Address your target customer!

I just read about MINT, an online money management application, winning the TechCrunch 40 conference. I read TechCrunch, and I immediately wanted to see more about the chosen winner. I also happen to be the person who deals with tracking my household’s finances — from paying bills to budgeting our income. So when I heard Mint won, I was definitely interested in how it might make my life easier.

Here is the rub: Mint does not address this question very well on their website. Here is what they say about why you will love Mint:

1. You’re always up-to-date
2. You know your spending
3. You find real savings
4. We look out for you
5. You’re safe and secure
6. … and it’s free!

I have been using Quicken for over 5 years. Considering the market share Intuit has, I am sure that I am in good company. Do I LOVE Quicken? NO! Does it get the job done? Yes. Is there room for improvement — plenty! This is why I was so immediately interested in Mint. If they can improve on the budgeting side of things I would gladly switch over.

But they don’t address me as a potential customer at all. They don’t seem to allow me to import financial data that I have sitting in Quicken (which could help them build a better budget for me). They also don’t address why I may not need to import my financial data. 

Help me out Mint — write a little marketing copy to hook me in and sell me your service. I am a perfect potential customer — but you lost me on your home page.

Sabrina
Mommy CEO