I am currently nibbling on a baguette and cheeses while sipping some Beaujolais at the foot of the Alps. This is the first vacation hubs and I have taken ALONE since pre-COVID, and it is lovely (at least I assume it is, as I write this email in advance of our trip;).
But, you did not come here for travel tips… you came here for B2B marketing. So allow me to share “une petite histoire” about learning French, and yes, what it taught me about agency marketing.
About 8 months ago, inspired by this trip, I dove back into French with Duolingo, podcasts, and French stories. A lot came back quickly (from my high school French classes), but here's the thing about language… it's deeply rooted in culture and context. While I can understand about 75% of what I read, SPEAKING is entirely different. You have to "think" in French and build the motor memory to respond naturally.
So here I am this week, stumbling through French conversations, unable to fully express my ideas and thoughts because I don’t yet have the language (although I have mastered "puis-je avoir un autre verre de vin s'il vous plaît?)
How does this connect to B2B messaging?
Because you could be the BEST at what you do and KNOW all the things, but if you can't communicate in the language of your buyers, you will always be stuck. The only way to learn their language is to talk to them. Learn their context, their conventions, their slang. Then use that language in your marketing and messaging.
How do you get started? Find a few customers or prospects and ask how they describe the problem, experience the symptoms, and what they need to solve it. Write down their exact words. Then translate that into how you describe your solution.
If you want help, I’m back in the good ole USA on Sept 15, and would love to chat.