Want to know how to speak your customers’ language?
How about this?
I went to France. I spoke French, and they bloody appreciated it.
Why?
Because I was speaking their language (ta-da!)
I learned German at school, but asking for a Wienerschnitzel when I’m gagging for a Pain au chocolat isn’t going to do me any good.
The same goes for your customers.
You need to use words, phrases, and references they’ll understand—that’s how you speak your customers’ language.
How to speak your customers’ language.
I don’t know who you are or what business you run, but here’s what I mean. Let’s say you make products aimed at teenagers. Look at your website, flyers, ads, whatever it is you have to promote yourself. If you’re aiming at teens:
- Using long-winded explanations will bore them to tears
- Referencing stuff they’ve never heard of, like Cabbage Patch Dolls, will confuse them, and
- Droning on how it’s taken you 25-years to create your product will make you sound old
It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in, you need to:
- Research your target audience, and
- Learn and use words that speak directly to them
If you don’t take the time to understand who you’re aiming at, you’ll miss out. It’s your business, so you need to understand who you’re talking to. However, if you do take the time to understand them, you’ll have a better chance of winning them over.
How to talk directly to your customers.
Your written content has to speak to your customers. The best way to do that? Write like you’re talking to one person. That’s right – one person. Now, I can’t tell you all the words to use for your specific audience, but I can give you tips on making them feel you’re talking to them personally:
One. Solve your customers’ problems straight away.
Chuck your long-winded website intro in the bin and definitely don’t open with ‘Welcome to my website‘.
Your visitors already know where they are, they looked for you, go straight in with how what you do solves their problems.
Touch on their pain points and their worries and give them the answer straight away.
Two. Use ‘You’ and ‘You’re’ more than ‘I’ or ‘Me’
Humans are selfish. They want answers to their problems, feel you care and, most of all, want to hear about themselves. So filling your comms with:
“I can do this. I can do that. I’ve done this for 25-years and I couldn’t have done it without the support of my partners and children.“
is an absolute no-no. Leave that for your family and close friends on WhatsApp. What’s better:
“I created this revolutionary soap. It took me 10-years of travelling through rainforests until I stumbled upon some vegetation that, when rubbed, made my skin feel silky smooth, so I brought some home and made my amazing soap product.“
or
“Treat your skin with an organic soap that’ll leave it feeling as soft and smooth as the day you were born.“
See how the latter speaks to them on a personal level and gives them all the information about what the product will do for their skin?
Three. Cut out jargon
Being clever isn’t, well, clever.
Don’t stick in loads of technical words, it won’t impress your customers. Use words and phrases they’ll understand. Opting for confusing industry-specific words might gain you back-slaps from your peers, but your customers will think you’re a dick.
Four. Use words that make an emotional connection.
Certain words stir emotions. Try using some of these:
- New
- Bargain
- Giveaway
- Free
- Hurry
- Easy
- Act
- Now
There are loads more you can use, but these are a great start. Something new, free or urging them to act can make a customer feel they’re going to miss out – pushing them to make a purchase.
You don’t have to speak French to reach your target audience (unless they’re French, obviously), but using words your customers use and feel familiar with can help you make sales.
Take a look at your page and make those changes now – or if you haven’t got time, send me an email and let me do it for you.
On y va!
Until next time,
Matthew
PS. For more tips on how to speak your customers’ language, check out my blog posts ‘Write Like You Talk. Nuff Said‘ and ‘How Proper Titles Help Customers Find You‘.
