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The Nuances of Marketing the Invisible: How to Humanize Your Brand and Convey True Value
Understanding the Challenges of Marketing the Invisible
In a world where tangible products often steal the spotlight, marketing intangible services can feel like an uphill battle. How do you expertly convey the value of a service that clients can't physically touch or see? This was a key point in a recent episode of "The Motivated CEO Podcast" featuring Katherine Thompson, a marketing expert and conversion copywriter who specializes in "selling the invisible."
Katherine underscores that the real work in these service-based transformations is often deep and nuanced. Unlike tangible goods, the impact may not be quantifiable within a rigid timeframe. Traditional marketing methods suggest packaging everything into a neat bundle with one big, tangible promise. However, Katherine argues that applying this to intangible services can lead to inauthentic messaging. Instead, service providers must dive into the depth of their unique value and articulate it genuinely.
The Power of Knowing Your Audience
At the core of any successful marketing strategy is a deep understanding of your audience. Katherine believes that people selling the invisible often know their clients intimately well. Yet, where they falter is in feeling compelled to fit their nuanced offerings into narrow, quantifiable promises. Instead, marketers should focus on communicating the variety of transformations their clients experience over different timeframes.
According to Katherine, connecting with your audience on a human level is pivotal. She highlights four fundamental elements that should guide your messaging: experiences, beliefs, values, and identity. These elements influence human behavior and perceptions, and addressing them allows for messaging that truly resonates.
Crafting Authentic, Connection-Driven Messaging
Addressing the intricacies of human connections in marketing can set you apart. Katherine suggests using storytelling to make your messages more relatable. Share personal experiences or customer journeys to establish an emotional connection with your audience. For instance, if you understand that potential clients have had negative experiences with quick-fix solutions, acknowledge that and offer a compassionate, alternative approach.
Moreover, emphasizing shared identities or values can create an unspoken bond. Whether it's being a parent, a fan of a particular music artist, or sharing a geographical location, these small details can foster connection. For Katherine, simple phrases like "selling the invisible" immediately connect her with those who understand the complexity of marketing intangible services.
Avoiding Common Marketing Pitfalls
Generalization is the enemy of effective communication. Katherine highlights that vague promises like "transform your life" do little to convey concrete value. Instead, illustrate what those transformations look, sound, and feel like. Connect those to the deeply-held beliefs and past experiences of your clients.
Another common mistake is burying the uniqueness that sets your service apart. The key differentiator is often not prominently featured in marketing materials. Katherine encourages marketers to lead with their unique selling propositions (USPs). Avoid diluting these elements and make them the cornerstone of your marketing narratives.
Lastly, resist the urge to make intangible services appear overly tangible. Grandiose, unquantifiable promises not only set unrealistic expectations but can damage your credibility. Instead, offer transparent, honest communication that aligns with what you can genuinely deliver.
Ethical Marketing in the Age of Skepticism
In the current landscape, skepticism runs high. The online space has been inundated with inflated promises, leading consumers to be more discerning. Katherine observes that sales cycles are now longer as potential clients take their time to investigate and ensure credibility before making a purchase. This means ethical, transparent marketing practices are more important than ever.
Providing clear, honest, and ethical messaging not only helps build trust but also ensures long-term business sustainability. Pushing for immediate sales with high-pressure tactics may deliver short-term gains but is counterproductive in the long run. People buy from those they trust, and that trust takes time to build.
Moving Forward with Ethical, Humanized Marketing
As entrepreneurs, adapting to the rapidly changing online landscape involves embracing authenticity and ethical marketing practices. Katherine's insights emphasize the importance of humanizing your brand by connecting through shared experiences, beliefs, values, and identities. Strive to articulate the nuanced value you offer without falling into the trap of generalization or exaggerated promises.
Ultimately, the journey to successful marketing of intangible services lies in consistently applying these principles. Engage your audience with genuine stories, respect their buying process, and present honest, value-driven messaging. By doing so, you not only enhance your brand’s credibility but also foster a community of loyal, satisfied clients who believe in what you do.
