Getting the Message Right

What do you want to say about your business when you are looking to attract customers?

Many times advertisers err by trying to tell as much as they can about their product and end up presenting what becomes a dry, mini-brochure. Not only is a list of your product’s attributes boring, it is soon forgotten.

Who do you think your potential customer is?

“Everybody,” of course. Well, not really.

Here is a classic case where two wrongs do not make a right. You can’t be all things to all people. Moreover, you will never get their attention if you try to overwhelm them with every detail about your business in a world where the average person sees thousands of messages a day – and ignores the vast majority of them.

Don’t let your message get ignored. Before you produce your next ad or campaign, get focused on the task by starting with four basic questions:

1. Who are you talking to? It’s not everybody. Get as detailed as you can with this. “Women, 35 plus, who like to read, dine, and spend time shopping at gardening stores.” Even if you own a shoe store, try to find out what your audience does when they aren’t buying shoes. This kind of information goes a long way in helping the folks who build your ads to craft them in a meaningful, interesting, engaging way.

2. What is the one thing you want them to remember after seeing or hearing your ad? There might be a dozen factors that contribute to the story, but what is the big picture fact you want them to believe? This is not as simple as “AT ABC we make the best XYZ.” First, it’s not believable, and second, you probably aren’t the only one who can say it. Hyperbole (best, fastest, lowest priced, biggest size, most enjoyable) are rarely things you would buy into, so don’t expect potential customers to buy into it when you say it. Give them something meaningful.

3. What makes number 2 true? If you cannot answer this in a significant way, then choose another number 2. However, this does not give you license to list every nut and bolt that makes your product. This is where you tell people why they should believe what you just said in number 2.

4. What is mandatory? These are the things like addresses, phone numbers, logos, and legal disclaimers if needed. Keep this as simple as possible. If you’re doing a broadcast ad, if the audience remembers your name and what it stands for (your brand) then you accomplished more than most. Don’t confuse them with phone numbers, street addresses and feel good information unless it is pertinent. If it’s a print ad, by all means tell them where you are – brick and mortar, on the web, by phone, by mail, or all of these.

If you will answer these four questions thoutfully and give this to the folks who put your advertising together, you will go a long way in helping them do a better job.

If you don’t have a professional helping you with the task of making you messages, perhaps you should consider one. Marketing is much too important to do halfway.

So be smart. Get focused. Get the message right. Get the audience to respond.