Mistake: Too much focus on product
Your audience cares most about the “Why” behind your product. They care less about what your product’s features are and more about how your product will benefit their lives. When you focus solely on what your product does, how much it costs, or how it was made, you lose the attention of your audience fast.
Quick Fix:
- Spell it out. For every feature you list, explain a benefit it comes with.
Mistake: Adjective overload
Adjectives are helpful in explaining the look of your product and what it does. However, too many adjectives are, honestly, a turn-off. Imagine looking for a new toothbrush and the ad says, “This new, sleek, stylish, easy-to-use, travel toothbrush was made just for you!” Be honest, did you read every single adjective? No, you didn’t. Neither will your audience. The key here is to be smart with your adjective usage.
Quick fix:
- Keep it simple. Use only one adjective before a noun.
- Choose wisely. Choose adjectives that make your audience feel something (Instead of using nice, good, great, use dashing, stylish, empowering).
Mistake: Too fact heavy
To you, the facts behind your product may be super exciting. Don’t get me wrong, you spent blood, sweat, and tears to perfect your product. You should be proud. Facts can be a selling point for some customers. They want to know if you are the leading brand in toothbrushes or how many of your toothbrushes have saved lives. However, relying only on facts is a mistake. Your audience wants to know how those facts and figures apply to their lives.
Quick Fix:
- Storytelling. Tell your audience the story of why they should use your product. The story can be super short and to the point. However, stories open up your audience to your brand/personality and they are more willing to invest in your product.
Mistake: Not knowing your audience
The biggest mistake we see is when brands speak to themselves rather than their customers. This mistake comes from a lack of taking time to research and get to know those you are marketing to. Sometimes, you can see this when brands make assumptions about customers. For example, they use jargon their audience is not familiar with. This will kill your engagement and sales.
Not-So-Quick Fix:
- Step back. Take the time to really get to know your audience. What do they care about? What keeps them up at night? Why is your product something they need?
- Walk a day in their shoes. Visit the places they like to go and the stores they visit. Ask members of your audience the questions you may have.