There are significant differences between existing customers and those we are yet to reach. It’s all about their experience of us and our products – and this has a big effect on copywriting to reach new customers.
Much emphasis is quite rightly placed on selling more to existing customers. All the number crunching supports the idea that it makes financial sense and every marketing programme should include a focus on that objective.
But copywriting to reach new customers is important too – and doing this presents a big marketing communications challenge.
In a discussion with a marketing manager some time ago I mentioned the fact that his company’s UK website lists the sizes of the clothing they sell only in American sizes. His reply was: “That’s OK as our customers understand that we are the UK arm of an American company and they are happy to use the conversion charts we publish.”
My point was that although existing customers may be happy with that, how many potential customers are put off by the confusing sizes? How many simply click out of the website rather than jump through the hoops they need to in order to order the right size?
Sometimes the problem is bigger still: marketers don’t even try to broaden the appeal of their offering. Millions of potential customers never consider the product or service, because they don’t believe it will be right for them.
What I now know about fabric conditioner and Rickenbackers
I never bothered using fabric conditioner, because I just didn’t believe it could make that much of a difference. But I tried it a while back and sure enough, it really does make clothes softer. In a world of broken promises and false claims, that’s quite a thing.
Fabric conditioner manufacturers and retailers had several decades to convince me to try it. So what did they do wrong? I think they keep trying to sell to people who already know that fabric conditioner works. There’s a whole new market out there, full of people like me who need convincing.
Another example was that for the first time recently I played a Rickenbacker guitar. I have been playing guitars for over 30 years but I have never bothered with a Rickenbacker as they have a reputation for having a very specific jangly sound that isn’t my thing.
But when I played one nothing could be further from the truth. It was easy to get the classic jangly Ric sound, but I could also get the deep, bluesy sound I like. Rickenbacker could possibly gain a lot by educating non-customers about the versatility of their guitars.
More tips on copywriting to reach new customers
Look out for the next Marketing Booster blog. I will be sharing some simple tips to help you work out why certain groups aren’t currently buying from you, and how you can get a message across that will appeal specifically to them.
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Photo by Waldemar Brandt on Unsplash