Getting the message
Does it feel like no matter where you go, someone is trying to sell something? With so many voices, it can be hard to make yours heard above the crowd. It’s even harder to not sound like you’re making a sales pitch every time you share. So how do you communicate the value of your business without sounding pushy or over-the-top?
Do unto others
The golden rule? Sure, it apples here. “Do unto others as you would have done unto you.” If you don’t like seeing emoji-cluttered, hashtag littered, all-caps filled posts on social media, don’t write them. Clean things up, make your message short, sweet, and to-the-point. If you don’t like seeing pushy or cliche ads, don’t make yours that way. Make your message stand out, dare to be different. Look at large companies with in-house marketing teams and observe what they’re doing. How are they getting word out there about new products? What do their interactions with their followers look like? What does their website say and what does it not say? Copying is not your goal, learning from their success is.
Show, don’t tell
If you have to tell someone how good your product or service is, you’re doing something wrong. Your business should speak for itself. Instead of quoting testimonials, have you considered asking your clients to weigh-in on camera? That way, you have a short video to put on your website. This is the kind of content that draws people in. Photos that prove your product works, videos that demonstrate what you’re all about–we live in a very visual age where people want to see for themselves how amazing a product or service is.
When in doubt, just be professional. It may sound boring in your ears, but being polite and genuine never goes out of style. Whatever your message is, let it stand on its own two feet. Treat your audience like adults with opinions and preferences and values, and they’ll take you and your message seriously.