Marketing communications that focus on 'you' (the customer), 'your' needs, solving 'your' problems, will work hard for you (and your Company).

Talk about the challenges they are facing and the problems they want solving and you'll get your prospect's attention - because you offer the promise of a solution that works.

Anything that even starts to talk about 'us', what 'we' have done. How amazing 'we are' will bomb, simply because the customer cares absolutely nothing about you (the company).

Most marketing communications is still too much about 'us', and not enough about 'you', the customer.

The importance of the word 'you' - By Drayton Bird

You would think that most marketers know you must talk about the customers' interests, not your own. Not so.

Recently I went through a selection of websites and the overwhelming majority focus on the company, not the customer.

They almost all base their approach on that deadening phrase "About us" and the content of most welcome pages is inward-looking and boastful "We are the leading, etc" stuff.

Just think how most people come across your website. Nowadays it's the first place they go after you've attracted their interest - when they're wondering whether they want to go any further.

Here's a good way to look at it.

When you go to a site, it's as though you've just walked into a store. You look for a helpful sales person.

How would you react if you said, "I'm looking for a cook book as a present" and got this reply:

"We're wonderful. We're the best store in Oxford Street. Would you like to read our mission statement? The board loves it. Would you like to meet our management team? Like to read their biographies? See their pictures? How about the chairman's report?"

Guidance from Drayton Bird (www.DraytonBird.com)