3 reasons people aren't buying from your creative business
You’ve spent so much time developing and perfecting your offer so why the hell isn’t anyone buying from you?
It can be difficult to pinpoint the exact reason you’re not making any sales (or at least the amount you want) and one of the best ways to identify why that is, is keeping an eye on any and all data available to you.
Website analytics
Social media analytics
Email marketing analytics
Trends happening within your industry and/or within your business
Literally any piece of data you can get your hands on, you want to keep an eye on… and honestly, you’ll want to keep an eye on them whether or not you’re making a boatload of sales or not.
But for the purposes of this post, let’s focus on if you’re not making the sales you want. Here are three reasons you might not be making any sales and/or how to identify if you fall under any of these.
You’re not reaching the right audience.
If you’re not reaching the right people, it’s going to be very difficult to make sales. These are the people you created your product or service for, not another audience. Other audiences don’t need what you’re selling so you have to find your target market in order to make sales.
If you think your target market are women in their 30s, you need to get more specific. What do they do for work? For fun? Where do they hang out in their free time? What do they value most in life?
Once you know who they are, you also want to map their buyer’s journey. This helps you understand the entire decision-making process they go through from the moment they realize they have a need up until purchase. That was you know each touchpoint you can have with them, how they’re feeling along that process, and how to position yourself to be the solution for them.
Understanding them on a deeper level will help you reach the right audience because you can then develop your brand and messaging to speak directly to them.
You’re not positioned correctly.
If you’re not reaching the right target market, it could be because your brand isn’t positioned properly. Do you know who your competitors are and how you’re different from them?
And I don’t just mean visually different (although you do want your brand to stand out!) I mean how is your product/service different? Why would someone choose yours over theirs? How is your messaging different? Your brand values different?
Go deep and find all the differences and then identify were you fall within the competitor landscape. That will help you identify where you should be positioned. Then just like with your target market, you can work to develop your brand and messaging to attract your target market to you.
If you don’t know this information, spend some time doing some competitive research so you can more effectively position yourself.
Your messaging isn't effective.
Are you just regurgitating similar messaging in your industry? If the messaging on your website, social, or any other content you’re putting out isn’t uniquely connecting with your audience then they’ll definitely tune you out.
This is where your knowing your target market inside and out and their buyer’s journey is going to come in particularly useful. You’ll know how they’re feeling and what they’re thinking (including any hesitations/concerns!) so you can touch on that with your messaging. This creates a magnetic effect. They’ll start to feel like you’re reading their mind and that instantly puts you at the top of their list of solutions for their need.
So how do you know which problem area is leading to your low sales?
As I mentioned before, keeping an eye on your analytics and what’s happening within your industry and business is going to help you get a clearer picture. Social media analytics will be particularly helpful in understanding if you’re reaching the right audience, positioned correctly, or have effective messaging. (However, this is only true if your target market uses whatever platform you’re on!)
Audience metrics: While these aren’t the most extensive metrics, they are helpful to know if you’re reaching the right geographic area, age range, gender, etc. This is really just your starting point to make sure you’re reaching the right audience on a surface level. If you’re marketing to women in their 40s and your social media metrics indicate that the majority of your followers are women in their 20s, you know immediately you’re not reaching the right people.
Lack of DMs and comments on your social posts: If you’re not having actual meaningful conversations (specifically with people in your target audience) in your DMs or comments on social media, then you’re likely not reaching the right people either and/or your messaging isn’t resonating with them.
Followers: When you get new followers on social, get a little curious and check out their profile. Do they fit within your target audience?
Inquiries: When you do get inquiries (specifically for service-based businesses), are they qualified leads? If they’re asking for discounts, services outside of your area of expertise, or anything else like that, then they are not the right audience. This is one of the biggest indicators that you’re not reaching or attracting the right people to your brand.
Website traffic: Are you seeing traffic roll in from your various marketing efforts? If not, then you know your messaging is most likely not resonating with your target audience.
How to fix your target market, positioning, or messaging problem
Market research and analysis!
This research and analysis is exactly how you’re going to make sure you know your target market inside and out, you’re positioned correctly within your industry, and your messaging resonates with your target market.
You can then (and should!) use all this information to develop your brand and a marketing strategy that will be effective AF so you can start seeing those sales roll in!
Want even more help with your marketing?
My Strategy Intensives provide you with a complete brand and marketing strategy based on market research and analysis and your own business metrics.
My 60-minute sessions are great if you need help brainstorming or working through a specific challenge.
Not sure what you need but know you could use some support? Reach out and I’ll help guide you in the right direction (whether that’s working with me or not!)
