The story is all too common. Your product is perfect, and it’s what people need, but the customers just aren’t biting. This can be confusing as well as frustrating. You’ve laid out in explicit detail all the aspects and benefits of your product, and explosive growth seems inevitable. Is your product marketing not working? Why are people passing it up?
You may be coming on too strong. People like simple. They should be encouraged to form their own personal interpretations of a product, but first impressions matter. Therefore, always open with your marketing hook. This is the “dessert”, the aspect of your product that is the sweetest and most likely to garner positive attention. In fact, this approach is actually best for overall comprehension.
What would this marketing tactic look like in action? Pretend you’ve developed a brand new piece of software slated for release into the world in just a matter of weeks. You are tasked with executing a successful launch day. It’s time to get to work.
Emphasize Product Differentiation
What makes your program better than the competition? What can you say about it that no one else can claim for their own product? Isolate that aspect and hone in on it. If your open-source test management application dispenses free Skittles, then forget about the compatibility information for a minute and focus on what’s going to get people to notice (and more importantly, remember) you. This should be the main attraction of all you do, from Twitter posts to website copy.
Once your lead audience is invested in your software’s most stellar quality, you’ll want to start rationing out the rest. People might flock to your product from your marketing hook alone, but they won’t go in for the purchase until they have the entire picture. Continuing with food analogies, these are the “veggies” — sometimes unpleasant, but necessary details. If your initial pitch was concise and eye-catching enough to pique everyone’s interest, then they’ll likely be willing to absorb the rest of your product details. Now’s the time to release information about spec requirements and fees.
A Micro Approach
Use this strategy post-launch, too. In order to be most effective, a clear marketing message needs to be well-established throughout the company. For web pages or print ads, make sure you distill your product to its most pertinent essence, and have that be your title. Then go into more and more detail as you go, like a newspaper article.
Every action needs to reflect the end goal of turning potential customers into product advocates. They’ll feel like they went out of their way to learn more about it, and if they’re willing to put in that kind of effort, then consider the sale landed.