GNT #062: The More You Know, the Harder It Is

read time: 4.5 minutes

"Hey, hope you have been well. I started a business 4 years ago and need to focus on getting more customers. I've seen you on LinkedIn. Can we chat sometime?"

This was a LinkedIn message I got last month from an old friend.

We were freshmen in college and played a ton of Mario Kart on the Nintendo 64 in the dorms.

He ended up studying software engineering. I transferred and found my calling in marketing.

We hadn't seen or talked to each other in over 20 years.

We met up on a virtual zoom since he's now in Colorado and I'm in Minnesota.

After getting caught up on our lives since college for the first 20 minutes, we started digging into his business.

He talked like a software engineer.

Mainly focusing on the product. He was explaining how it worked using acronyms I didn't know.

"Are your buyers familiar with those abbreviations?" I asked.

"Well, I don't know." he replied.

(Turns out they didn't care about the tech architecture all that much.)

What they really cared about was saving time and money, and improving their customers' lives.

His message had to change if he wanted to connect the dots for his buyer.

This happens to so many super smart people.

You're having a hard time nailing down a message that resonates NOT because you don't know the solution - 

but because you know too darn much.

Probably more than anyone in your unique niche.

But here's the thing.

Your buyer isn't going to connect those dots for you.

When they hear noise, complexity, and jargon they don't understand - they don't buy.

And when you know so much, there can be a lot of noise.

Here are 8 ways to get out of your own head so you can attract the right buyer and close business.

1. Lead with Solutions, Not Specifications

For most businesses, your customers are looking for solutions to their problems, not the nitty-gritty specifications of your product.

They want to know how you're going to make their life better.

So what's the problem you're solving? And what's the outcome for your customer when it's solved?

ACTION STEP:

List out the top three problems your product or service solves.

For each, craft a story or a case study that illustrates how you've addressed these issues.

2. Visualize Your Customer

Create a detailed customer persona. 

Personas are semi-fictional characters that represent specific pieces of your target audience.

Make it personal.

Give them a name.

Personas help you understand your customer with empathy and create messages that deeply resonate.

ACTION STEP:

Can you answer these 7 questions about your buyer?

Imagine you're speaking directly to them in all your communications.

3. Implement the “So What?” Test

After you mention an aspect of your service, ask yourself, "So what?"

This forces you to think from the customer's perspective and focus on the benefits rather than the features.

Keep asking "So what?" until you reach the core benefit that matters to your customer.

Let's say you're selling a smartwatch. One of the features is "10-day battery life."

-

Feature: The smartwatch has a 10-day battery life.

So what? You don't have to charge it every night.

So what? It's reliable for long trips or busy schedules without worrying about finding a charger.

So what? You can focus on your adventures or work without the hassle of your tech dying on you.

-

Your original pitch might have been: "Our smartwatch has a 10-day battery life."

After applying the "So What?" test, it could change to:

"Enjoy your adventures without the hassle, thanks to our smartwatch's 10-day battery life, ensuring you're always connected when it matters most."

ACTION STEP:

Review your current pitch. For each feature or point, ask "So what?" Write down the benefit that answers this question. How could this change your messaging?

4. Focus on Emotional Benefits

Most people make decisions based on emotions and justify them with logic.

Instead of getting bogged down in the details of what your product does -- how does it make your customers feel?

Will it give them peace of mind? Make them feel empowered, smart, or ahead of the curve?

The "Share a Coke" campaign aimed to do this by turning the act of sharing a Coke into a personal experience.

People felt connected, shared their special moments with friends, on social media, and the campaign overall was a huge success.

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[Image from Coca-Cola Australia’s Share a Coke campaign]

ACTION STEP:

Identify the emotional benefits of your product or service. Use storytelling to bring these feelings to life.

5. Use Analogies and Metaphors

They can bridge complex ideas into simple, relatable concepts.

They work by connecting your product or service to something your audience already understands, making it easier for them to grasp its value.

ACTION STEP:

Think of an analogy or metaphor that relates to your product or service. Test this in your sales conversations.

6. Use the 3rd Grader Test

This one's easy.

Strip down your message to its bare essentials.

ACTION STEP:

Actually explain it to a 3rd grader. Really. Call your nieces, ask your friends' kids. Get 3rd grader feedback.

If the 3rd grader understands, test it with your target audience.

Read more: GNT #006: How to Ditch the Jargon (and Sound like a Human)

7. Get Feedback From Your Customers

Your customers are the ultimate resource into what resonates and what doesn't.

They can help you cut through the noise and focus on what truly matters.

ACTION STEP:

After each customer interaction or sales pitch, ask for feedback.

Find out what messaging or information was most and least helpful for them. 

8. Seek External Perspectives

Sometimes, we're just too close to our own work to see it the way others do.

Getting an outside perspective can be incredibly valuable in identifying the disconnects in our messaging.

ACTION STEP:

Arrange a focus group, ask an expert, or ask for feedback from people in your target market who aren't familiar with your product.

Ask them to describe in their own words what they think you offer and why it's valuable. 

Read more about how to solve the marketing dilemma as a technical founder: GNT #032: I hate marketing

Takeaway

It's a paradox of expertise.

The more you know, the harder it can be to communicate the heart of what you do in a way that resonates with those who need your solutions the most.

My friend isn't alone in this struggle, and neither are you.

1. Lead with Solutions, Not Specifications
2. Visualize Your Customer
3. Implement the “So What?” Test
4. Focus on Emotional Benefits
5. Use Analogies and Metaphors
6. Use the 3rd Grader Test
7. Get Feedback From Your Customers
8. Seek External Perspectives

Knowing what you know at this moment puts you in the perfect position to make the choices only you can.

If you need help, I'm a click away.

See you next week!

p.s. If you liked this newsletter, you might also like this one: 
GNT #028: Build a world-class marketing strategy in 5 minutes

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