Your prospective customers are everywhere! They are reading blogs, news, watching videos, playing games and maybe even buying educational or informational products from other experts. They are everywhere but on your website or blog.
You see them engaging with people who have content you know isn’t very good. You see them engaging on social media around problems with others who are not qualified to help them. Some guy with a 45 second video that said nothing has 20,000 views.
So, what in the world is really going on? Why aren’t they on your website? Why aren’t they reading your articles? Why aren’t they buying from you?
It’s because you’re competing with the noise! That’s all you are to them and it’s all you are ever going to be until you give them a reason to take notice of you. Being upset, whining and complaining, expressing your frustration or even engaging them while in a negative mindset will not help you. In fact it will make things worse.
Before you came along they had already established habits and have built trust with someone other than you. It doesn’t matter what you think. Someone else is their trusted source and right now you’re not it.
You think the solution is to get them on your email list? Good luck with that! Even if you do get them open rates are ridiculously low!
What about social media? They already follow hundreds of other experts that appear to do what you do. Why are any different than they are?
You’ll blog. Sounds great except I talked to a person today via social media is so frustrated at how much work he puts into it for no reward in traffic or business that he’s ready to call it quits.
So what are you to do? How will you cut through all of the noise and clutter to become a trusted source for your prospects and customers and keep them coming back over and over again for more?
7 Steps to Help You Cut Through the Noise and Reach Your Prospects
If you want to stand out and reach your audience, here is a list of seven ideas that can help you cut through the noise:
#1 – Know thyself
If you have read my blog at all, you know this is a big one for me. I read too many blogs and articles where it is obvious that a company has no idea who they really are.
I just recently signed a contract with a non-profit to coach them through their online messaging. It was really clear that they didn’t know what business they are really in.
What business are you “really” in?
It’s interesting, when that question is asked I will almost universally get a list of the results that a business or non-profit achieves through their work.
After twenty minutes of listening it was clear what they really do but they couldn’t see it. We were talking about job training programs, housing, food, clothing, renewal and second chances. All really good stuff! But you can’t explain that concisely and quickly and it is in no way inspirational.
Besides, that’s not at all what I’m asking for. I’m asking what business you’re “really” in? I’m not asking what do you do.
Here is what we came up with:
“We are in the business of taking people with little or no hope “to” hope!”
Can you imagine how that changes things? You can message that and do all kinds of things with a statement like that to help people understand who you really are.
Know thyself well! It will change your business and help you cut through the noise and bring a sense of excitement and enthusiasm for who you are and what you do!
Do you want to cut through the noise and stand out? Know thyself!
#2 – Be Unique
I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of seeing the same old titles and articles. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; If I see one more article title that says “Ten Ways to Increase Your Twitter Followers” I’m going to EXPLODE!
It seems the overwhelming majority of blog articles and websites have nothing unique to say or present to us. They are just creating more noise and giving people a reason not to visit your website or buy from you.
Who wants to read the same stuff over and over again?
My colleague and blogging friend Chery Schmidt wrote an amazing article the other day that just jumped right out at me. Want to know her title?
“Want A Successful Online Business? Then Avoid The “******”!”
Holy cow! She just violated the sacred rule of foul language, lol… But, my goodness didn’t she make her point straight out of the gate?
She is tired and sick of seeing people getting taken advantage of by people who take your credit card and promise to deliver help and then leave you with nothing more than an empty wallet. I encourage you to read her article it may just be the difference between success and unnecessary failure.
Chery is unique. She cuts right through the noise and the nonsense and hits you right where it counts. Her title alone made me go “gulp”. But then she delivered in the article and left me at “WOW!”
Be unique. Stop following everyone else and find your own voice and then communicate in a way that only you can do.
Do you want to cut through the noise and stand out? Be unique!
#3 – Be Relevant
I was reading a blog the other day that brought up Orson Wells. Now, if you’re not into sci-fi big time you probably don’t have a clue who Orson Wells even is and that blog is no longer relevant to you. Is it?
Relevance deals with three primary things:
- Taking something that is familiar and using it to communicate a point in the appropriate context of an article.
- Sticking to the subject and not floating around.
- Not leaving people with a bad feel or taste in their mouth.
I’m focus on the third point. Don’t leave a bad taste in people’s mouth. There are two dominate ways I see this. You may see more and if you do please tell me in the comments section below.
The first place I see it is in spammy comments. Just yesterday in my most recent article I had someone start of their comment by saying:
“Anytime I am here, I love to announce myself. So fellas, this is … and website.com.”
Really? How is that relevant or interesting or leaving anyone feeling like they really want to click on that website? Did the comment in any way contribute to the further conversation around the article? Not at all!
It left a very bad taste in my mouth and I got several private messages on Facebook thanking me for advising him of his bad decision to not be relevant.
The second thing I see a lot of and experience is tagging on Facebook and Google Plus when an article does not mention me. There might be twenty people tagged and then a beg to go read it.
That is not relevant at all. In fact it’s a nuisance. Don’t do that to people unless you mention them in the article and they are relevant to the discussion.
Do you want to cut through the noise and stand out? Be relevant!
#4 – Be Visionary
Being visionary is a lost art today. Many of us can tell you where you’ve been but you can’t tell us where you’re going and how your product or service can help us.
A great example of someone who is visionary and is getting it right is Enstine Muki. Enstine is a brilliant man that can cut across many different spectrum’s of business life. Not only is he a gifted blogger and online networker, he is also a php programmer. That means he can create very dynamic applications for websites.
One thing Enstine has is clear passions for helping people grow their online influence when he feels they deserve it. Although he is a very successful blogger he recognizes that there has to be alternatives to how bloggers can help one another increase the traffic to their websites and get their message out.
