The CC Syndrome: Client Cluelessness

CC stands for Client Cluelessness. Every client is clueless about marketing to a certain extent. They often overestimate how much they know and get caught up in the day-to-day of their business and what they find important. This skews their view of the world and the competitive landscape.

The Digital Marketing Example

Clients would often say, "I haven’t been able to generate results because previous agencies have overpromised and underdelivered." The disconnect here is clear—they've been burned before but are still open to genuine, effective strategies if approached correctly.

The Challenge of Testing

Testing is a tough sell because it's a hard promise. It’s like assuring someone of your excellent skills but you can't be sure. It's a hard concept to sell upfront because it requires trust that hasn't been built yet. Testing is a requirement for marketing as one shot ads rarely happen unless you're on the tv show Mad Men

Client's Misplaced Focus

Clients often emphasize what they think is important, but these are often the same points every competitor is shouting. They hide the real tangible benefits, like being cheaper or offering direct consultation with an expert. Highlighting these unique selling points can differentiate them significantly.

The Problem with Generic Claims

Clients often regurgitate the same claims as their competitors. This creates a sea of sameness, where no one stands out. Instead, businesses should focus on their unique value propositions.

Lead Quality Issues

Clients often complain that social media leads are low quality. They might say, "Leads from source X, Y, or Z are useless." However, the real issue is not the leads but the approach to nurturing them. A lead needs the right initial conversation to convert into a sale.

Overcoming Objections

When clients complain, "My product is superior, but people don’t know," it's not about telling them they’re wrong. Instead, agree and pivot: "Yes, that's exactly why we need to run Meta ads. We need to educate the market about your superior product."

The Hair Transplant Clinic Case

Since talking with my Hair Transplant clinic prospect, who is fatigued with marketers, I've learned a lot from the owner:

Aftercare and Surgeons: Their biggest assets are their aftercare and surgeons, but they don’t promote this enough.
Direct Booking: They don't use salesmen, allowing for direct booking, upfront pricing, and direct consultation with the surgeon.
Tailored Care: They serve a smaller number of patients daily, providing better-tailored care.
Dedicated Aftercare: If results aren't perfect after 12 months, they offer free follow-up treatment.
Ad Performance: Social media ads have never produced quality leads. Google ads bring in some inquiries but are expensive and hard to compete with bigger budgets. SEO and referrals are key sources of new customers.

The owner says, "I have a superior product at a cheaper price, but nobody knows about it."

The Plan

Revise Copywriting: Redevelop the landing page to highlight what the market cares about: aftercare, consultation process, and price.
Encourage Ads Again: Suggest trying ads again, focusing on retargeting.
Educational Posts: Use educational posts to gain attention, like an annual report on the average cost of hair transplants in the UK.

How to Turn Him Around

To convince the prospect to try ads again, focus on the following:

Emphasize Unique Selling Points: Highlight what differentiates them from competitors—superior aftercare, direct consultations, and tailored care.
Retargeting Strategy: Explain the benefits of retargeting ads, which target users who have already shown interest, making them more likely to convert.
Educational Content: Use educational content to build trust and inform potential clients about the unique advantages of their services.
Proven Success: Show examples of competitors successfully using similar strategies to build credibility.

By focusing on these strategies, you can help turn skeptical prospects into enthusiastic clients, ready to invest in effective marketing campaigns that highlight their unique strengths and drive real results.

Get in touch with me if you find yourself as a CC or if you know someone suffering from this common ailment