Knowing this metric is critical for the success of your sales copy

[SARubin]

Before you sit down to write your copy, ask yourself… What does your customer (target market) already know about you, your product, or your industry?

Knowing your target markets awareness level is just as important as knowing who they are or what they want. Because how aware they are determines which type of offer and headline will have the greatest impact.

In Eugene Schwartz’s brilliant book “Breakthrough Advertising” he talks about customer awareness levels. I could never do the book justice in a forum post, but I’ll at least try to give you an abridged recap of the basic concepts…


1. The Most Aware
Our customer knows our product, knows what it can do for them, and knows they want it. Now they only need to know what kind of offer we can give them and how to order.
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In a lot of ways, this is the easiest customer to sell to. Our headline just needs to present the offer in a compelling or unique way. Then our lede and body copy need to reinforce their decision to buy now (give a guarantee, a little scarcity or exclusivity, and we’re off to the races)…


2. Product-Aware
Our customer knows what we sell and knows what it does, but they’re just not ready to buy yet.

This is one place where proof elements and guarantees earn their keep.
When buyers are sitting on the fence they need reassurance that what we’re selling is a good buy. And more importantly, we’re the one they should buy it from.

The first thing we need to do is win their trust. This is a good place for a proof headline, testimonial headline, or guarantee headline.


3. Solution-Aware
Our customer knows the result they want, but not that our product provides it.

At this level of awareness the customer knows (or believes) that somewhere out there, somebody has the answer to their problem. But they’re not so sure where to look.

This is a good place for a “bold promise” headline, and an opening lede that describes the problem, leading to the solution.



4. Problem-Aware
Our customer knows they have a problem, but doesn’t know there’s a readily available solution.

A solution-aware ”customer has hope, and needs to be educated on our product as the solution to their problem (and also that our product is the right solution for them).

But a problem-aware customer has only worry. They know somethings not working, but they don’t know where to look for a solution.

The key with this customer is a headline and opening lede that shows you understand their pain. This is a good place for the “pain-agitate-solve” (PAS) formula for writing copy.”

This kind of copy says loud and clear I empathize with your situation ”and I’m here to help you overcome it.


5. Completely Unaware
This is the is the toughest customer to win over because they don’t know us, or our product.

They usually don’t even know a product like ours exist, and they don’t care because they’re blissfully unaware of any need for what we offer.

This market is not for the faint of heart, because trying to create a desire in the market can be costly and time consuming. But this is also where you’ll find completely new markets that can explode your sales growth, because if we’re the first on the scene we have a distinct advantage over all the copycats who try to follow.

This is a good place for a “social conformity” headline, opening lede, and body copy. because if other people are doing it, and their lives are better, then maybe it’s worth a try, right?
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Wrap-up
So how aware is your customer, and what do they know about your product or service. And what do they know about you and your company?

If they’re aware of your product and realize it can satisfy their needs or desires, your headline starts with your product.

If they’re not aware of your product but only of the need or desire itself, your headline starts with the need or desire.

If they’re not yet aware of what they’re looking for, but only concerned with the general problem, your headline starts with that problem, crystallizes it into a specific need, and your copy follows with a solution.”

If they’re unaware of a need, or that your product even exists, is there anything else in the marketplace that’s similar you can use as a frame of reference to guide your customers attention and desire?


How do we discover our target customers awareness level?
Well, that’s where market research comes in. But that’s a subject for another day.

Until then…
Here’s to writing better copy, that connects better with our customers awareness levels.

All the best,
Steve