The Need Factor

Author: C. Hope Clark

Politicians forever orate on how much better they are than their adversaries. During election year, we are inundated with self-proclamations leading many of us to turn television off. People do not enjoy listening to self-praise, so telling someone how great you are and how great you write is a turn-off. The key to business success is taking the same information and turning it around.

Make your readers/customers feel they have a dire need that you can fill. Create a problem and provide the solution. This is a tried-and-true magnet for customers that many corporations have used for generations.

As much as writers don’t want to believe it, they are business people. They are writers when they write. They are salespeople when they sell. Writers can’t sell. Salespeople can’t write.

In selling your books, articles, copywriting service, you must convince people they have a need for you and your work. Touch them…make their lives easier…make them happier. That’s the goal of every human on the planet…to be more satisfied in their lives.

Analyze your writing. Why do you write? If it’s all about you, then you’re missing the boat. These reasons are along the line of:

I enjoy telling stories.
I like finding the right words.
It’s fulfilling to be able to write well.
I can’t NOT write.

Me, me, me, me. How is that attitude going to sell books and articles?

Just like an agent is going to ask you who you intend to sell your work to, you need to analyze why anyone would want to read your writing―copywriting, novels, poetry, scripts, whatever. Is it humorous? Is it unique? Are you brightening their day? Educating them? You need to define how you can:

Make their life easier;
Make their days brighter;
Make their disposition better;
Make them feel more fulfilled;
Make them more satisfied; or
Entertain them.

You don’t want them to respect you. You want them to admire the writing product. The makers of Coca Cola don’t care about recognition other than to sell more Cokes. Their goal is to produce a drink that people enjoy enough to come back and buy again. You should feel the same way.

Your words must have purpose. It’s better to have someone want to read your words than know your name.

Identify the want, write a product that fills the need, and you have a partnership that results in sales. Ask any business owner out there. He or she will tell you that making the customer happy is first and foremost. And making the customer happy should be what makes you ecstatic…not how you feel about your own words.

Writing may be from inside you, but sales are about the other person.