Enough About Me. How About YOU?

by Craig Valine

One of the biggest marketing mistakes I observe constantly,
in the newspaper, on the web, within company brochures, is
the missing word: YOU.

I cringe with disgust as I notice how enthralled these
companies are with themselves. For instance, a sales
letter I received late last year stated:

"We have been in business for 10 years"

"I am certified in three different areas..."

"I know this is the kind of service you've been
waiting for"

"We serve clients in the Los Angeles area"

Now, if your thinking what I'm thinking...

"WHO CARES?"

There wasn't one mention of anything that benefited me
in the letter. It spoke only of themselves, with a proud
self-serving tone. Why would I do business with someone
that doesn't care enough to learn more about my needs,
wants and desires? This guy was too busy telling me about
himself.

He's not alone, however. Almost every direct mail piece I
receive in the mail is filled with "I", "me," "our," and
"we."

Now, it's really not all that practical to write a letter
without saying "I," "we," or "our" - but you should
certainly have the word "YOU" 5 or 6 six times for every
reference to "us" "we" or "my company."

Here are some examples of how you can easily change the
way you present yourself from a "ME" mentality to a "YOU"
attitude."

Instead of...

"I am pleased to tell you..."

Say...

"You will be pleased to discover..."

Instead of:

"Our staff is experienced..."

Say...

"Your questions will be handled by qualified, experienced
people..."

Instead of...

"We guarantee that our product will..."

Say...

"You will love the XR250 model, or you will receive double
your money back!"

Does the wording make more sense?

When you write a sales letter, copy for a website or email,
put yourself in the mindset of the reader of your letter. You
should constantly say to yourself:

"What's In It For Me?"

It's the oldest lesson in sales. Maybe you've heard it this
way: "What's the radio station everyone listens to?"

"WII FM" (What's in it for me?")

If you aren't consistently telling the reader what's in it
for her, she won't read your letter, brochure, email, etc.

To help you get the best results with your copy, here's
something you can do that I learned from one of my teachers.

After writing your copy, go back and highlight each-and-every
"I," "we," "our," and "us." Then, re-write each sentence with
a "you attitude."

Let your prospects know you care about their interests. Speak
in terms of the benefits they will receive. Tell them what is
in it for them. Because, they do not and will not care about
you, until they know how much you care about them.

About the Author

Craig Valine is the publisher of the
The AwfulMarketing Alert Newsletter, "Where you learn
GOOD marketing strategies by looking at those who do
it really BAD."
To subscribe his free newsletter, go to:
http://awfulmarketing.com/ezinesubscribe.htm