So he created a widget for WordPress that bloggers will be able download and install on their sites soon that will allow bloggers to create a network with one another in order to promote each other’s articles. I’m excited to be in the beta program testing it out alongside a number of other great bloggers.
In addition, he has also created a widget to help you figure out how many comments were left on the site and specifically how many comments were given by any one individual. This allows him to thank his commenters by both email and on his site.
It’s also available now as a free download from WordPress.
How cool is that!!!!
What Enstine has done is so visionary that now he adds more credibility and validation to his writing because of how he has helped other bloggers increase their influence online.
Not only do they get to read Enstine, they also get to experience him!!!! Does it really get any better than that?
Want to learn more about how you can gain traffic from Enstine’s new program? Visit Broaded.net.
Do you want to cut through the noise and stand out? Be visionary!
#5 – Be Persuasive
People want to know that you know what you’re talking about. Persuasion has nothing to do with the stereotype that implies manipulating, pressuring, cajoling… all the sales stereotypes.
Persuasion and influence go hand-in-hand. It’s the ability to convince people through ideas that you have a solution or a better way of seeing things and then getting people onboard with you.
Just yesterday I met Dave Schneider on his blog for the first time. He wrote an very persuasive article titled “Why I Don’t Do Info Products Or Business Coaching (And How Not To Get Burned).”
His argument is that for most people in business coaching they have no business doing it. They don’t have the background, training or experience. His context is that he has had success in his business and was approached to coach a person in order to help their business.
His thinking is very persuasive as to why he won’t do it and why most shouldn’t. He offers throughout the article contrasts, benefits and drawbacks as well as positives and negatives; and of course where he lands.
Of course, in the comments I shared my purpose for why I coach within my niche only and that I’m in the field with my coaching clients eating my own dog food. Lol…
Dave’s argument is very persuasive and well thought out. It really made him stand out as he challenged my own thoughts and ideas as well as validating others for me.
Do you want to cut through the noise and stand out? Be persuasive!
#6 – Be Focused
Let’s be honest, the Internet is a big place and we can get lost in a sea of information that might leave us learning a lot while at the same time getting nothing done.
Learning has its benefits but it also has its drawbacks.
Neamat Tawadrous in her article shares how a lack of focus can cause severe problems for our businesses.
“There are always new information to learn, lots of lists to subscribe to and hundreds of emails everyday from people you subscribed to their lists which get business owners distracted from focusing on the money generating activities and waste lots of time jumping around on the internet without getting anything done.”
Unfortunately, Neamat’s blog is no longer online.
I learned a long time ago a formula which as really resonated with me:
Clarity + Focus = Execution
We have been dealing with clarity up to this point and now by adding focus you can understand how to execute better.
Allow me one more example.
Sue Anne Dunlevie introduced me to several great influencers yesterday on her blog at successfulblogging.com. One person in particular defined focus to me extremely well!
Josh Coffy said, “Pick a social network and master it. When you try to master multiple at once, you spread yourself too thin, see little results and get burnt out.”
Does it really get any clearer than that? That’s some serious focus that I can apply right now!
Focus will help you cut through the clutter and the noise.
Do you want to cut through the noise and stand out? Be focused!
#7 – Forget the Experts
Let me make this really clear up-front. I’m not saying don’t follow any experts and stop learning from them. Maybe “forget” is the wrong word. But I want to make my point here.
Why is it that many businesses are not unique, relevant, visionary, persuasive or focused?
I believe it’s because too many are chasing experts and doing what they are told and buying this and doing that… all the while they have not done the hard work in their business.
Experts are great when you know your business so well that you can tell me in a fraction of a second what business you’re really in, what problems do you really solve, who do you specifically solve them for, and how do your products and services fit into a solution?
Overwhelmingly, small business owners cannot answer these questions. For good reason; it’s extremely hard work!!!! You may think you know these answers but in the hands of a skilled and experienced coach I can assure you that you do not really know in all likely hood!
If you cannot answer the basic questions about your business, then listening to an expert will only take you down a road of failure. What worked for them won’t work for you. They are different and have different:
- Personalities
- Cultures
- Networks
- Experiences
- Products and services
- Messaging
Their experiences are unique and different. What happened to them will not happen to you. Your job when you listen to an expert is to evaluate what they say and discern how their ideas can mesh into your vision and into the practical areas of your company.
You will have to adapt and tweak their ideas to make them work for you. And, here is the reality, in all likely hood only a one or two ideas they offer you will really work for you. So, don’t take everything as gospel and try to do it all. You will fail. I know. I’ve done it and I’ve watched a hundred others do it as well.
You know I’m telling the truth because there is only one expert who did what they are telling you to do it. Otherwise, there would be a thousand others who look just like them.
If you disagree, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
There you go, there are seven was to cut through the noise and clutter to reach your online audience. It probably wasn’t the normal “how to” article that your used to or the tips you thought you might get in this article.
The reason is that there is no one way to practically cut through the noise. However, the seven tips I offered you will make a massive difference.
Cutting through the noise isn’t about what social media tool to use or what headline should I write. It’s much more foundational than that.
It’s really all about getting a handle on your business and your messaging. If you:
- Know thyself
- Are unique
- Are relevant
- Are visionary
- Are persuasive
- Are focused
- And if you forget the experts…
You will discover how easy it is to cut through the noise, clutter and non-sense that is currently holding you back. This is the hard part! If you get this right, the tools are really easy.
If you find you’re struggling with this or you’re missing something in your online messaging and cutting through the noise is hard for you I encourage you to visit my Begin Here page and learn how great messaging cuts through the noise and crap.
Do you have a question or would you like to leave a comment? If so, please engage with me in the comment section below.
