount of information otherwise I may
have found it tedious and boring.

If your customer is interested in the product she’ll read
every word you write-sometimes even if it’s boring.

2. The customer doesn’t care two hoots about you, only
what you can do for her! I mean, I can write to flatter my
client so that she’ll want to give me even more money than
I ask for. And you see that type of writing on the web all
the time. I’m talking about the boring “we” talk—how long
they’ve been in business, all the awards they’ve won, how their
product is the best, etc.-all about the company and nothing about
the customer.

You think that the “sales letter” was supposed to sell THEM on
how good they were! Talk to the customer in her language about
things that interest her and you have a sale.

3. Sometimes you have to be outside of the box in order
to think outside of the box. For example, I can often see
added benefits for my clients’ products than they’ve shared
with me because they are sometimes too close to the trees
to see the forest.

In other words, I often imagine myself as their customers
and brainstorm on what I’ll want from this product or
service and so write from that perspective.

You have to listen to what your customers to find out just
what they are getting from your product or service and then
adjust your copy to suit those needs. If you listen,
they’ll tell you how to improve your sales letter to sell
even more products.

For example, most of my clients often tell me that they like
my style of writing. That’s one strong benefit that no
other copywriter has-”MY style of writing.” Because it’s
from me, and I can’t be copied. A copy of me is NOT me.

But *I* like the style of writing of some other copywriters
and don’t see anything special about “my” style. So, I’m also
NOT my customer either!

The bottom line is that you have to ensure that you are
reaching those you are trying to sell to, and forget the
ego-caressing, trumpet-blowing kind of writing that reads
like an award ceremony speech to honor your company.

Remember, you are not your customer!

-----
Ray L. Edwards is a master copywriter and online business strategist. His
clients includes some of today's top online marketers who seek him out
whenever they need persuasive and engaging sales copy. Visit his
website at: Copywriter, Web Copywriter, Direct Mail Copywriter

Ray, great post.

It reminds how in sales training I always teach you want to get on the same side of the table as your prospects. Adopt a teacher/counselor heart and treat them as friends.

I think this works in copy too. Sincerity while "talking to" someone in your copy versus "talking at" them is key.

And it starts with remembering you're your prospects' helper...not one of them yourself.

Whoa! This article really hit home. I mainly work with realtors and most of them are under the impression that good copy for their website means talking a lot about themselves. It is a constant uphill battle to get an agent to thinK "out of the box" and do something other than every other agent out there does.

One of my clients works for Re/Max and his website has a Re/Max balloon floating around the screen. And no, it never goes away. And yes, it follows your cursor on the page. Literally, the thing tends to block whatever you are trying to read on the site .

Anyway, I asked why he did it, he said other agents put it on and he thought it was cool. I asked him what he thought his web visitors would think of it. "Well, I never thought of it that way," he stated. What??!?!

OK, enough venting. Great post, Ray!

That's why it's so important to survey your customers and find out how they
see you/your product. You'll be shocked by the responses you get.

How we see ourselves and our products and services is very different to how
our customers see them. Even within a marraige one has to slaunch from his
planet and visit venus / mars too find out how those 'aliens' see your
planet from their vantage point.

Many times the websites that gives the owners fuzzy feelings inside is NOT
the one that sells. Trying to convince some business owners about this is
like pulling teeth ... molars .. those way to the back .. not the wisdom ones.
(They've been extracted already.)

Floating balloons! I thought that drop-down menu navigation was bad.

-Ray L.,