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Transcript for Episode 376. Simple Messaging Shifts to Make More Sales
Amy [00:00:03]:
How in the world do you convey value when the service that you provide is really intangible? You have this amazing service, this amazing transformation that you're getting for clients As a service provider, however, how do you articulate that in your messaging in a way that feels authentic, in a way that really conveys what you do in words? Well, today's guest, Katherine Thompson, a marketing expert and conversion copywriter, is here to help. She supports those selling the invisible articulate the value of what they do so that they can attract the right clients consistently. I'm super excited for this conversation because this is something that a lot of entrepreneurs struggle with. They're so good at what they do, but putting that into words can feel like an uphill battle. So, Katherine, first of all, welcome in. So excited to have you here today to help us demystify this whole process.
Katherine Thompson [00:01:08]:
Yeah. Thank you for having me. It's such a pleasure to be here, and I'm excited to chat. Yeah. Yes.
Amy [00:01:13]:
Yes. So let's get right to it. As a service provider, where are most of us going wrong in our marketing efforts? Because there's a lot of different ways that we can convey value, but not necessarily all of them are effective.
Katherine Thompson [00:01:32]:
Yeah. And especially when you're selling the invisible, a lot of the work that those that are selling the invisible do is really deep. There's a lot of depth there. There's a lot of nuance. Lots of things I hear from people is that I've got these clients that all have different things that they're coming to me with, or they've got a different way they express their transformations. And it's often what lies below the surface and things that happen, obviously, over sort of like, the long run. Right. It might not be something that happens in 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, which is a lot of the promises out there.
Katherine Thompson [00:02:06]:
And a lot of traditional marketing is taught from that perspective. Package it all up in a pretty little bow with one big tangible result and one big tangible outcome. The problem is, when you're selling the invisible, that's not how it looks. And so we have to actually get to the depth of that and communicate that. And it's interesting because a lot of people selling the invisible actually know their people really, really, really well, which is the key to being able to articulate the value of what you do. It's just that what I see people going wrong is they feel like they have to put it into this, like, box and package it in that one big, tangible promise, when in reality, that's actually what you don't want to do.
Amy [00:02:47]:
Yeah, that's such a great point. Really taking the time to know who exactly you're speaking to, who you are, the solution to what problem are you solving when you know those things, that's really key. That's step one. But like you said, traditional marketing methods are telling us to put things into a box. So how do we position ourselves to be the bridge from where they are right now to this amazing result that we can get for them?
Katherine Thompson [00:03:20]:
Yeah. And what I'm going to share with you is honestly going to like pop the lid off of probably what most people do. Most people are doing the big, tangible. Right. So if you can even get a couple of these things right in your messaging and in your content, you're like ahead of the game here in terms of being able to really connect with people. So I always love to think about the fact that you're connecting with another human. So a big part of this is like actually putting the DNA of the human back into the messaging that you're putting out there. And there's four things I always look at because as humans, our experiences inform our beliefs which create our values that then form our identity.
Katherine Thompson [00:04:00]:
Experiences and beliefs are two places we want to communicate to. So if somebody, for example. For example, let's just say you tried Facebook ads six times, it didn't work. You might form the belief that Facebook ads don't work. Or if you, you know, tried a diet of some sort because you wanted to lose weight and it's keto and it didn't work, or you tried all these other diets that haven't worked. You might say, dieting doesn't work for me. Or these diets don't work. We want to get nuanced with the experiences that your people have experienced in life.
