Proposition Me?

Many of us I am sure, get sent a multitude of sales/marketing content across pretty much all channels. On LinkedIn, life coaches make contact daily. Through e-mail, lots of IT companies and ‘business sales’ specialists hammer my in-box. Some pretty poor looking direct marketing/ SEO or web guys also ‘reach out’ to me. In print, it varies massively. Google likes print (and games and beach balls etc.), as do rather dull looking cleaning/building/gardening services and so in. On Facebook seems I profile well for guitar pedals (reasonably accurate).

The approach is typically poor. No research beyond a simple profile, e-mail address or postal address. Design wise the look is often flat, dull or cliched. The copywriting is equally sleep inducing.

But I could put up with much of that if there was a decent proposition in there somewhere. It’s old school sales methodology, but what are the features and benefits of the product or service that will help me? Yes me – not someone in my ‘sector’ my ‘band of turnover’ or employee size.

One to one marketing has been widely accepted as the way forward for many years. (I did a book review on the landmark Peppers and Rogers book I guess 10 years ago or so.)

Seems the message is not getting through. Maybe it is because people don’t use trained skilled marketing people? Could be they are just lazy (no it’s not a volume game and open rates does not mean true engagement!). No matter – to grab attention some simple sales and marketing principles should be applied. If you don’t know what the proposition is the chances are I will not try and guess.