An easy miss in advertising is also one that’s fairly simple to fix. Your advertising will be more interesting to your customer, and more effective overall, when you make your customer the hero. No matter what service or product you’re promoting, your customer should be the star of the show, not a spectator.
It’s natural to see the world from our individual perspective, so it’s common to talk about a product or service from that viewpoint. But to be blunt, it’s not about you. Rather than an ad about what you offer, flip the focus to what your customer gets.
Here are a couple simple examples that show the difference.
About you: “BestBrushes watercolour classes will make you a better painter. We guarantee it!”
About them: "You’ll be a better painter with BestBrushes watercolour classes - guaranteed!”
About you: “We have pristine streams with feisty grayling that offer the kind of challenge that anglers live for.”
About them: “Put your angling skills to the test fishing for feisty grayling from our pristine streams.”
Centering the message on your customer makes it more likely to grab and keep their attention. Your unbeatable buying power, recognition as Business of the Year, or highest safety rating is important to you. What is important to them is the difference it makes in their life. So lead with that.
About you: “Our new rocketship technology makes it affordable for anyone to go to Mars!”
About them: “Make your astronaut dreams come true with new rocketship technology and a deal that’s out of this world.”
Framing it to fit their perspective is sometimes just a slight shift. A good place to start is to watch for these words: I, we, our (and “they” if it refers to you), as well as your business name. If that’s what leads the thought, it’s an opportunity to rearrange things to make the customer the hero. Start with their need, desire or aspiration, and then follow with your product or service as the tool for them to meet that need or want.
Position the customer as the main character and your business as the supporting cast member there to help them win. It’s a formula that leads to success for both of you.
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