I get several ad critiques sent in to the office here, each week. Many are good, but most need lots of help (which is why they were sent in here, by the way). Often times, the seller simply doesn’t know or understand what his buyer wants.

What your buyer wants is far more important than what you think they want or what you perceive they want.

So for example, if you’re selling landscaping services, especially in affluent areas, you may think your buyer wants a good-looking lawn. But… equally, or even more important, is the time they save by not having to do it themselves.

They want to know you’re reliable and that after you’re gone, there’s not going to be anything left around the house they’re going to have to take care of, themselves.

More often than not, simply thinking about “what’s most important to your buyer” is the missing link your ad needs.

Here are 11 different things you can focus in on, that are VERY common needs.

1. Making more mo.ney – need I say any more?

2. Saving mo.ney – you want to be careful here. These customers aren’t the most loyal ones to have. As soon as someone else is 8 cents cheaper… they’re gone.

3. Improving your health – this one’s as old as the hills.

4. Having more leisure time – quality of life issues are very important and often go hand in hand with the first three items

5. Losing blubber – I can’t say the “w” word, because that will trigger almost every spam filter in America. But rest assured, this appeal will never die.

6. Getting more customers – different to number one. Oddly enough, number one appeals (ironically) most to the folks who won’t ever actually do it. This one appeals the the folks who are already running a business or selling successfully.

7. Saving time – Yes! In today’s day and age, absolutely NO ONE has enough time.

8. Looking younger – Can you say “cosmetic surgery?” Entire industries and sub-industries have been built up around this appeal.

9. Feeling younger and living longer – The newest (and in my opinion) the industry with some of the most growth-potential moving forward, is anti-aging. It’s also got a primarily affluent customer base and ongoing continuity-based services you can provide.

10. Desire to have more friends, be more popular, advance in some “group” or social strata – Dale Carnegie built an empire through this in “How To Win Friends And Influence People,” and Lord knows this appeal is still very strong.

11. Vanity – The desire to look good and look better than your peers is as old as the hills. Can you use it in your marketing?

There are loads of basic appeals. The point is, if you’re not aware of what your buyers basic wants are… then you’re wasting your time…

And ultimately… theirs… as well.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Once you know their appeals, here’s how to push your prospects emotional buy-buttons: http://www.kingofcopy.com/seductive

Comments? Leave them here on my blog — let me know what you’re thinking: