Nope, there is no error in my headline. Although it is hip to be multilingual in our global community, it is mandatory to speak client in your marketing. You can do it in any language that you’d like, but it should include these perspectives:

1)    Your marketing messages are from your ideal client’s point of view.

We often try so hard to describe what we can do for our clients or how our product or service actually works that we forget the most important thing for our clients—what using our service or product can do for them. These can be the physical benefits, as well as, emotional or intangible ones. In this world of too much information, a client wants to see this before they are willing to investigate the details of what your offer. If you’re not sure if your message meets this criteria, run it by an ideal client and ask them if they can easily see what’s in it for them.

2)    Your marketing messages are relevant to your ideal client.

This can include addressing issues that are top of mind for them or problems they are facing, speaking and writing in the same way they think, or by joining in the conversation in their head. How do you do this? Talk to them! Find out what they think about and what problems they are facing. When you take notes, try to capture the actual language they use. Paraphrasing doesn’t always work as those are your words, not theirs. Have you had the feeling of reading something that seems like it’s meant just for you? It can bring a sense of relief and a feeling of being understood. How nice when you can offer this to your clients! It’s not going overboard to schedule annual interviews with several of your ideal clients or to have a policy of always asking folks for their thoughts as you are working together.

3)    Your marketing messages have personality.

Life is to short to wade through boring material and simply put, we’ve been spoiled. There’s a lot of good writing in the world. Does that mean you always need to be clever or funny? Only if that’s in-line with your brand or personality and would be appreciated by your client. It is just as effective to be sincere and warm if that’s a better fit for you and your clients. Whatever tone you take, just don’t be deadpan or overly factual in a way that kills your message. Imagine being face-to-face with your clients and make sure your marketing messages carry a similar tone to your face-to-face intentions. Don’t be afraid to involve a copywriter if this is outside your skill set, or an editor if you need to have your first pass spruced up. The long term benefits of effective messaging far out way the short term costs.