The other day when my daughter was rehearsing for a musical theatre audition her teacher said the song was fine but she needed to develop the character a little deeper.

Excellent advice, no doubt, and it occurs to me that it makes good marketing sense, too.   After all, you know what you do for a living and why people should buy from you – in other words you have the song down.

But what a lot of marketing lacks is character … our prospects want to feel as though they know the person behind the company and they want to feel that the person behind the company understands them and their needs.

That’s why professional business-speak doesn’t work well in marketing copy.  It may sound intelligent and technical; it may be filled with long words and complicated jargon, but it doesn’t create a connection with the prospect.  What you need to do is develop your character.

Networking works well for so many people because it provides an opportunity to chat openly and honestly about what they do; personal style and character become part of the sales process.  And doesn’t it make sense that a business relationship founded on a more personal platform is more likely to last than one where there is no personal connection?

So, lighten up a little on your sales copy, take a conversational tone and start connecting with your prospects.