It was just yesterday that I was sitting down with a potential client discussing how he could launch his new business. He was talking about his business card and said he wanted his logo on the front and his
contact details on the back.
Being me, I started to explain the importance of highlighting your core message and benefits in all your marketing (especially business cards). I mentioned the idea of having a headline and perhaps a few sentences or a guarantee on the back. Then showed him about 10 sample cards that were designed in the way I was proposing. He wasn’t open to the idea at all.
His argument was this:
“There’s too much writing on these card. When I get a card, I just want to know who they are, so I need to easily be able to see the business name. I wouldn’t read these”
This Is Just One Example Of A Business Falling Into The “I” Trap.
The “I” Trap is essentially when you assume that everyone else thinks, feels and acts the same way you do. It’s essentially a term I use for temporary “Arrogance” or “Narrow-mindedness” about marketing.
Let me explain why this “I” Trap often limits business success. Straight up “you are not your client”. By assuming your clients have the same buying habits, reading habits, beliefs and opinions, you are ruling out pretty much anyone that is not like you.
An example I still find hard to believe is the use of a coupon in a newspaper advert. If faced with the options of phoning a pre-recorded message, going to a website or filling in a coupon to request information from a business. Never in a million years would I fill out a coupon, get a stamp, address an envelope then walk all the way to the post office and post it...
But results speak for themselves - about 30% of people respond to our ads that with a coupon. If I’d fallen into the “I” trap and thought: “I would never respond to a coupon” and left it off, we would have left potentially thousands of dollars un-banked.
Here Are A Few Tips To Help Your Avoid The “I” Trap
Avoid using the word “I” when planning your marketing. Instead ask would a ‘potential client’ be likely to... By replacing the word “I” with “potential client” or ‘ideal customer” it will help you open your mind and you’ll be less likely to fall into the “I” trap.
Get feedback / advice from many different sources. Too often I see business owners turning to their family members or close friends for business advice. “What do you think of this ad?” they ask. The problem with this is that they often think the same way you do. Unless they are your absolute ideal client, their ‘thoughts’ really don’t matter and are likely to cement you in your little self-induced, success-limiting trap.
Survey existing clients and potential clients - It’s really quite simple. Ask your clients questions about various topics and what motivates them. Often I find it’s good to write down your assumptions before hand and then compare the responses afterwards. You’ll be surprised how many assumptions you actually make and don’t realise!
This will hopefully give you some suggestions into how to communicate effectively with your market. I hope these tips will help you from falling into the self-cannibalising “I” traps that we set for ourselves. Just keep an open mind and test and measure everything! Results are the only thing to go by.
