1. "I need you to tell me what you want me to do." Your customer is easily distracted: TV commercials, billboards, ringing cell phones, e-mails. Take her by the hand. Lead her through your home page. Tell her what she needs to know, but no more. Don't be like the parent who answers the child's question, "Where did I come from?" with a detailed explanation of conception, pregnancy and childbirth when they only wanted to know whether they're from New York or California.

2. "I don't always understand what you're saying." You might know what you're talking about in your in your brochure or website. But does your customer? When I was a first grade teacher, I asked my students to draw something that reminds them of the Pledge of Allegiance. I got a lot of typical pictures-flags, maps of the United States, things like that. But one little girl handed me a drawing of four witches in black robes and cone hats with brooms, standing on a hill. She had been reciting the Pledge every morning all year and thought that we were saying, "and to the republic, for witches stand" Are you sure your customers understand what you're saying? Be especially careful with social media terms.

3. "I want your attention." Make it easy for your clients to talk to you. If they are on your website, they can't just keep tugging on your arm sleeve until you answer their questions. Anticipate what those questions might be and answer as many as you can on your FAQ page. And leave phone numbers and e-mail contact information. Make it easy for them.

4. "I need to know why." Ad executive Bob Hoffman said that when his daughter was small, she put every question through what he called "The Twelve Degrees of Why." Daughter: "Why do flowers have different colors?" Dad: "Um, to attract insects." Daughter: "Why do they want to attract insects?" Dad: "Well, they don't really want to, it's just that those that do tend to have more success reproducing." Daughter: "Why?" He said that after the twelfth why, you found out whether you really understood something or not. Same thing with clients. Going through this "why" process (some call it, "So what?") always helps us get to those deeper, core benefits of our product or service, the ones that will lead to the purchase.

5. "I get confused when you offer me too many choices." Watch the difference in decision time when you offer a six-year-old five choices of ice cream flavors, compared to, "Would you like vanilla or chocolate?" It'll either take five times as long, or she won't be able to choose at all. A direct mail letter asks the reader to take one action, not five. Special offers on websites should highlight a deal on one product, or two at the most. Don't confuse your customer.

6. "I need to know that you feel my pain." The child who scraped his knee on the sidewalk doesn't want you to offer him a glass of lemonade. He wants you to look at his bloody knee, tell him that you've done that before too, and, boy, does that hurt. Not until you recognize his pain (and give him a band aid) can he think about the lemonade. In your sales copy, whether you're pitching professional organizing services or business coaching or deep muscle massage, tell your customer you've been there, you've experienced the fear or desperation or whatever other emotion is behind the desire for your product or service. And finally, when he's ready, tell him that you have a solution, a way out of the pain.