Why Your Marketing Material Needs An Auditor (Not A Critic)

Are you worried you'll get more unsubscribes if you send a newsletter fornightly instead of monthly? Do you think your ad has too much copy and customers won't read it? Do you think your presentation is too salesy?

The answer depends on your auditing ability

So how much is 5 + 5?
Well, the answer depends on you.

If you're an auditor, you'll say 5 + 5 = 10
If you're a critic, you'll say: “It depends on what you believe. Maths is a religion. You have to believe.
If you believe 5 + 5 = 10, then it's 10.

If you believe 5 + 5 = 13, then it's 13.

The problem with your friend, parent and your brain…

Is that they're all critics. They're not auditors.
If you ask your parents, your brain, or your friends a question, they're going to give you an answer based not on a science, but on their belief.

What's worse, is that we listen to the answers closer than we should.

So should we? Or should we not? Is this is a trick question?

Indeed, it is a trick question!

Because marketing is simply perception. Or belief. If the customer believes you're credible, you are. If they believe your product or service is outstanding, it is.

So now you're stuck, aren't you?

Because you need to create marketing messages based on audits. But the customers buy from you on the basis of belief or perception.

Well, it's not as tricky as you think.

You see as customers we have two hats

One hat is the critic hat.
One hat is the auditor hat.

Depending on what activity we're doing, we wear the hats.

So if you ask a customer: Should I send out a newsletter every week?, the response you get will be on the basis of that customer's belief. In all probability the customer will say no.

A newsletter every week is too much, they'll say. You'll train us to avoid reading your newsletter, they'll say.

The auditor in the customer's brain will stay quiet, till the critic has finished babbling. The auditor will then ask questions. What is the purpose of the newsletter going out once a week? Can you measure revenues of a weekly vs. fortnightly vs. monthly newsletter?

Do more customers unsubscribe if you send out a weekly vs. a monthly? Are you able to turn out great content, week after week, after week?

You see the auditor doesn't care

The auditor only looks at the results. Only does the number crunches. And if they add up, it doesn't matter what the critics say.

So when faced with questions like:
Which headline works better?
Which copy will sell more product/services?
Which strategy will drive more customers to my business?
Which system will help me get more long-term clients?

The critics will tell you how they hate a colour.

Or ask you to change a font. Or say your headline is too long.
The auditor will look at the history of marketing.
It will look at a system. And audit based on that system.
Unlike the critic, the auditor will tell you what's wrong, and where it's wrong, and how to fix it.

Does that mean we completely ignore the critics?

No, don't ever do that. Critics are vital in spotting the ‘packaging' in your product. They give you the fuzzy-wuzzy stuff. They tell you that your newsletter is too hard to read. Or that your fonts are all crunched up.

They will badger you into changing the length of your headline; the length of your newsletter; the number of words in your ad. Pay close attention to the critics. Critics are a valuable feedback mechanism. They're a valuable indicator of perception.

So pay attention to the fuzzy-wuzzies.

When you're done with the fuzzies

Listen to an auditor. Because an auditor only cares if you're doing things that make you rich, famous, like-able and more.

Based purely on numbers and facts, of course.

Your job is to become an auditor. Your job is to study not just to master the ‘hows' of marketing, but the ‘whys' as well. You should know, after a while, down to the closest probability, how a factor will work. For instance, the yes-yes factor gets 80% or more of your audience to choose a more expensive product/service every single time. The critic in you may not approve of the yes-yes factor. The auditor knows better.

Become an auditor.

Invest time and money in systems and people you trust, instead of simply trying to get on the next ‘get-rich-quick-whatever'. And you'll see a strange phenomenon starting to appear.

Remember the 5 + 5 = 10?

Well, that + will suddenly fall to the right.
And it will start to look like a ‘x.'

So when you look at 5 x 5, you'll be seeing a whole new number.
And the auditor in your brain, will be smiling broadly.
And the critic, good sport that he/she is, will join in the applause as well!

Why Using Tentative Words Will Reduce Your Profits

We don't mean to be tentative, do we? We want to be bold and strong and confident when dealing with clients. Yet time and again, we use words that are stumbling blocks. Our fear takes over. And we use tentative language.

hexTentative language: How do you know you're using it?

Do you use words like normally? The client asks you. How much do you charge? Do you start off by saying, “Oh, normally….”

Aaaaaargh!

You've stepped into a land mine. When you say normally, I know at once that your price is negotiable. I know you're not sure of your price. Aha…as a client, I'm in the driver's seat.
Words that prevent you from being in the driver's seat

Approximately, sometimes, our average price, ball park figure. All of the above words send an instant message to my brain as a client that you're a bit unsure. Just a little insecure.

The insecurity spills over

As soon as I hear the insecurity in your price, I simultaneously hear the insecurity in your work. Does it mean that I doubt your capability? No, I'm not doubting your capability. But I'm not getting a powerful wave of confidence either.

When a prospective supplier (that's you) says: For this job, we charge $3000 and we deliver in two weeks or less”, your client is instantly impressed.

The client didn't hear tentativeness in your price or your ability.

Specifics knock out jitters

Remember, it's not just you that's having the jitterbugs. The client is walking in unknown territory as well. As a client what would you prefer to hear? “The job will be done in two weeks or less” or “We'll get down to it and get the job done soon.”

In New Zealand, the terminology is “Leave it with me, mate.”

Huh? I don't want to leave it with you. I want to know when the job will get done and what price.

I know it's scary

Being confident about what you say is always a tricky situation. Your heart is pounding like a bongo at a reggae festival; Your forehead is caked with sweat; Your brain is going ballistic.

Just remember one thing

It's your tongue that does the talking. Your heart, forehead and heart have nothing to do with it. If you know you're worth it, and the money isn't absolutely vital for your survival, just bite your tongue and be quietly confident when stating your price and your
terms.

Then shut up

Clam up. You've said what you wanted to say. Now wait. Tick, tick, tick, tick…yeah…keep waiting. Let the client speak first. Let them say you are expensive. If you've done the Brain Audit sequence, you'll have already prepared your answer to that particular objection.

The most important thing is to let your confidence speak both with the way you present yourself in person, on the phone or through a medium like your website.

Stop using tentative language. It isn't doing you any good.

Example, Example:

I was sitting in the office of a CEO of a large franchise about two years ago. He asked me for my price. I told him my price. He said, “I can't afford it.” I said, “Fine, but if you want to get a good quality job, you can call me. You and I know that you get what you pay for.”

And I left after briefing him on why he should choose us. Instead of using tentative language that I'd used in the past, I simplystated the facts and the uniqueness of dealing with us.

I didn't hear from the CEO for ages.

Then about two months later, he called. And we got the job on our terms. Yeah, just like that.