Ever get given a “heartbreaking compliment”?
I’m actually near certain you have.
That’s what I call those comments, testimonials, or compliments that are meant to be positive but are actually quite disappointing.
I’ve heard web developers complain about being told they were “so easy to work with.” Which makes them think, ‘wait, are they just working with me because other devs are difficult?’
I’ve heard a graphic designer lament, ‘Your work is so pretty.’ Because it makes them worry they’re all style with little substance underneath.
For us, it’s when we’re told our work is so fast. Yeah, we know, but did you like it though?
It’s like doing a workshop and being told the participants loved the snacks. It’s a compliment, but it breaks your heart just a little.
But, but, but, here’s the thing: These are actually great, and they give you a really useful window into what your customer/client/buyer is noticing.
Yes, your work is spectacular and world-class, but they didn’t notice that because they assumed it.
That’s why they hired you. They were surprised you were so easy to work with, though. They were surprised your designs were so beautiful, because they already knew they’d be good.
Our clients hired us because they knew the marketing would be great and effective, but they noticed how fast it came together.
The reason we ask all our clients to start paying attention to the heartbreaking compliments they get, instead of dismissing or ignoring them, is because it’s important to understand what your clients find surprisingly valuable.
Because that gives you a look into what future prospects might find surprisingly valuable, too.
These days, we make a point of letting our prospects know we go to extraordinary lengths to hit our deadlines.
And we tell them that we provide all our clients with weekly updates, every single Friday, telling them what we accomplished that week, what’s coming up next week, and what questions we have for them that might inform that work.
Why? Because we kept hearing how valuable and how surprising it was to get regular updates and visible momentum from their marketing partner.
For you, if you’re surprisingly easy to work with, you might want to make a point of telling prospects how you work, and give them a taste of your process well in advance.
No, you don’t say, “Hey, I’m really easy to work with!” Because, yes, that would be weird. Instead, you say, “This is how we work,” and you explain your process in comforting detail.
The idea is to take what your best clients notice about you and make it part of your actual marketing and the way you talk about what you do.
It feels like table stakes, like it’s obvious or even unnecessary.
But if your clients notice it enough to tell you about it, that means it’s actually pretty rare.
So you might want to start talking about it, instead of just hearing about it.
Kelford Inc. are content marketers for expert advisors. If you’re struggling with what to say and where to say it to attract your ideal clients, we’ll show you the way.