How to attract more customers and stand out

Before I dive in, I want to level set and say that running a business is HARD. It takes bravery and resilience. It takes the willingness to ride the roller coaster of growth – both professionally and personally. 

Trust me, after being in business for over a decade, I 1000% GET  IT!

But this 3-part blog series isn’t about bonding over the challenges of entrepreneurship. It’s about sharing some tough love that can help you smash THROUGH the things that are holding you back. 

There are some key struggles that have been coming up in my coaching conversations lately. Simple mistakes that I see my clients (and other digital entrepreneurs) making that have a direct impact on their engagement, sales, and overall success.  

So, what's numero uno? 

Here’s one of the top things that I see killing your business — and what you need to do to turn the tables (AKA: Start attracting more customers and stand out). 

Let me be blunt…

It’s NOT about you.

Yes, building a business requires a lot of YOU. But as you start to grow and market your brand, it’s absolutely crucial to make the shift towards focusing on your ideal client. 

If you’ve been around here for a while, you know that I alway preach about how important it is to really know your audience. THIS is a perfect example of why. 

When you’re trying to stand out in the digital world, it’s tempting to think that shining a spotlight on what makes you and your offering different, unique, and valuable is the key to attracting a bigger audience. 

While it IS important to share your expertise and what sets you apart, here’s the rub… I often see entrepreneurs putting so much of themselves into their brand that it seems like they’ve all but forgotten about their ideal client. Soon enough their websites, social media posts, and marketing all becomes a giant billboard to showcase how great and wonderful they are. 

Even worse? There are so many business owners trying to “out-shine” each other that it’s making the digital space an incredibly loud and overwhelming place.

But here’s a secret friend: You don’t have to get LOUDER to get noticed.

Want to really attract your audience? Instead of focusing on you, speak to THEM!

Let me share a real-life example of the impact this can make... 

I’ve been interviewing copywriters recently. To start the process, we asked candidates to answer a few questions and send us more information about their experience, etc. 

As I sat there sifting through email after email, do you know which applicant stood out to me? It wasn’t the one led with all her shiny credentials, and it wasn’t the one who bragged on her reviews, or strategies. It was the one that focused on how she could help ME, my business, and my clients.

Her email walked through her thoughts of a couple of my latest blogs and marketing campaigns. She talked about why she felt aligned to my writing style, what she might advise or shift slightly to make a bigger impact, and how she would love to hear more about my business goals.

Guess who I reached out to first? (No brainer right?)

This isn’t to say that skillset and experience doesn’t matter -- it most definitely does (and we seek to hire the best of the best). But catching someone’s attention first by focusing on their needs, can make all the difference in the world. 

CASE IN POINT:

Make it about YOUR person and you’ll instantly stand out in a crowd. 

It’s also important to remember — focusing on your person is about so much more than just your brand’s copy and messaging. It’s about seeing your brand as a whole through their eyes, from your brand colors to your images to your blog posts. 

So go ahead and step into their shoes. 

Browse through your website, social media and marketing, and look at every piece through your ideal client’s eyes:

• How are you speaking to them? 

• How are you addressing their problem or pain-points?

• Is it easy for them to understand how your offerings can serve their unique needs?

• What questions or objections might they have? And are you addressing them?

When you craft a brand that genuinely serves your audience (through every touch point), you’ll do more than turn heads. You’ll cultivate true fans of your business — who will keep coming back for more!

So instead of trying to make yourself look as flashy and fancy as possible, come from a place of CONVERSATION, of speaking to and serving your person well.

You’ll be amazed at the difference this makes!