G’day,

So what’s problem? You have a great business, product or affiliate program. You understand your market. Your profit margin is good. Your order taking system is up and running. Sadly, but expectantly you peer into your email box every morning . . . where are orders?

If you are trying to reach your target market via internet your copy might as well be written in Chinese if you are just stating product facts.

You have to tell, not sell.

You can employ best designer in world, produce most stunning ads and cosmetically appealing web site ever seen, but it doesn't really matter because consumers are looking for solutions to their problem, not someone raving on about how good their product are.

Regardless of what you're trying to sell, you really can't sell it without "talking" with your prospective buyer. You have to go back to basics. It’s all about solving your buyer’s problem, gaining their trust and simply talking to them like a real person.

All exceptional copy "tells" rather than “sells”. Your reader is a human being just like you. When you are watching TV and an ad comes on, don’t you get up and get a snack, drink or chat to your partner? So how effective do you think a written advertisement will be? If reader chats to their partner, they aren’t reading your copy are they? They probably won’t go back to reading it either.

It’s Just Common Sense!

When a group of outsiders behaves in a way that hurts your business, you usually do something about it. Yet, many business people are amazingly casual about their own external audiences. To me at least, they seem to ignore reality that those behaviors really do impact their organizations.

Even when they do realize it, they often fail to associate damage with one remedy likely to help – public relations, America’s behavior modification specialists.

Not surprisingly, fundamental premise of public relations spells out why businesses need public relations. Namely, to help alter perceptions, and thus behaviors of their key target audiences which almost always leads to achieving their business objectives.

Here’s what premise says: People act on their own perception of facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving- to-desired-action those people whose behaviors affect organization, public relations mission is accomplished.

And here’s how you can apply it to your business.

Have you ever thought seriously about who these groups are that can wield such power over your organization? In addition to obvious audiences such as customers, prospects and employees, would your list of key external audiences also include such “publics” as area residents, political officeholders, minorities, fraternal groups, trade and industry leaders, nearby military personnel and union leaders? The test is, do their behaviors affect my business in any way? If they do, they belong on list.

Now, put names on that list into priority order and, for starters, let’s see how we might approach group at top of your list – your key, target public.