Are Your Promotions Backwards?
Have you ever wondered why your best efforts sometimes fail? I most certainly have. I’d back myself that when I put in the thinking time I produce some really good stuff. But, then it doesn’t take off and I wonder why.
And, then I spot someone who gets the client job I wanted or fills a public workshop easily and I get confused because I think I do a better job than they do.
I’ve come to the conclusion that a big failing for me, for some of the clients I work with and for many experts is that their marketing and promotion efforts are backwards.
Let me explain…
By definition, an expert knows a lot about something in particular. Typically they specialise in that one thing. For instance, you might be a master at Team Building, Strategy or Execution.
And, in your world, as the expert in your specific area, every time you see a problem you offer your solution to fix it or improve it. This is good because this is what you get paid to do.
The Expert Problem
However, the problem arises when you’re promoting yourself. The person with the problem doesn’t know what the solution is.
For instance, if I said I was having ‘cash flow issues’…
- The expert in Systems says: “If you have better systems you’d know in advance when the problem was about to rear its ugly head.”
- The expert in Strategy says: “If you had better strategy you could totally avoid that problem in the future.”
- And, the expert in Business Model Design says: “If you had fewer big clients and more smaller ones we could even out your cash flow and life would be sweet.”
One of these solutions just might hit the spot. However, all three of these solutions could completely miss the problem too.
[Tweet “Most experts fail to attract new clients because their promotions are backwards”]
There’s an old saying: When the only tool you have is a hammer, then everything starts to look like a nail.”
How To Promote Yourself
And, whilst ‘solutions’ are exactly what the customer wants once they have employed the right expert, it’s also the reason why so many experts fail to attract new clients in the first place. Basically, they lead with the solution and not the problem.
If this is a trap that you’ve fallen into there’s a simple way to spot it.
Go visit the home page of your website. And read the headline… Are you stating the problem or the solution?
If you want more promotional items to review, consider the following:
- Your business cards
- Your other website pages – Particularly the page where you list the services that you offer
- Your most recent blog posts
- Any articles you’ve written
- Your event flyers
- Your product promotions or
- Your service offers
Again, ask this simple question:
Am I stating the problem or the solution?
Then, set yourself a task to pick off each of the relevant items and rewrite them based on the problem you are solving.
