Just as a focus on customer happiness—and not your accountant’s—makes for killer customer service, concentrating on the perspective of clients will make you a better marketer. So while there’s a natural tendency to play up your business’s accomplishments when pitching to prospects, it won’t help you much. Instead, talk about your customers. It’s their favorite subject.

There’s no room for navel-gazers in marketing. Here’s our advice on keeping your customers front-and-center in each of your marketing messages.

Copy U
Solid copywriting revolves around your customers. Not to toot our own horn, but check out the title of this post. Too much “We” or “Us” will turn off prospects. But “you”? Readers can’t resist that word. Who doesn’t want to read about themselves? So as you create copy for your direct mail campaigns or compose a Facebook post for your page, make sure your message focuses on the audience (your customer) and not the speaker (you).

YouTube
Ever wondered how social media captured your customers’ attention so fully that every business—no matter the market—suddenly needed a Facebook page or a YouTube channel? Wonder no longer. The answer is in the name: YouTube. People love social media because it’s a chance to share their most flattering photos and repeat their funniest jokes. Essentially: social media is user-centric. Users can’t get enough.

That brings us to the delicate balance your business must strike on social media. While Twitter, Pinterest and the like are avenues for spreading your message, it must be about your customer. For example, if you own a furniture store, don’t pin photos of your latest shipment. Instead, encourage customers to share pictures of your furniture in their homes. Emphasize their exceptional interior design skills instead of your store’s exceptional inventory.

Beat You To It
Take inspiration from the holiday layaway commercials airing on TV right now. Notice that marketers go beyond emphasizing sale prices, getting ahead on shopping or even the ability to buy more presents with a layaway option. Toy stores appeal to a parents desire to delight their children. They put themselves in the buyer’s shoes by defining, then speaking to, their motivation for buying Christmas presents.

Your marketing can take the same approach. Consider your potential customers’ motivation for buying from you. Don’t pitch your product features. Pitch whatever benefit customer’s will get from being your customer. For example, a mechanic may pitch piece of mind to customers who don’t want to worry about their cars breaking down. Not a word about your new eagle lift.

How much of your business’s marketing is about you, and how much is about your customer? Refigure your pitch to put the attention where it belongs, then watch your marketing ROI climb.