Katherine Thompson [00:04:32]:
And this takes time. You've got to listen, you've got to write these out, all those sorts of things. And then we want to understand the beliefs that they might have formed as a result of going through that. And then what have they tried that in and of itself? If you can communicate to those hands down, you will be able to create demand and desire for what you sell. The other two being values and identity, those are the things that pull us in and form connection almost in an unwritten or unspoken way. So identity, if you're a new mom or you're a Swifty Taylor Swift fans out there, there's an unspoken connection because you just get each other. If you can speak to the identity piece in your messaging and connect on that perspective, that will form that unwritten sort of rule of like that human gets me. I always say that's why selling the invisible, saying selling the invisible, why it works so well, is because it speaks to the identity I am, that I sell the invisible.
Katherine Thompson [00:05:32]:
And it's three simple words that just instantly this woman must know me and must understand me.
Amy [00:05:38]:
Yeah. And those are the posts that when you're scrolling through social media, you're like, oh my gosh, she's in my head. How the heck is she doing it? But what you said at the beginning was you we're connecting with other humans and all too often, especially with the rise of AI, I think a lot of times we lose that because we're looking for ways to make ourselves more efficient, more productive, do all the things. But at the end of the day, people still buy from people. And when you take the time to really unpack those beliefs and what have they tried that hasn't worked, that right there is powerful. So it's like if you take nothing else away from this episode, take the time to really get curious. And that's something else you said, is listen, listen. Because the information is there.
Amy [00:06:29]:
But all too often we're not taking the time to get quiet and to really truly listen to what those that are already in our world, our clients that we currently have, what are they saying, what are they coming to our coaching sessions with? And that is such a gold mine of information that we can then use in our marketing. But it's almost too simple that we forget to do it. So thank you for the reminder.
Katherine Thompson [00:06:55]:
Yeah, it is so true. It is a simple, a simple thing. But I think in this fast paced, quick world we're in rapidly changing all the time with AI and stuff like that, it's really easy to want to be more efficient, productive, and I call it like mechanical or manufacturing. We want analytical and strategic for sure. But at the end of the day, like you said, people buy from people. And so if, if they don't feel that human connection, if it feels manufactured or like I'm just trying to get somebody to go from point A to point B so they buy my thing, they're going to feel it.
Amy [00:07:28]:
And that's a really value valid point, is the feeling they're feeling that connection because that's our USP right there. It's that subconscious connection that, oh my gosh, she worked in healthcare. Guess what? So did I. I wanted to leave my job in healthcare. I can do that too. So they start to see themselves in you. They can see themselves Because I think a lot of times, even more so than the money, than the time, that belief is the biggest objection that I see. That subconscious story, that narrative that's running through our head.
Amy [00:08:07]:
So as entrepreneurs, how can we start to articulate some of those beliefs into our content that we are sharing in order to really, like, convey that transformation?
Katherine Thompson [00:08:20]:
Yeah. So the best way to, like, articulate the beliefs that we're seeing is, to me, through storytelling in a lot of ways. Like sharing your own story, like you just touched on. Right. I. On my podcast, I talk about my brick and mortar. Lots of people come to me because they're. They're in the offline world and they want to come online, or I bake sourdough.
Katherine Thompson [00:08:38]:
So then they come to me that way, like, oh, she baked sourdough, or she's in Canada, so I can connect. Like, we forget that these connection points are the thing and our story, even if it doesn't seem relevant, like, even if you're like, well, it doesn't really feel on brand that I'm sharing about my sourdough. It's like these things are going to form that connection point. And then in terms of articulating beliefs, again, it's really about understanding the beliefs that are coming through that your people are actually saying. So oftentimes I'll say, what does it look like? What does it sound like? What does it feel like? So if somebody says something like, I'm living paycheck to paycheck, what belief might come up as a result of that? Right. What are the beliefs? Maybe. Maybe they have a childhood story, Their parents always live paycheck to paycheck, and they could barely make ends meet or. And they've never seen anybody not live like that.
Katherine Thompson [00:09:30]:
So it's like, what does it look like? What does it feel like? What does it sound like? And that, again, comes back to really listening to people and really paying attention to kind of what they're saying and getting curious, like, is that all? Is that it? And I usually just take exactly what someone says and put that into words. I don't try to change it because that's exactly what they told me.
