If you don't get this right, you can just forget about everything else...your advertising will fail miserably if you don't have something good to say. The great business philosopher Jim Rohn probably summed it up best in his lecture about communications. He was talking about personal communications, not about advertising, but I think the principle holds true. He says to be a master communicator, all you've got to do is follow this three-step process: First, have something good to say. Second, say it well. And third, say it often.
In terms of advertising, here's what that means: Having something good to say means that you've innovated your business sufficiently so that you've got something of value to the marketplace that's worth advertising in the first place. Saying it well has to do with taking what you well and saying it in your advertising in such a way that it gets people to notice and take action. We're going to show you how to use the power of writing and articulating to get more results for the same money spent - say it well. And as for saying it often, that refers to executing your advertising and follow-up marketing in a systematic format that allows you to build brand equity and cost-effectively turn prospects into customers.
So before we get into the how to say it well, let's spend just a few minutes talking about the first step to successful communication: "Have something good to say." Some people don't expect that they have to actually innovate their business to be successful. But so far, in my years of experience, it's been the best strategy that I've seen. You've probably heard the old saying that if you build a better mousetrap that the world won't necessarily beat a path to your door. That may be true; but here's a strategy that I've seen fail a thousand times: Trying to use catchy advertising, tricky words or fast-talking to try and sell the same old, boring mousetrap that everyone else is offering. I think whoever said that line about the mousetrap and the world not beating a path to your door just didn't understand the principles that govern successful marketing and advertising.
See, once you have created something that people want - or as the common expression goes, sells itself - then advertising becomes infinitely easier. There's a man named Rossier Reeves who was one of the most successful advertising men in the early days of the business. I know you probably haven't heard of him, but you're probably familiar with lots of things he created, even way back in the 50s and 60s; he most famous for M&M's - "They melt in you mouth, not in your hands." Anyway, Mr. Reeves pointed this out, "Have something good to say," way back in 1965: Here's what he said about writing good advertising:
"The business owner should bring the advertising writer a product or service that deserves to be on the market. It should have significant points of difference from other products. Then the idea behind the advertisement...is very, very easy to find. For example, if a manufacturer brings you car that can go 500 miles on a gallon of gas, you don't have to look very far for an idea for the ad. The idea is right in front of you. If on the other hand, you have an Edsel that's not very different from any other car, you are doomed to failure in advance. I don't believe any advertising brilliance could have saved the Edsel."
In case you're not familiar, the Edsel was the greatest embarrassment to the Ford Motor Company in the 50s. They spent record amounts of money promoting it, hyped it to the ends of the earth, then nobody wanted it. Why? Because, despite what the promotion said, it was just another average, ordinary car. Here's the point: Spending money on marketing, advertising, and the greatest of copywriters of the day didn't compensate for the lack of confidence or lack of perceived value in the consumer's mind.
So think about it right now. Do you have "something good to say?" Are there things that you do that make you a better value for the money than your competitors? If not, then why is it that you expect to win in business? If I trotted out the local high school varsity football team to play against the reigning Super Bowl champs, would you expect the varsity to win. Of course not. You've got to create something so unique, so good, so unparalleled that it makes your prospects say, "I would have to be an absolute fool to do business with anyone else."
Rich Harshaw is the founder of the Monopolize Your Marketplace system and CEO of Y2Marketing Business Marketing Strategies
The profits of a business are totally dependent on marketing.... Read More
Have you ever sat down to write a sales letter... Read More
We're back to the subject of ethics, more specifically, business... Read More
The following 3 simple selling tactics produce sales by responding... Read More
Maybe you've heard these different marketing terms, maybe you haven't.... Read More
How many times have you heard the same sound bites... Read More
Toby is one of our two family pets (both cats).... Read More
Without a doubt, if you asked me, Shane if there... Read More
Which sale is the most important one you will ever... Read More
The advantages of using direct mail to promote your home-based... Read More
Finally, Something You Learned In Math Class Makes Sense In... Read More
Advertising on the radio can be an effective lead generation... Read More
Sounds pretty harsh, doesn't it? Well, I can tell you... Read More
The term business marketing strategy might sound like it is... Read More
If you're a business owner, you probably spend quite a... Read More
A funnel is a good way to think of the... Read More
Have you ever noticed how many times it's the simplest... Read More
TIP #1: Avoid the "Too Much Information" Syndrome... Read More
Your market is who you want to reach. Your customer.... Read More
I bet you thought the movie "Daddy Daycare" was a... Read More
"Goals are dreams with deadlines." -Diana Scharf HuntWhen clients come... Read More
December marked the 40th anniversary of the original broadcast of... Read More
Writing and publishing a successful newsletter is perhaps the most... Read More
Sometimes, experiencing bleak sales is a matter of failing to... Read More
Of all the web sites belonging to coaches, consultants and... Read More
The world of marketing has changed. With increasingly better educated... Read More
Every January, trade publications put out a list... Read More
Business marketing is essential for professional services, such as consultants,... Read More
But more importantly, watch what they do. If you do... Read More
The media is a business's absolute best friend. It is... Read More
First I want to welcome you to part two of... Read More
What's a small business owner to do if they have... Read More
A successful marketing plan doesn't have to include an athletic... Read More
John's a freelance photographer in Ohio who called to tell... Read More
You may have heard the term Marketing Mix used in... Read More
The trick to a good promotion is to attach your... Read More
Many small and home based businesses know they need to... Read More
Would you like to learn the lessons of the businesses... Read More
1) They don't fully understand it.Perception: Marketing is advertising. Reality:... Read More
Forget what you know about your business Your goal is... Read More
There is no shortage of marketing programs, many with great... Read More
I do think that it is entirely possible for an... Read More
What's a promotional freebie? A promotional freebie is something you... Read More
I often wonder how people without a plan know where... Read More
Those who believe the web is not a direct response... Read More
"What do you do?""I'm a CPA. What do you do?""I'm... Read More
RSS has been around for more than 10 years but... Read More
Cinch your success with 8-second leaders! Step into the saddle... Read More
"If My Work is Good Enough, I Shouldn't Have to... Read More
There aren't many things in life that you would get... Read More
Marketing Marketing |