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Cross-Pollinate Your IDEASby Rich Harshaw Marketing & Advertising-66 Strategies: Y2M TIP 20 We are NOT cross-pollinating botany with marketing, however... Take an idea that works well in one industry and use it in another. For instance, if you walk into a JUST FOR FEET athletic store you will immediately notice that it is geared toward young people. Music is pumped out at high octaves; huge video screens showcase the latest sports coverage; and you can munch on free popcorn while waiting to play basketball on their indoor court. These added elements have made the overall shopping experience FUN, and they are killing their competition. What can you do as an Expert Marketer to implement some of their ideas into a business you are currently working with? Here's what we decided to do with one of our client's designer floor business: 1. Put in a cappuccino machine 2. Put in a soda/snack bar 3. Separate room for all the office essentials (fax, copier, computers, phone) 4. Provide private client/designer conference room 5. Provide free and discounted rates for related services, such as carpet cleaning and installation services 6. Provide loan information for customers Often times, simplicity is overlooked, however, there wasn't one other floor covering store that offered even one of these services. If you will constantly monitor what ads invite you to listen or watch, you will quickly find things that you can incorporate into your business. Be Specific: People in general are LAZY Communicators. Suffice it to say that 99% of what's said in marketing and advertising is useless, non-compelling, non-specific, non-definitive, amorphous FLUFF. You have heard this before-tastes best, highest quality, biggest selection, best service, and lowest prices. But think about what impact these types of statements have on your prospects. Your prospects fully expect you to claim that you're great. Who ever heard of a promotion that said, "Our prices are high, our service is terrible, and our quality is marginal." To set yourself apart from the competition, you must quantify all claims made into specific, compelling terms. Instead of saying largest selection, say "15,400 square feet divided into five showrooms with over 5,220 items from 327 manufacturers, in 2,022 styles and 460 colors in price ranges from $.99 to $27,000." Which statement would you believe? Instead of saying qualified mechanics, say "Most auto repair facilities have one or two certified mechanics. We have 11 ASE certified mechanics on staff with an average of 16 years experience... including four mechanics who have passed the coveted L-1 test and two who are double master certified." Where would you rather take your car? Borrow Ideas: Use the "take one" tube on top of a yard sign like realtors do and implement into a foundation repair company. Or, give away a package of free stuff with every purchase like car dealers do. Escape from the old paradigm of "what you do" and realize that as long as an idea can make money and if it's legal, moral, and ethical, it should be worth exploring.
Forget Charming, Witty And Warm Copy Y2M Quick TIP "I'm not saying that charming, witty and warm copy won't sell I'm just saying I've seen thousands of charming, witty campaigns that didn't sell." -Rosser Reeves, one of the all-time greats of advertising Let's discuss the immutable principles of copy. There are too many ads that bombard us every day and we don't even know what it is they're trying to sell us. Rosser Reeves gives an example of an immutable ad from the book The Art Of Writing Advertising. On his way to an interview in New York City, he passed by a bus on Fifth Avenue. The bus had an absolutely ghastly advertisement. It was a big poster of a ravishing blonde girl with a headline that said, "The most startling innovation to come out of Sweden since girls... since blondes." But, as Rosser Reeves was walking across the street, it occurred to him that he didn't know what product it was because there was no mention of a product. And besides, he was too busy being human-he was studying the blonde. Photographs Make Good Illustrations Y2M Design TIP When choosing the subject matter for your illustration, opt for a photograph instead of a drawing. Unlike drawings, which are non-lifelike, photographs are more effective. Because photographs tell a story, they capture people's interest. An advertisement for a summer resort that shows real pictures over one that only shows renderings is more convincing. Photographs add real information, or proof to any advertisement. A glance at a photograph is the next best thing to seeing the actual object. So, the next time you need an illustration for your ad, take a real snapshot.
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