Amy [00:09:51]:
Yeah, and that's a really, really good point that you make. You know, don't try and change it. Don't try and make it something that it's not. Again, we're over complicating it. When in business, in marketing, we're just experimenting. We're gathering information, gathering data, and then applying it. And if we're finding that we're not Getting the results that we desire. It's just making those little tweaks along the way because it's all just information.
Amy [00:10:16]:
But it's easy again to get into that cycle of belief that if something's not working, that, oh my gosh, it's tied to my worth as a human. I need to completely pivot, I need to burn my business down. We all get thoughts like that. So if you're listening to this and going, oh my gosh, but I think that yeah, you're normal. That's life. But realizing it and knowing then how you can use that, even your own story, that's such a good point. Point. It allows people to really build that connection with you because we're humanizing our brand.
Amy [00:10:49]:
And that's why I think a lot of times as small business owners, we do have an advantage over like the Walmart's and the targets of the world because they can see our journey, our story now. They're a part of this. And it goes back to community building as well. Yeah. What are your thoughts?
Katherine Thompson [00:11:08]:
Yeah, I love that because. And even, even big corporations, I keep saying like coming back to grassroots. Grassroots is a word that keeps flying around lately that I've been hearing a lot of people say I want to get back to the grassroots. I want to connect more with community. I want to actually go out in person in community. A lot of my clients are saying that like they've built these online businesses now, personal brands, and they're like, I just want to be in person, in community in that, in that way. And we do have an advantage as personal brands, solopreneurs, entrepreneurs with smaller businesses, to really continue to form that human connection with our people. And the more that we do that, again, that just has that ripple effect and spreads.
Amy [00:11:48]:
Yeah, yeah, it really does. Now I would love to know what are some of the most common mistakes that you see entrepreneurs making when really trying to convey this value? What should we avoid?
Katherine Thompson [00:12:01]:
Yeah, so the biggest one that I see is generalization. So if you're selling the invisible, like things like transform your life or live your most joyful, abundant life, what does that look like? What does that sound like? What does that feel like? And then connecting that back again to the values and the identity of the human that you, who you are, but also who you want to connect with, that's the biggest mistake is often the generalization. And I get it, because the brain wants to condense and be succinct. The other one is, is that the, what makes somebody different is the thing that they dilute or dim. So anytime I'm reading a sales page or a form of copy or content, I swear every single time the nugget of gold is like buried at the bottom. I'm like, why are, why are you telling me this? As like a final sentence? This should be the leading sentence. So it's like, it's. Don't dilute what makes you different and what your perspective is and your unique perspective is.
Katherine Thompson [00:13:00]:
Bring that out and highlight that. And then of course, making something, like trying to make something that isn't tangible, tangible, that is actually going to cost you clients. Because it's not believable if you say, oh, I can help you heal your entire life in 30 days, it's not believable. So that people's subconscious BS radar goes up and goes. But you can't quantify that. So those are probably the three biggest ones is, you know, overgeneralization, not pulling out that uniqueness that, that you have. And we, and you and I know you have it if you're listening. And the trying to make something that isn't tangible.
Katherine Thompson [00:13:41]:
Tangible.
Amy [00:13:42]:
Yeah. Can we talk about that BS radar? Because I feel like in the online space, I'm gonna go there.
Katherine Thompson [00:13:48]:
Yes. I love it.
Amy [00:13:50]:
We've really started to see a shift in 2024, especially because a lot of entrepreneurs, a lot of people in the online space have been burned. They have been burned. They have been promised the moon and back and now people are more skeptical. Sales cycles are longer, but people are still buying. So what's happening in the online space that really, we are all a lot more skeptical now.
Katherine Thompson [00:14:17]:
Yeah. I actually love it. I am somebody who is always promoted having discernment, like going away, thinking about it. My sales process is. I don't. I've never collected payment on a call. I've never stood by that. And I'm like, go away.
