3 Business Lessons from Susan Boyle

I am loving this woman and her newly-found fame!

I’m sure you recognize her, who doesn’t know her these days?  This is a picture of Susan Boyle, the woman who wowed the world on Britain’s version of “America’s Got Talent” just a few days ago.  In a matter of hours, this humble woman went from being an unemployed villager to an overnight sensation.

I saw her last night on CNN’s Larry King Show and her presence was inspiring.  And when I hear her speak and think of her story, I see a myriad of lessons for those of us in business.  These lessons aren’t novel or new, but are worth repeating, especially now when the economy is taking its toll on us all. 

Lesson #1:  Just Do It!  Sometimes we all need a push out of our comfort zone to do what we’re in the game to do.  Prior to auditioning for the show, Susan seldom left the confines and comforts of her small village.  Going to the studio and getting up on that big stage took a lot of courage and as business people, we can learn a lot from her example.  

Lesson #2:  Ignore The Naysayers.  Did you see how rude the judges and the audience were to Susan?  When Larry King asked how she rose above that, Susan Boyle simply answered that she had to do what she’d come to do and couldn’t let the hecklers and haters deter her.  (These are my words not hers.) 

That’s remarkable!  How many of us get sidetracked by what others think or discouraged because someone else refuses to believe in our dream?

Lesson #3:  Be Authentic.  Offers are coming out of the woodwork from people who want to give Susan Boyle a beauty makeover.  So far she’s refused.  Good for her!  She’s planning to remain true to her to who she is and not allow others to mold her into what they think she should be.  

What a great lessson to those of us in business.  We need to stick with our brand and those who recognize the value we bring will come.  (Like Simon Cowell who is reportedly planning to offer Susan a record deal whether she wins the show’s competition or not!)

 Nothing new here, but important lessons worth repeating.

I take my hat off to Susan Boyle.  As far as I’m concerned, she’s already won.

How much copy is "too much"?

Copywriters are often asked how long promotional copy should be and the quick and easy answer is “as long as necessary.”  But for a more thoughtful examination, I invite you to consider the following 3 rules of thumb:

1. The more expensive your product or service, the longer your copy should be.

2. If your product or service has multiple features, you may need longer copy to adequately present them all.

3. If your product or service is something that most readers are familar with, you may be able to get your point across using shorter copy.

And more specifically…

For web sites:

Writer Nick Usborne says that the length of web site copy should be dictated by what the site visitors expect.  So when creating that copy, he suggests that you ask yourself questions like “How much do first-time visitors really want to learn from this page?” and “Have I provided enough information so they know where to click next?”

For ads:

A McGraw Hill study looked at 3,597 ads in 26 different magazines.  It was determined that the ads with 300 or more words were more successful than shorter ads in terms of brand awareness and prompting an action.  This strongly suggests that people don’t decide not to read an ad because they think it has too many words.

Ultimately…

Your copy length should be dictated by what you want it to do for you.

If you want the copy to persuade the reader to request a free sample or additional information from you, the copy can most likely be relatively short.

However, if you’re asking for more of a commitment (like asking for money or trying to close a deal), you may need to use longer copy to more fully and effectively get your message across.

And the direct marketer in me has to bring in the topic of “the list.” People will read what they’re interested in.  So if you’re marketing to the right list — meaning if you’re marketing to people who have a need or a desire for what you have to offer — they’ll read your long copy because they crave that information.

On the flip side, if you’re talking to the wrong audience, they’ll stop reading before the end, regardless of how many or how few words you use.

And so the debate continues… What do you think?  Respectful comments and insights are always welcomed here.

Come on, are you telling another story?

If you’re telling stories, I’m thrilled for you!   

Now before you call your mother and tell her that I’m encouraging you to lie, let me explain.

Stories get attention and telling an interesting story is one of the best ways of getting your sales message across.   Just consider this scenario…

You’re at a networking event and you meet a man who mentions that he’s in need of someone to complete his taxes.  You’re a tax preparer, so this is music to your ears.  Now, take a look at the following two ways you might respond:  

Response #1:  “I’ve been doing taxes for years and I’m very good at it.  I used to work at the IRS so I know what can and can’t be done, and I know how to get to the most current rules and regulations.  I love what I do, have lots of happy clients and, quite frankly, you won’t find a tax preparer who is more thorough than I am.  Would you like to schedule an appointment to see me next week?”

Response #2:  “Funny you should mention taxes because I just got a thank you note on yesterday from a woman whose taxes I did earlier this year.  She had come to me in a panic because she feared that she would owe money this year.  Thankfully, I was able to pull from my years of experience, including my work with the IRS, and when I was finished she didn’t owe the government a penny!  In her note she thanked me over and over and said that I was the best tax preparer she’d worked with.  That really made my day.  Would you like to schedule an appointment to see me next week?”

Which response would you prefer to call your own?

Not only would the story told in the second response be more interesting to hear, but it also allows you to get your point across without sounding like the boastful salesman in response #1.  In essence, you let your customer toot your horn and do the selling for you.   Smooth move!

Here are 3 tips for finding and telling a good story…

1. Testimonials are great story-telling tools.  Don’t be shy about asking your happy clients for them and use their testimonials as often as you can.
2. I love and appreciate email as much as the next guy, but good stories are often uncovered in “real-life” conversations — the kind where you can hear the joy, fear, or stress in a person’s voice and where how you say things matters as much as what you say.  Toward that end, call and/or visit with your customers occasionally just to check in and to determine if there is anything you can do to help them.  During such casual conversations, you’ll often identify great fodder you can use for your next story.
3. When telling your story, leave out intricate details that aren’t key and get quickly to your point.  It would be a shame to allow the delivery to ruin a good story.

 Some experts say that even your “elevator speech” (write to me  if you need me to explain what this is) should include a short story.   If you decide to do so, be sure that the story is consistent with your brand.  Don’t make a promise in your elevator pitch story that isn’t consistent with the promises made in your other marketing materials. 

Storytelling has been a part of life since the beginning of time and there’s no reason you shouldn’t be using them in your business.  The big guys are telling stories, and so should you.

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