Enough about me, let’s talk about me
You know that guy who just won’t shut up about himself?
He talks a mile a minute, too—so good luck trying to change the subject.
And if you DO manage to squeeze in a word, he doesn’t miss a beat: “Oh, totally! That reminds me of a time when I…”
Reader Rick doesn’t want to be that guy.
Smart.
He asks:
I’m working on a sales page, for a product that i’m creating. I wrote the sales page such that I share a personal story about the specific problem, but I feel like the entire story is just talking about me and not the pains of my clients.
What’s a good balance between feeding ego and providing value?
Your info that you provide on Entreprogrammers is vary valuable.
Writing about yourself is a balancing act.
On one hand, telling your story is THE best way to connect with your reader.
On the other, it’s easy to come across as an obnoxious braggart.
Where is that line, exactly?
Rick’s question hints at it.
Here’s a good rule of thumb to guide you:
The point is not to tell “your” story.
The goal is to tell your CUSTOMER’S story through you.
For example, I could brag about how I self-published two books and raked in more money doing that than I used to make in an entire year at my 9-5 job.
That’s kinda obnoxious. A turn-off.
Or I could tell that same story and talk about how I saw other entrepreneurs publishing ebooks and earning money from it, and I REALLY wanted to write my own book…
But I didn’t see how I could do it. And so I sat on the sidelines for more than a year…
Then one day I was listening to a podcast and another programmer shared how he was writing and publishing his own book one chapter at time using this amazing tool that made it super easy…
And how that gave me the little nudge I needed, and now I’m a self-published author who’s earned good money from his writing.
See the difference?
The first approach focuses on the result and how awesome I am to have achieved it.
It puts me high on a pedestal for everyone to applaud.
The second starts where my reader is now—mired in procrastination and self-doubt…
Then shares my journey in a way that makes the reader think, “Hey, maybe I can do this too!”
So…
There should be no disconnect between “telling your story” and “focusing on your reader’s pains and desires.”
Your story is just a vehicle for showing how you understand where they are today because you’ve been there.
Do this right and you forge a connection of the heart—and your readers will follow you anywhere.
P.S. Wondering what the heck Rick was talking about with that “Entreprogrammers” reference?
It’s a weekly podcast I record with 3 other entrepreneurs/programmers (get it?).
Pretty unusual podcast, actually. We spend 2 hours grinding through the tough problems we’re facing in our businesses.
It’s a raw and uncut look at the ups and downs of running a business in 2016.
Here’s the link: