(Photo by Chris Beckett)

One of a magician’s key skills is misdirection. They carefully develop the techniques to ensure that their audience focuses on what they want them to focus on and when they want them to focus. Here’s how you can add a little magic to your marketing!

1. Determine your unique strength. While this sounds easy, understanding what’s truly unique and important to your audience can be a challenge. If you’re not sure why people buy from you, ask them.

2. Understand your weaknesses. You want to ensure that you minimize the importance of things you’re not good at. No doubt some of your competition is strong in ways you are weak. Highlighting your weaknesses can only strengthen your competition.

3. Be appealing. Your target audience knows that you’re trying to get them to part with their money. People would rather buy from someone who’s trying to communicate to them clearly (and honestly).

4. Tell a story. Your marketing story explains how your strength matters to your audience. The right story doesn’t include any of your weaknesses, and shows how your offering is clearly the right choice.

Don’t use misdirection to make your audience feel foolish. Use it to make your audience feel more confident in their choice to buy from you.