Should I Use a Ballsy Tone, or Stick with Corporate Wording?
On this IndieHackers thread, Xander asks:
A friend today advised me to be more ballsy on ratemymeeting.co copy. Not ‘improve your meeting effectiveness’, but ‘make your meetings s*ck less’.
I’d be happy to hear any of your thoughts.
My Answer…
Ballsy is great!
What could really make a difference are a few “Maybe” statements.
“Maybe” Statements Right at the Top
Here’s what I’d change:
- I’d push down the “How it works” section right below the headline.
- I’d replace that spot with a heading that says “Are you going through something like this?”
- I’d follow with a list of some situations that are ripe for a switch, that the visitor, upon reading, will likely respond with “you understand exactly what I’m going through”
For example:
Are you going through something like this?
- Maybe you were just asked, for the first time, to lead a meeting with a larger group than usual and participants will come out of the meeting getting something useful. You’d like to collect feedback from participants.
- Maybe you’re in a new leadership position, and you’ll be leading with an inclusive style. Getting the feedback from others is a way to fulfill that pledge.
- Maybe the team you inherited isn’t opening up to you. Maybe they’ve been burnt by empty promises in the past, and you know some people have something to say.
Only after a section like this would I follow with a demonstration of how the product works.
Having a range of “maybes” allows for your product to attract a variety of customers, but they all fit with this overall struggle:
Our meetings can’t suck anymore. “Enough is Enough”
“Enough is Enough”: Situations that Are Ripe for a Switch
Finding these “switching moments” requires that we go beyond thinking about the generic problem we’re solving, and instead turning our attention to the situations that just precede them going for your product.
What makes it suck so much about running meetings that they would stop using their cobbled-together mix of solutions (which is your product’s real competition)?
What makes them say “yes, this, now” to your product, and say “no” to:
- Asking a trusted team member for feedback?
- Having a direct, one-on-one conversation with the silent person that seemed to be fuming?
- Asking their own boss or mentor for advice on how to deal with situations like these?
- Picking up an audiobook or searching youtube on running an effective meeting?
That’s some tough competition!
A ballsy headline is catchy and all, but nothing will spread the word and make the visitors say “I feel seen” like sharp, specific, vivid, cripsy descriptions of real situations that they’re likely going through.
To find those, it pays to interview your recent buyers in order to uncover their purchase story. After a few interviews, you’ll have some real situations to relate to directly on your home page.
Stay Sharp!
—
Pascal Laliberté
@pascallaliberte