In order to create engaging content on your website, it’s vital to give your customer what they want. And odds are, you’re making assumptions, or guessing, or both.
For example, if you’re a Software Developer or a SaaS (Software as a Service) company, you need to confront a stark business reality: no one wants your software.
They don’t want to know how much you know about coding, or APIs, or Python. You could even be the next Guido van Rossum (the person who created Python). You could even have Guido himself on your team, although he’s busy as a “Distinguished Engineer” at Microsoft currently.
Your sales prospects still won’t care.
Your clients want solutions to their business problems and they won’t care about your software until they know you understand those problems. Then your task is to demonstrate why y our solution makes sense.
So, it’s time to quit trying to sell software or development and start coming alongside those customers struggling with the kind of problems you solve. You do this in three simple (not easy) ways:
Spend more time teaching, less time selling
Start by focusing on the customer and what they need. If you can teach your audience something of value, they’ll reward you with their loyalty and word-of-mouth marketing.
Create engaging content that demonstrates your grasp of their industry, trends, and challenges. Communicate an experience-based vision for success by using stories from customers you’ve helped solve similar problems. Use this “notes from the field” approach frequently so they know this isn’t just theoretical stuff.
Don’t be afraid to blow your own horn about customer successes. Better yet, let them blow it.
Position yourself as a Sherpa, not an expert.
An expert tells you how to climb Mt. Everest. A Sherpa shows you. And they help you navigate the hazards along the way.
Of course, you have the expertise to offer, but present it in as practical a way possible. If you’re a software developer, use the customer’s real-world data whenever possible. Map out processes with their own internal systems in mind. Show them where the danger is and the safest path to success.
Coach your team to embrace the language of the Sherpa.
Explain your solution as simple as possible, but no simpler.
Tailor your messaging for the low-tech listener. Leave it to the eggheads to hash out the minutiae later.
Talking to an ordinary person without any background in your industry or expertise in your product demands that you speak their language. The first thing you need to do is understand how your prospect speaks and what they want most from a solution.
Avoid jargon, acronyms, and insider language. Not everyone in any given room is up to speed, and the last thing you want is for someone to lose the flow of the conversation at a critical point because they’re stuck on a technical term.
To summarize, if you’re a software developer, your clients need your help more than they want your software.
Create engaging content and you’ll have the opportunity to give them both.
