Archive for October, 2008
Determining the best promise or ‘claim’ for your product or service isn’t just a matter of defining the message. You have to make it engaging, relevant and differentiated. So many claims (and copy) use words like ‘biggest,’ ‘cheapest’ and ‘best,’ that are platitudes at best and probably not true. More importantly, they waste the most valuable opportunity to engage and differentiate you. Here are two simple tests you can do in the privacy of your office to evaluate your claims and headlines.
The “Duh” Test. Ask someone why you should buy from them. They respond, “because we give great customer service,” or “We Deliver Results.” A plumber says, ‘we’re there when you need us,’ or a builder says, ‘the house you’ve always wanted…’ Duh. If it’s something you (and your competitors) need to do to just be in the game, that’s not a claim. It’s simply a description. Not engaging, relevant or different.
A charter school, called Propel Schools , used to say they provided a ‘Student Centered’ education. Duh. By using their name, and making the claim that they ‘Propelled’ students, they and created a compelling promise that had energy and engagement. You’ve got to answer the question, “Why would anyone choose you over one of competitors.” For Real. No Duh’s.
The “Different” Test. The issue of differentiation isn’t a matter of what you do. Your competitors probably do it too. Usually, difference lies in some specific detail of how you do it. Your “3 Steps,” “113 Simple Ingredients” or “10 Inspectors.” All those ‘differences’ like experience, quality or creativity aren’t differences. They could well be characteristics of your competitor as easily as you. Gleem toothpaste has GL-70 . Domino’s Pizza has 30 minute delivery and Saab’s are designed by aerospace engineers (as well as having the coolest cup-holders in the business). If you can cross off your name in an ad and insert your competitor’s name without substantially misrepresenting them, you’ve got a problem.
Dan Droz is Chairman and CEO of Droz & Associates: Marketing, Branding, Design, Public Relations, Advertising, Web Design, Interactive Marketing for Pittsburgh and surrounding regions.
Friday, October 31st, 2008
Advertising, Branding, Design, Interactive Marketing, Marketing, Pittsburgh, Public Relations, Sales, Uncategorized, Web Design No Comments
Why should someone buy your product or service? Because of what you do? Probably not. My guess is that your competitors do pretty much the same thing. One way to think about how to distinguish your product or service is to conceptualize your claim in an ad. Whether you use advertising or not (you probably should), an ad helps condense your message into the essential promise that can engage customers and differentiate you.
The most important part of an ad (and most other marketing pieces) is the headline because of how many things it needs to do at the same time. Good headlines get someone’s attention, create interest and relevancy and help position your product or service in a differentiated way. Some would say it’s the ‘ad for the ad.’ Headlines come in many forms, the most common of which include:
• Questions. Does She or Doesn’t She? Who Else Wants [blank]? Tongue-Tied at a Party?
• Answers. Why some foods “Explode” in Your Stomach. Where to Go for Your Next Car.
• Offers. Call Now for Your Free Guide to Writing Ads
• Assertions. The Secret of [blank]. Guaranteed to [blank]. Lose 10 Pounds in a Week.
• Promises. We Try Harder
• Commands. Give In To The Call of the Wild.
• How-To Statements. Advice to Homeowners. How To Make a Million.
• News Announcements. The Child that Won The Hearts of All.
• Indirect Actions. Discover the Fortune That Lies Hidden in Your Salary
• Invitations. To Men Who Want to Quit Work Someday
• Quotes. I Lost 10 Pounds in Two Weeks.
• Conceptual Statements. Think Small (Volkswagen). Be Different (Apple)
Underlying them all is an understanding of the need or problem your product or service addresses. As a starter, it’s usually a good idea to write down, in plain English, what you want to get across, and try to frame this message in one or more of these forms, focusing on either or both the problem, solution or benefits.
Dan Droz is Chairman and CEO of Droz & Associates: Marketing, Branding, Design, Public Relations, Advertising, Web Design, Interactive Marketing for Pittsburgh and surrounding regions.
Wednesday, October 29th, 2008
Advertising, Branding, Design, Marketing, Pittsburgh, Public Relations, Sales No Comments
A friend of mine prides himself on knowing the best restaurants in town. When he finds a good one, he tells others. It’s not just a matter of letting people know about a good place. It’s a matter of “being in the know.” His knowledge of new restaurants helps create the perception that he knows what others do not.
People like to be “insiders,” with information that others don’t have. When you can encourage the sense that the customer is part of a “special group” with first-hand experience with a product or service, there is a good change that you can turn that customer into an evangelist. Customer evangelism is the process of creating customers who proactively refer business either through word of mouth or identification of new prospects. They continue to make their own contribution to revenue, by using your product or service. But, in addition, they exert energy on your behalf to generate new business. Client evangelism accomplishes three important benefits:
• Identification. Client referral helps you identify highly probable prospects. Because clients tend to know other individuals, who have some of the same needs, they are often the best way to identify others who need what you offer.
