Identify Your Core Message

Learning Objective

To craft the core marketing message that will attract your ideal customer so that they’ll be motivated to take the next step and buy.

What Makes You Different?

In the last lesson, you looked at the key things you need to know about your customer before you can write a word of copy.

Now, you need to be crystal clear about the benefits of the product or service you’re offering and what will entice people to buy. Think like a customer when you identify the benefits and outcomes they’re looking for.

You’re also marketing your difference from competitors when you talk about your products and service. So identify what you do to solve your ideal customer’s problem that’s different from others.

You might offer a unique system, same day delivery, customization or a "no questions asked money-back guarantee". Your values and personality are unique, so focus on this if it’s part of your brand. It’s whatever you do that sets you apart from others offering the same or similar.

Turn Your UVP into a Core Message

Sometimes business owners jump right into writing copy without knowing exactly what they want to emphasize about their product or service. Then they’re surprised when their sales copy doesn’t entice people to buy.

Don’t make this mistake. Take time to turn your Unique Value Proposition (UVP) into a core message, so you’ll be right on target when it comes to drafting sales copy.

These three steps will get you there:

Three Vital Steps

Step 1: Nail your UVP

Use this template to help you:

We (company name) provide (product/service name) to (target market) who (challenge) by (benefits/differentiator)

For example:

YogaTreats organizes exclusive yoga retreats in luxury locations for executives who need a break from their everyday business life. We provide a calm, no-stress, well-being experience.

Step 2: Turn your UVP into a marketing message

Emphasize how you solve the problems that are concerning your ideal customers:  

We provide the break you need to get away from the day-to-day turmoil of business. We guarantee to transport you to a stress-free environment where you can recharge and find inner peace.

Step 3: Be customer-focused

Your core message needs to have the focus on "them" rather than "me/us".
Lead with the solution your audience is seeking to make your copy more compelling:

Regain your calm center and recharge your batteries. Take time out to de-stress and energize in our exclusive luxury retreat.

The core message addresses an emotional level as well as a factual one, and that’s what you’ll put forward in your sales copy. We’ll go into this in more detail later when you find out how to paint a picture of your audience’s desired state.

Avoid working on too many marketing projects at once. One of your actions from this lesson will be to choose a piece of copy that you need to write. It might be for a new offer or for an existing offer whose copy isn’t converting. You’ll work on that throughout the course to practice all that you’re learning.

Action Steps

Identify a piece of sales copy you need to write:

• What product/service is the copy for?
• Write down all the key benefits you want to get across about this offer to your ideal customer. E.g., saves you money, helps you get fit.
• Compare these points to the list from the last lesson of the 3 challenges and 3 dreams and find the best matches. E.g., if your customers are struggling with the cost of living, that will match with 'saves you money'.

Choose the most compelling match.

Draft a core message of 2 or 3 sentences for your chosen piece of sales copy, emphasizing the match.