Are you speaking FRENCH???
Are you speaking in French ??
A stand up comedian extremely popular and sort after was called to do an act in London bar. He worked very hard and came up with his best work till date. He was so excited for the event he even researched about British Comedy and had some punches planned to deliver the satire. The D day arrived and our showman was ready with his wit and humour. The act started and it did not go the direction he had planned for ! There were no laughs or reactions and he was wondering if he had lost his charm. Very bravely he continued and finished what he had started only to realise in the end that the audience were FRENCH !!! They did not understand a word of what he said and hence could not appreciate the wit or humour or punches.. a good effort in vain.
What are you Telling ?
Are you telling them your story in your language or are you speaking their language! 9 out of 10 times we are focussed on our goals and how we can deliver value without checking if our target audiences are interested or requiring your message. Marketing is to bring about a change, solve a customer need and to ensure that we are able to deliver value. Not essentially your definition but more often the value proposition that your customer needs.
How do you Tell it ?
Sometimes we are influenced by eminent speakers, thought leaders and influencers. We start communicating like them, pitching like them and in the bargain loose our natural style. It's important to sound like yourself. Don’t try to be someone else—this is your opportunity to show off your personality and make yourself memorable. Use your natural voice and let your personality shine through.
Focussing on your customer need!
This is where you should be focusing your efforts.
Let's take this example: You're looking to buy a car, and you see three models on the lot. You've decided that you want something electric-based, but there are two options. One is an all-electric vehicle and the other has a hybrid engine with an electric motor for some extra juice when needed. Both have about the same range (350km) and similar acceleration times (5 seconds). The difference lies in their top speed — one can go up to 300kph while the other tops out at 250kph — which would make sense if you live somewhere with lots of highway driving or frequently take trips outside of town where there may not be any gas stations nearby and/or fast charging stations aren't readily available yet.
Recommended by LinkedIn
Look at the whole picture, LISTEN and figure out what will make most sense for your prospect! Position and pitch
How do you Tell it ?
You may think that you are speaking French, but you are really speaking English!
To tell if you are speaking in your customers language, you must use the right words, the right tone and even body language.
If it's not working for you yet, try to change your environment. Check if you are being misunderstood or you are not communicating effectively to make your customer understand. Using sophisticated language or using jargon may confuse your customer and they may not be able to relate to your offering.
Try to be more direct and use simple words. If you are not sure of your language skills, try avoiding using complex sentences or long words.
Conclusion
To engage your potential audience and to convey your value proposition is the biggest step towards building your followers who will then want to try you ! If you want them to know you- you need to level up. You need to be accessible and approachable, which starts with speaking their language and becoming relatable to your target audience. Next time you write a caption, a blog or deliver a webinar, reflect on the message you want to share with your audience and rework on your script