• Testimonial. Clients provide tangible and credible evidence of your performance. Everyone wants to know that someone else has
• Greater Sense of Loyalty. Clients want to be seen as “in the know,” having tried a product or service.
Dan Droz is Chairman and CEO of Droz & Associates: Marketing, Branding, Design, Public Relations, Advertising, Web Design, Interactive Marketing for Pittsburgh and surrounding regions.
Tuesday, October 21st, 2008
Marketing, Pittsburgh, Public Relations, Sales No Comments
As I pulled around the corner, I saw one of our neighborhood’s most successful entrepreneurs, our local 8-year old lemonade vendor, using an incredible method of increasing sales. Her sign read, “A Full Summer of Lemonade: $1.00.” For a dollar, you got a punch card that entitled you to 6 lemonades instead of the regular price of $.25. Just like a magazine or symphony subscription, she gave the customer a great deal on every lemonade in exchange for a long-term up-front commitment. She increased the ticket, kept them coming back, and had many opportunities to “up-sell” them on popcorn, candy and baseball cards when they returned. And, she had the use of the money before the purchase was made. Something tells me that a lot of people never saw the entire package used up. She’s well on her way to a successful career leveraging customers.
Services can be similarly packaged as retainers, where your client pays a monthly or quarterly fee for access to you at a reduced price per consult. In these cases, even though the entire amount is not paid “up front,” the retainer achieves a longer-term commitment, and is a way for the customer to amortize a large financial commitment over a longer period.
If you have a line of products or services with a good deal of variety, a continuity or is another approach to encourage customers to increase their commitment. Notable examples are product-of-the-month programs such as wine, pasta, books, CD’s and fruit. Like subscriptions, continuity programs provide regular delivery of a product or service on an ongoing basis, but differ from subscriptions in that the products are not the same.
Continuity programs have tremendous benefit to both the buyer and seller. For the buyer, they provide convenience, an element of surprise, or in the case of a gift, the potential to extend the “giving period” for a year or more. For the seller, you’re able to substantially increase the wallet share, gain predictability and excellent cash flow in that the full amount of the purchase is received “up front.” In addition, you have the added advantage in the gift segment, to create a satisfied “user” (the recipient) who can later become a customer.
Dan Droz is Chairman and CEO of Droz & Associates: Marketing, Branding, Design, Public Relations, Advertising, Web Design, Interactive Marketing for Pittsburgh and surrounding regions.
Monday, October 13th, 2008
Advertising, Marketing, Pittsburgh, Sales No Comments
By identifying other needs your customers have, you can actually buy and resell products to serve them. Take Tony Gyke. Tony needed more than promotion to jumpstart his small business, Skip’s Propeller Service. Tony had built a solid reputation as the leading repair service for in Western Pennsylvania, focusing on repairing the propellers on outboard motors. It was a good business during the summer, when people used their boats. Unfortunately, between fall and spring, sales were dead.
Tony considered a number of options. He could advertise in other markets and have people sent their propellers for repair by mail. But a review of the competition in other markets led him to conclude that would be a high risk undertaking. What else could he sell to his existing customers? What were his customer’s needs? He knew that they all had boats. Tony figured that if he had products they could use for their boats, they would just as soon buy from him as anyone. And he was right.
He started with ropes, bumpers, cushions and tarps. After one season, he had doubled his sales, just by selling more boating supplies. Then, he had a breakthrough. Someone asked him if he carried water-skiing supplies. What he found, by talking to his customers, that 80% of them were using their boats for water-skiing and wake-boarding. He bought a few wakeboards, some water-skiing supplies, some wet suits, and doubled his sales again. Then, another breakthrough. He found out that the wakeboarders had other passions. In the winter, they did snowboarding. And, when they weren’t on the water, many were skateboarders. So he bought some snowboards. Then skateboards. Sales doubled again. He had increased sales EIGHT TIMES in three years by just listening to customers.
Tony discovered something else: his customers had friends. They told others about the wakeboards, skateboards and snowboards, so he was getting customers he never had before. Summer, fall, winter and spring. He created a website so people didn’t even have to come in. They could buy from home. He gave “Ultimate Edge” Points to people who sent him new customers, and pretty soon, old customers were actually looking for new ones. Business doubled again.
Tony still sells propellers and repairs them, too. But his growth is in a new category, created by leveraging his customer base. By understanding the products they needed that are related to their existing needs, he both served them better and created an all season business. He created more revenue from his existing customers and leveraged them to get new customers. All without advertising, new product development or salespeople. Ultimate Edge uses the ultimate marketing weapon: customer leverage.
Dan Droz is Chairman and CEO of Droz & Associates: Marketing, Branding, Design, Public Relations, Advertising, Web Design, Interactive Marketing for Pittsburgh and surrounding regions.
Tuesday, October 7th, 2008
Marketing, Pittsburgh, Sales No Comments