Katherine Thompson [00:14:32]:
Think about it. If it's three months, if it's whatever. So what we're seeing is over saturation in an industry with a bunch of messaging that was promising 10k in 30 days or lose £50 in 10 days. And we all know that those messages, there's, there's not, it's not fully transparent. Right. Nobody can guarantee losing 10 pounds in 30 days. Nobody can guarantee making 10k in 30 days. It's not transparent.
Katherine Thompson [00:14:59]:
Does it happen? Sure. But that will depend on the human being behind the wheel that is the one trying to lose weight or the one building the business. And we all come with our own experience, knowledge. So it's, it's not something we can guarantee. And so that's why people have been burned, because they've invested in these promises that are implied, which now we're starting to see crackdowns on. We're starting to see the FTC come down and go, you know what, you can't make those claims because you're implying that everybody that goes through your business is making 10k in 30 days. And if that isn't true, if only 1% is doing that, which if you go to groups and you study groups and you observe groups, I can almost guarantee that it is. About 1 to 2% of people in big programs are getting the results that were promised and it could be a variety of different reasons.
Katherine Thompson [00:15:50]:
So we're seeing that people are more discerning, sales cycles are longer, people are still buying and people are still investing in high ticket. They're just a lot more discerning. Which means your messaging, your content and what you're putting out there needs to be transparent, needs to be ethical and needs to allow for people to take their time in that buying process. So if you post for 30 days and you're not seeing the results you want, you've got to give your people 60, 90 days in order for them to make a sale and that sort of thing. That's what the sales cycle is starting to look like. Yeah.
Amy [00:16:29]:
Yeah. Oh, so many good points you made. And you know, so many of these things we're seeing in the online space have just like you said, they are almost taken out of context. It's very, a very, very small percentage of people that are achieving these massive, massive wins. Yes, it can be done. Anything is possible. You know, I don't mean to like rain on your parade if you're like, but, but that's what I want. That's awesome.
Amy [00:16:53]:
You need to know what your goal is so you can reverse engineer it. But gone are the days with these pushy sales tactics. Like you said, I don't collect payment on a call as well because it doesn't attract the right client. It just, you know, I'm not here to be the savior. I am here to empower you with the tools and resources so that you can achieve the results that you want. And I think when we really start to go back into the type of marketing and conveying value in the way that you have just laid out for us, it feels lighter. Sales become easier because now it's that equal exchange of energy. It's not this pushy, sleazy, car salesman type of bro marketing energy out There it's, hey, you have a problem, I have the solution.
Amy [00:17:46]:
How can we collaborate together to get you the result that you want? This is possible. I know you're seeing all of this crazy marketing in the online space, but just realize you're in control. You get to choose. And by going back in and doing exactly what Katherine has taught you, go in and unpack those beliefs, figure out what those clients have tried that didn't work. Unpack the values, unpack the identity. Leverage those four pillars in your marketing and you're going to see a shift. You're going to see a shift in how you attract people and just how you feel. And again, you're setting yourself up for a successful and sustainable business, not one that you're putting yourself at risk of some sort of, you know, litigation.
Amy [00:18:39]:
Because things are changing so fast this year, it is so hard to keep up with all of the changes in the online space. But as an entrepreneur, it's important that we have conversations like this. So, Katherine, thank you so much for taking the time to share how we can market ethically, how we can convey the value of the invisible into words. This is going to change so many of our listeners approaches to marketing. So I really appreciate you taking the time to share.
Katherine Thompson [00:19:13]:
Thank you. It's been a pleasure, yeah, being here and sharing and I hope everybody gets, yeah, extreme value from it.
Amy [00:19:19]:
So, yes. And if you were looking for even more value from Katherine, please go into the show notes. We've got an awesome freebie for her linked up there. Get into her world. She is amazing at what she does. All right, everyone, it was another great episode. And until next time, cheers to making the money you want so you can create the impact you desire.
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