Do you ever wonder if you're speaking a different language than
your prospects? You may have recently launched a business,
designed an innovative process or purchased state of the art
equipment that leaves the competition in the dust, but no matter
what you say or do, you aren't attracting as many prospects as
you need.

Lauren called me from Michigan with just such a concern. She and
another friend had opened a fitness salon about a year ago.
After a careful analysis of the local chain's facilities, they
had invested in next-generation equipment that provided many
added features. Yet, a year after opening, and doing every
marketing activity they could think of, they still weren't
attracting enough clients to pay the rent.

The problem wasn't lack of effort. The problem was that
prospects didn't understand the benefits or higher value of
Lauren's fitness facility.

Remember the best selling book "Men Are From Mars, Women Are
from Venus"? A key point of the book is that men and women see
many things differently, and express themselves differently.

If you have children, you know that the same is true of parents
and teenagers. What's important to you is often unimportant to
your seventeen-year-old, and vice-a versa.
Sometimes you wonder if the two of you are speaking the same
language. You've probably learned to get your child's attention
by talking about their needs and interests. These may include
sports, movies and access to the family car.

Prospects and business owners have different perspectives as
well. You may be focused on the costly and state-of-the-art
equipment that enables your enterprise to function. Your
prospects primary concern, on the other hand, is that you solve
their problem or get the job done, and your equipment and
processes are of secondary interest.

Lauren's marketing focused to a high degree on the higher
quality equipment her salon provided. She was talking hydraulics
and variable resistance. This approach wasn't pulling in new
clients.

Due to shoulder surgery, my exercising has been recently
relegated to a local fitness salon. My objective is to stay as
fit possible so when my shoulder heals I'll be able to get back
to the sports activities I enjoy.

Do I relish exercising on a recumbent bike or treadmill? Of
course not. When I mentioned this to Lauren she replied,
"Everyone hates the machines."

People work out regularly because they want to achieve a
particular goal. They want to get fit or lose those extra
pounds. People go to a fitness center like Lauren's because they
want to look and feel better. If you own a fitness salon, don't
talk equipment, talk about what it does. Talk about calories
burned, weight lost, muscle tone, strength, feeling healthy,
improving at tennis or on the ski slope, looks and self-image.

If you want to attract more clients to your business, whether
it's a fitness salon or your accounting practice, make sure
you're speaking the same language as your prospects. Your
concerns in getting the work done may be different than your
prospects' and clients'. They are concerned with the problem you
solve for them.

Whether it's in your ads, your marketing brochure, your web site
or in your sales conversations, speak in your prospects'
language. Speak in terms of their concerns, problems and goals.
When you communicate to prospects in terms of their priorities,
you'll get their attention and their business.

About the Author
2004 © In Mind Communications, LLC. All rights reserved.
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The author, Charlie Cook, helps service professionals and small
business owners attract more clients and be more successful.
Sign up for the Free Marketing Plan eBook,
'7 Steps to get more clients and grow your business'
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