Why fear, pain, and insecurities won’t win you ideal clients.

Bridge those troubled waters will words that attract your ideal client.

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about people with money.

And it’s sparked a lively conversation.

Especially among business owners who have been doing this awhile.

Business owners often come to me after several years, where they’ve been relatively successful… but then they seem to hit a road block.

Typically, it’s that they’ve been really successful at winning business through referrals and word-of-mouth.

And then they want to get in on the whole world of online marketing.

So they start to study. To figure out how it works.

And one of the first things they come across is the old marketing advice to “touch the pain” of their ideal clients. (My take on that advice is here.)

Typically, the advice goes, write about their “struggle” and their “overwhelm.”

So they try that in their writing, but it attracts less-than-ideal clients.

And it’s discouraging. Why try so hard to get a newsletter out each week or send out email promotions about upcoming programs… when the people who call you just want free advice or a discount?

Couple ideas for you – if you’re in this boat:

(1) Playing on people’s pain, fears, and insecurities will attract people with a certain psychological profile. Broadly speaking, these people identify with pain, fear, and insecurity. That’s a problem, especially when it comes to inviting them to invest in themselves through you. Better to attract people who speak the language of challenge, love, openness, and self-esteem.

(2) There’s a great line in this TD Jakes sermon (minute 11:47) that hits the nail on the head: “true quality never goes on sale.” He goes on to say “The only thing that goes on sale is the cheap stuff… greatness costs what it costs” Many business owners have the belief that undercharging for your services is the main thing that will get you clients. That’s actually not true. Undercharging for your services is what will get you less-than-ideal clients. (And, I believe that using words like “struggle” and “overwhelm” will lead you down that path, too).

(3) When you are starting out, you may need to use the word “struggle” for awhile – just as a “bridge”- so you can be clear on the problem you solve in your business. That looks like this: I help [your target market] who struggle with [the problem you help them solve] so they can be/do/have [the results they want]. To be clear: you need to have a business that solves a problem to make money.

I’m not saying “don’t solve a problem” in your business. I’m saying “if you are already clear on the problem you solve through your business, start experimenting with writing about it WITHOUT using words that are fear or struggle based.

And if that resonates, and you’d like help, there’s still time to join the Writing That Sells lab.

Mighty thanks to Andy Roberts flickr photostream for the bridge.