You make your money by marketing and selling your product or service and that means communicating very clearly how what you sell can benefit your customers (an art known as copywriting) - how it can make them richer, thinner, happier, have more sex...
But people are tired of braggers and wary of hype.
They've been taken for a ride too many times and for too long.
So how can you be more convincing?
First, you can sell a great product or service that really does work.
Second you can give a cast iron guarantee than means what it says.
Third you can off up proof through testimonials, videos, even try before you buy...
But the one idea I want to talk about here is the power of the damaging admission.
The Power Of The Damaging AdmissionWe don't live in a perfect world and I'm not aware of anything that is perfect within it.
Your product has flaws even if it is generally the best out there and it doesn't suit everybody.
It's much better to bring up any issues in advance rather than wait for the customer to spot the problem and then interrogate you.
It's tough when you are on the defensive and having to answer probing questions.
So make your damaging admission upfront.
Then explain why it's not a problem in this case - or get out there quick because you've just found a NO.
Not only does it reduce your stress the issue on your terms, it also makes everything else you say more believable.
A Famous Damaging AdmissionImagine you had the burning desire to achievement something unique that would put your name into history forever...
That's what Ernest Shackleton was after when he wanted to be the first man to the South Pole but he was defeated. So he set his heart on the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition but he needed to recruit men.
This is his advert in The Times from December 29, 1913
MEN WANTED
for hazardous journey, small wages.
bitter cold, long months of complete
darkness, constant danger, safe re-
turn doubtful, honour and recognition
in case of success.
Would you apply? About 5,000 men did.
More details of the story.
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