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3 must-follow marketing copy rules to win your prospects’ trust


When your prospects come to a sales call with little or no research, they expect one thing from your marketing team: trust. The key to building that trust is how your marketing copy solves their problems, presents solutions and offers insights they won’t find anywhere else. Let’s break down the three rules to follow in order for your copy to hit the mark and turn leads into customers.

Men, minivans and major decisions

Because my wife and I have four children—and it’s practically required by law—we own a minivan that our kids have named “Hercules.” Everything ran great for five years until a year ago when things started to go downhill – oil leaks, grinding while driving and tires wearing out faster than normal.

The dealer mechanic told me “Your head gasket is leaking so it’s leaking oil and the control arms need to be replaced.” He might as well have said, “Your flibber is leaking at connectigazoink and leaking fluid.” I don’t know. I’m not a car guy.

What I do know is that I’m staring down the barrel of $3000 in repairs and I’m not sure the Hercules is worth that much. I’ve got another research project on my plate – checking the resale value of the Hercules and comparing it to repair costs and the cost of a new or used vehicle. Then I’ll decide whether to keep the Hercules since it’s fully paid off or sell it and buy a new car.

This kind of in-depth examination of a major purchasing decision is rare. With the internet at your fingertips, you might think that everyone would be researching every purchase, but that’s not the case. A recent study showed that while 96% of prospects do some form of research, only 25% of prospects do significant research before a sales call.

Think about it: 75% of the leads your marketing team worked hard to acquire enter the sales call with little or no research into their problem, your company, or the solutions you offer.

This is a significant opportunity. You and your competitors are all playing the same game, and your prospects determine the rules. Until now, no one knew what it was, but after reading this article, you will find out.

Dig deeper: The Art of the Natural Funnel: How to Lead Your Readers Without Forced CTAs

The rules of the marketing game

Clients who walk into a sales call with little or no research still expect three things from your team. If your marketing copy can knock it out of the park before it even enters the conversation with your sales team, it will go a long way toward building trust and credibility and making getting a “yes” that much easier.

Rule 1: Understand and articulate problems better than your prospects

Your prospect expects you to understand and articulate their problems better than they do. This means your team should understand its benefits from every angle. If your team can’t understand and explain the situation better than your prospects, that’s strike one.

Rule 2: Know all available solutions

Prospective customers expect your team to know all potential solutions. A cognitive bias called the “halo effect” leads potential customers to believe that if you can articulate their problem better than they can, you must also have a solution.

That assumption—and the trust that comes with it—disappears quickly if you can’t demonstrate your knowledge of all available solutions and where each works or falls short. This is often the most critical moment. It’s where you build trust and demonstrate your expertise. If your team can’t clearly explain the differences between the solutions, that’s strike two.

Rule 3: Provide unique insights

Your potential customers expect you to provide them with information they can’t get anywhere else. Real value comes from synthesizing ideas into tailored solutions, bringing together your understanding of the problem and potential solutions, and applying them to the prospect’s situation. If your team can’t leave your prospect saying, “I’ve never thought of that before,” or “Wow, I never would have thought of that,” that’s strike three.

Without these three elements, your sales and marketing teams will fail to build trust and credibility and win sales. Unfortunately, the data shows that one in two sales and marketing teams are hitting the bullseye.

Dig deeper: Are these email subject lines deceptive, clever copywriting or bad data at work?

Gameplay: Victoria’s Secret Vs. HubSpot

Now it’s time to see how these rules look in-game.

Victoria’s Secret: The Unsexy Breakdown

In 2021, Victoria’s Secret faced criticism from social media influencers, such as women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe, who condemned the lingerie manufacturer and retailer for “defining sexy through the male gaze”. Victoria’s Secret took note of the professional football player’s business strategy and removed everything that made the brand stand out as “sexy” and replaced it with “inclusivity”.

The result was devastating. They lost $1.3 billion in 24 months, or about $2.5 million a day. The strategy shift was the equivalent of Wile E. Coyote using a rocket that exploded right below him.

The company’s fundamental mistake was not understanding the customer’s basic problem. People hire Victoria’s Secret to help them feel sexier and more powerful. Instead of completely changing course, they should demonstrate their understanding of the problem and the solution and provide insight.

It could look like ad campaigns featuring stories of different women using Victoria’s Secret products to feel sexy and confident in different situations.

  • It would show that society understands the problem women face.
  • It could show alternative solutions they considered.
  • It could highlight why women in their unique situation chose Victoria’s Secret over other options.

It could show millions of women how Victoria’s Secret could do the same job for them.

Now let’s compare Victoria’s Secret to HubSpot, whose marketing does an exceptional job following the rules.

HubSpot: Most Valuable Player

HubSpot doesn’t just sell tools. It has built an entire ecosystem focused on understanding and solving problems faced by its target audience.

  • His blog discusses these challenges, presents competing tools or alternative strategies, and offers unique perspectives on how readers can solve their problems.
  • HubSpot’s annual “State of Marketing” report also provides exclusive data that prospects won’t find anywhere else.

Through these efforts, HubSpot has built and strengthened its credibility as a partner in marketing efficiency. This works because HubSpot first shows that it cares about its audience’s problems, demonstrates its expertise, and offers unique and useful solutions.

Dig deeper: Does your email copy persuade or sell?

On the bat: Why every piece of content counts

In marketing, there is a line on every content. Your prospects want you to hit it out of the park, but you can only do that if you play by the rules:

  • Demonstrate a deep understanding of their problems.
  • Mapping all available solutions.
  • Delivering customized insights they won’t find anywhere else.

When you do this, you transform yourself from just another player to a most valuable player and a trusted coach.

That’s why your copy is so important. When they follow the rules, it’s the first step in establishing your credibility and building a long, lucrative relationship. All van sellers trying to get me involved should follow the rules!

Contributing authors are invited to create content for MarTech and are selected for their expertise and contribution to the martech community. Our contributors work under supervision editorial office and submissions are reviewed for quality and relevance to our readers. The opinions they express are their own.



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