The BIG Lesson of the Month - The #1 Thing You Must Do Before You Write a Single Word of Sales Copy
When you read the title of this article, how many nanoseconds did it take for you to start thinking…
1. There’s no such thing as ideal clients.
2. And even if there were such a thing, there wouldn’t be enough of them to support my business.
3. And even if there were enough of them, it would be like finding needles in a haystack.
4. But boy, it sure would be nice if THAT fairytale came true!
Good news…you’re wrong! At least about the first 3. Don’t be offended though. This really is good news.
Why? Because realizing these myths are some of the greatest lies you’ve ever told yourself is the first step to achieving unlimited success and the business of your dreams. You see ideal clients ARE NOT perfect people. But ideal clients do have wants and needs perfectly matched to your company’s purpose.
Let me explain…
You’re probably familiar with the old 80/20 rule, right? Eighty percent of your work comes from 20% of your clients. Well, what is it that makes this so? Why is it that you just “click” with them and not the others? Why is it easy, even effortless? Why do they respect you, appreciate you, make you feel needed and give you a renewed sense of passion and purpose about your work? Because their needs are a perfect match to your purpose.
So what does this have to do with copywriting? Everything…in that you must clearly and consciously define your purpose before you can successfully write even the first word of copy.
Don’t worry, it’s not nearly as boring or difficult as it sounds.
In fact, you should take heart because whether you realize it or not the hard part is over. So let’s get to the fun stuff!
You already have some idea of what you and your company are about but before you can write copy that attracts your ideal clients, you need to start broadcasting on their frequency. And the only way to do that is by synchronizing your personal and professional purposes.
Identifying Your Personal Purpose
Take a moment now to write down in the space below your most basic values. They include things like—happiness, compassion, determination, honesty, confidence, spirituality, gratitude, commitment, sense of humor, leadership, etc.
Use these to help you get started or create ones entirely your own, but write them down now in the space provided below.
My Basic Values:
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From this list, select the three or four that are most important to you.
Next, arrange them in a mission statement. So if you chose “exemplary work,” “results-oriented,” “creativity” and “joyfulness” your mission statement might say:
“My purpose is to ensure that I joyfully perform exemplary work in a creative, results-oriented way for every client I encounter.”
Now ask yourself, “Are my basic values in harmony with my company’s daily practices?”
“If we don’t change the direction we’re going, we’re likely to end up where we’re headed.”
Ancient Chinese Proverb
If the answer is “yes” then you have a strong foundation for the next step, Identifying and Attracting Your Ideal Clients.
If the answer is “no,” you’ll want to spend some time reflecting on how you can bring your business practices into harmony with your core values. Maybe this involves hiring the right people, firing the wrong ones, saying “no” to some opportunities so you can say “yes” to others, or becoming a specialist instead of a generalist in your field.
Whatever the answer is for you, set aside a few minutes each day and start taking measurable action toward achieving alignment.
Those steps can be as simple as making a phone call, calling a board meeting, reading a specific book, you name it. Just do something, anything, to get you moving in the right direction.
This is absolutely crucial because as your personal and professional purposes find harmony with one another, you will begin to more easily attract your ideal clients.
