All prescription commercials seem to follow the same, apparently lucrative even if warning- filled format. Yet, they likely figure, “Since 80% of our prospects will be ‘turned off’ by the little, tiny, insignificantly debilitating side effects, let’s mark up our price to 812 times what it costs us to make it.” Then all the 3-eyed board members laugh manically and go to lunch at the nuclear power plant.
Yet – legally required warnings aside – the pharmaceuticals have several zillion dollars (each, rounded up) to spend on research including demographics/psychographics and the most likely hour we’ll arise in the middle of the night to deal with that little “going and going” problem.
You’re not seeing ED drug ads during the Tyra Banks show but you are seeing Anti-depressants during the Nightly News. You are seeing ED drugs more before Valentine’s Day, but less allergy medicines after allergy season wanes. Not exactly coincidental, and the results are staggeringly profitable.
You think predicting a plumbing problem is difficult? You think aiming your furnace message to the right crowd is tough? Try combing through 2 billion people who all claim individuality, and would like to keep their medical problems to themselves.
Four marketing lessons emerge from these gargantuan models, worthy of emulation. If, in a downward-spiraling economy, you’d prefer to copy than to re-invent with your own wallet, I offer.…
$660,000,000 of Marketing Research You Can Copy Now (This sample will ONLY be open to the public for 24 hours; thereafter only for Coaching Members.)
1. Direction or Call-to-Action – Drug companies always give specific “call to”, “ask” “get a free DVD” advice. Tell your prospect what you want them to do. Especially in a downward economy, leaving them to “guess” is a bad idea, a waste of your ad space, time, and money. This has been my advice for 8 years in a row; significantly more important now. No guessing allowed.
2. Damaging Admission – Drug companies are law-bound to mention anything that occurs in a certain percentage of cases, laughably-frightening or not. Yet in marketing – and here’s the lesson - there is an “automatic filter” that we all employ when an offer sounds too good, too perfect, the be-all, end-all of our misery. Thus, a “damaging admission” is a honesty-inducer, effectively opening the filter toward credibility. Such as - -
“We have the most popular colors and the biggest selection in town!” is ‘typical’ ad schlock, filter set to “high”. Then read, “We have virtually all colors, but navy blue sells out the fastest.” This one is far more specific, interesting, urgent, and allows the customer to ‘accept’ other statements more readily. The trick is to make your “admission” positive.
What is worthy of admitting? What % of calls are handled same day; how often are you late; what’s your customer retention rate; what’s the warranty claim rate. Any of those ‘exacting’ numbers are more believable, turning, “We have the #1 Best Service Department in Town!!!!” (Unqualified, highest “filter” rating, common) into “Voted #1 in
3. Targeting – This is actually the most important one, but put here on purpose. The “who” you want to attract must match the audience for the media. This is why you won’t see Viagra ads on the Tyra Banks show, but you DO see anti-depressants during the Nightly News. Not coincidence. What is your targeted audience watching, reading, listening to?
The best target – by far – is your current customer base. Immediately after is a shocker: former customers. Then referrals, then those “like” your customers, then those in proximity to customers. This is the most efficient method of contact, with the highest “probability” of sale, now more important than ever. Leaving your customer base “to chance” financially suicidal. Your competitors will gladly invite them to dinner, serving you as the main course.
4. Benefits over price – In a weakened economy, “cutting prices” up front is common, but often interpreted as “desperate, quivering, weak” negating any real gain. They don’t know how much a furnace tune up should cost; discounting up-front is pointless.
Make sure your price cuts are positioned powerfully after benefits are spelled out. The drug ads speak initially of “improvement, health, increased energy, no soreness” and other benefits, then offer a free 1 month Trial, making it irresistible.
Offering a free energy survey, plumbing ‘freeze free’ inspection, 4 outlets for the price of 3 had better come after value points made. Also, better to “bundle” services as a discount once in the home, such as, “I’ve invoiced you for the water heater today, but since you’ve already paid for the trip charge, we’re reaching out to customers who’d rather not pay it again on a small repair. So, with your permission I’d be glad to take care of any other smaller repairs while I’m here, or could I ask you a few questions about your plumbing and heating system?”
See, this way, you’re adding to the transaction size, getting closer to an agreement sale, locking in the customer, and filling up a tech’s time with billable hours, gaining valuable “future sales” information simultaneously. Not bad for 2 sentences.
LIMITED TIME CASE STUDY ACCESS: Problems on the website, and several other places too
Okay, now the LIMITED TIME ACCESS to a free rewrite, using most if not all the above. This was for a P&H company’s website, which was about stupid looking anyway. No one could find it either. (Not my specialty, so I sent them to www.markethardware.com)
The home page copy was rotten. But it was taken right out of their oversized, junked up Yellow Page ad. (A failure from the start, but they told me, “But we already had it!” as if that was a bonus. Like saying, “No need for Salmonella, I already have syphilis!”)
Then, if you DID call them, their CSR had NO CLUE how to “convert” a call into a sale, upsale, or an appointment for that matter. Very pleasant, but largely ineffective. (This wasn’t my specialty either, but we spent a year on this subject and found it is a profit sinkhole of epic proportions. Get this fixed. Call or email here for options.)
I was hired to do the copy rewrite, several pages, lots of good money invested. Here’s the OPENING paragraph only, rewritten using the lessons you’ve just read:
‘Typical’ Company A Opener: “Our Plumbing and Heating company is always available, 24/7, to serve the needs of our many customers. We’re #1 in the service area in quality and dependability. We know plumbing and heating. We have a great selection and best prices too! So, for ALL Your plumbing or heating needs, call on us today! XXX-XXXX.
Okay, even though I’m about to throw up after writing that schlog, which is painfully reminiscent of virtually every amateur with a braggy but low performing ad, here’s the rewrite...
‘Atypical’ Company B Opener: Your plumbing and heating system doesn’t always work perfectly. (Nothing in my house does!) But your call is welcome here – 24 hours a day – and routed to one of 5 stocked trucks, with a skilled tech that can solve your problem in ONE visit, 94% of the time! (We’re working on the other 6%!) Company B doesn’t waste your time hunting parts or guessing. Gives us a call at XXX-XXXX.
Be specific. Target your message. Give “admissions” to raise credibility. “Position” yourself powerfully, not negatively. And finally,
“Ask your marketing doctor about advertising. Should you experience pain or lack of customers in this recession, stop taking the advice of your whiny competitors and contact someone who’s actually solved the problem in real life, not just seen it on TV.”
NEXT UP ON THE CALENDAR:
Adams Hudson heads to the ACCA Conference and Expo in Fort Worth, February 23-26. Will they change the locks while he’s gone? Will anyone in his seminar learn the methods that put nearly 400 people in a Home Show booth or increased a post card’s results by 17 times?
MegaMarketer Coaching Call – next Wednesday, February 11 at 1:00 Central
TOPIC: Continuity Income and Maintenance Agreements.
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