Five questions to help you tell the story

Stories are powerful. We not only remember them longer than we remember facts, they engage us, appeal to our imagination and when done right, cause us to become emotionally invested.

Imagine if you could cause this same reaction in your target market after they read your website or promotional material? How many more inquiries would you get? How many more sales would you convert?

To help you, here are five questions that, once answered, will help you tell the story of your products and services and emotionally engage your target market.

1.    What is your target market’s biggest need, frustration or problem?

People always move faster away from pain than they do towards pleasure, so pain is a good place to start your story. What problems does your target market experience without your product? What limitations do similar products or services have (without naming and shaming) that could be causing your target market frustration?

What is keeping them up at night? What is costing them money, time or limiting their growth that can be related to not having or using your product or service?

2. Why haven’t they been able to solve it?

Once you’ve established their pain, look at why they haven’t been able to solve it until now. Was it due to a lack of time, money or knowledge? Have options or availability been limited until you or your new product or service has come along?

3. What would their life be like if their problem was solved?

Paint the pleasure. Describe the life of your target market once their problems have been solved, their ideal “imagine if …” scenario. How much more effective, efficient or profitable will their business be? How much easier and happier will their life be?

4. How does your product or service solve their need?

Once you’ve taken them to a place of pleasure and hope, show them how you or your products or your services make it possible. How are your products or services different? How have they helped others achieve the same ideal scenario?

5. What do they need to do now?

Now it’s time for your call to action. What steps do they have to take now to start making their ideal scenario a reality? Is it to call, email or buy now? Do they need to go to another web page, book a consultation, request a quote or download something?

Work out exactly what action you want them to take then call them to do it while offering them an incentive or emotional pull.

By taking your target market through this process, you allow them to have an emotional experience with your product or service before they even try it, a very powerful marketing technique that will result in more enquiries and conversions.