A Good Ad

For years I’ve said (and I have not been kidding) that the problem with most advertising is it’s written by the advertiser.

A typical small business ad makes a major feature of the name of the business. In newspaper the tendency is to make the business name the biggest thing in the layout. On radio the rule seems to be insert the name every ten seconds. Television? Put the name full screen for the last five seconds of the ad and make sure people know directions to the store.

But, for just a minute, let’s pretend that your business is a big and tall men’s clothing store, and that I’m a prospective customer.

We can assume that I don’t have any interest in having you try to sell me things I don’t want. We can further assume that I don’t want to pay more than a fair price, and that I wish to be treated as if I’m important. Those are just the generic concerns.

Suppose that I’m six feet eight inches tall. I now have additional concerns: I don’t want to shop for clothes that don’t fit. I don’t want to find clothing designed for a much smaller man, even if it has been manufactured in my size.


Let’s look at your ad and see what it says.

Your name is the headline. You have a photo of your family, who apparently do double duty as your staff. Your ad tells me how long you’ve been in business, your address, phone number, your hours of operation, and a list of the product lines you carry.

What your ad has not addressed is any of my issues. Actually, your ad hasn’t said anything to catch my attention. I find this amazing. You’re trying to attract me, and other people like me, but you insist on talking about yourself.

And suppose, for just a minute, that I’ve decided I need a couple of white business shirts with French cuffs. Suppose that I see your ad, come to your store, and discover that you only stock casual clothing for big and tall men. When I discover you don’t have what I want, and walk out, you’ll probably claim the ad “brought in the wrong people.”

You only got lookers instead of buyers? Hummm. Does this happen to you a lot?

Of course, even bad ads will usually produce some business. If you have clothing that is in high demand, and there are enough big and tall men, some of them will respond to your ad and will probably buy something before they leave.

Of course, a great many more will be spreading their business among your competitors, because their ads are cut from the same cloth as yours.

Or maybe they just chose the store with the most convenient location.


Advertising is too expensive to waste.

As expensive as advertising is, shouldn't we strive for the greatest possible return on investment?

Your self centered ads are not persuasive. I don't care that you're the biggest, the oldest, the most popular, or that you will not be undersold. I, your prospect want you to talk to me. I want better advertising, more salient advertising from you.

Let's consider what makes an ad effective.

A good ad is about the customer.

A good ad speaks directly to a specific group of people, in language they use, about concerns those people have recognized.

A good ad sells benefits, and explains exactly what each benefit does for your prospect. It is honest, and believable.

A good ad is built on a simple concept, conveys its message clearly, and leaves one easily remembered thought in the mind of the prospect. It makes the prospect remember the product, or the advertiser, instead of the ad.

A good ad is distinctive, and easily recognizable. It helps to build a positive image for the advertiser.

A good ad conveys a sense of urgency. It has a clear call to action and tells the prospect what to do next.

Suppose, instead of making your name the headline, you ran an ad that with a headline that said “Are you as tall as Larry Byrd, and can’t find shirts long enough to stay in your pants when you reach for the top shelf?”

I know, I know. You're going to tell me you can’t run an ad like that, because when you talk to the tall men, you don’t let the big men know you have shirts for them, too, and as much as you're spending for this ad you're not going to leave anyone out.

So, here's my question. Who you think is reacting to your current ad? Who feels it’s speaking to them? (Hint: announcing you stock both big and tall men’s clothing doesn’t mean you’ve said anything of interest to either).

Are you ready to kick your advertising into high gear? Then talk to me, your prospect. Talk about the things I think are important. Talk about exactly how you’re going to help me.

And please stop thinking that the only "benefit" I care about is price. You must have more to offer than that.

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The Smaller your Focus, the Bigger your Profits

I understand how you feel. I do.

You’re paying for your advertisement to be seen / heard / read / viewed by 40,000 people. And the cost of reaching that many people is sooooo high, that you’re going to add copy points, then add more copy points, and then add even more in order to make sure you say something which will appeal to all of them.

That would be a mistake.

I do understand that you’re trying to make the biggest impact with those dollars, but it’s still the wrong thing to do. There is nothing you can say that will appeal to 40,000 out of 40,000 people.

Consider this: if you were able to successfully persuade one half of one percent of those people to come do business with you, you’d come away from this advertising schedule with 200 new customers. If you’re like most businesses, you couldn’t possibly handle 200 new customers – at least, not all at once.

Would you agree that under most circumstances for most businesses, 25 new customers from one advertising schedule would be a phenomenal success? Then stop trying to talk to the other 39,975, and tell those 25 exactly what you can do for them.

Odd, isn’t it? The more you narrow your focus, the stronger your message becomes.

Don’t be afraid to specialize. Don’t be afraid to get very specific in your advertising.

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Location, Location, and the UVP

Does your business have a Unique Value Proposition (U.V.P.)? The strategy I’m about to share requires one.

DO NOT attempt this if you can’t articulate a very compelling reason for people to conduct business with you, rather than with than a competitor.

You’ve, no doubt, heard that there are three critical considerations in real estate. They are, in order, location, location, and location. There are also several philosophies involving the selection of that location, especially as it applies to choosing one for your business.

One school of thought is to go where there are no competitors. Another is to go where all of the competitors are.

I suggest that the difference may come down to your U.V.P.

I’m visiting a major southern city in the U.S. My client is considering a location for his new retail store. We’ve looked at, and considered, several.

One is particularly attractive to us. It’s at the intersection of two streets which are primary arteries for the community. Within a block of this intersection are four other businesses which are my client’s direct competitors.

If we can negotiate an acceptable lease, we’ll be the fifth competitor.

Several advantages to this location become obvious, once you think about them.

1. This intersection has become known to the public as the part of town where one goes to conduct business with someone in my client’s industry. If a shopper doesn’t know exactly what she wants, it’s easier to get her to go where she more choices.

You’ll note that most large cities have a “restaurant row,” or a several car dealers in a two or three block area. They all tend to do better than the lone restaurant or car dealer on some other thoroughfare.

2. This location eliminates fourteen of the eighteen direct competitors from the minds of shoppers passing by. As a potential customer drives through this intersection, and notes that four competitors exist at this one place, she’s not as likely to actively be thinking of the fifth on the South side of town, the sixth on the North side, or the seventh near the courthouse.

Where it counts, in the mind of the shopper, it’s easier to compete with only four other businesses at this location, than it is to compete with eighteen others scattered across the city. (As they say, out of site, out of mind).

3. It’s much easier to get people to walk across the street to comparison shop than it is to get them to come see you at a place they’ve never been, when you are new and they have no relationship with your company.

4. One of the primary purposes of advertising is to help people remember who you are and why they should seek you out. Won’t you have to spend substantially less to do so when thousands of potential customers drive by your store, and it’s signage, daily?

Enough traffic already passes through this intersection that four direct competitors have been able to run successful businesses with minimal advertising.

Despite these major advantages, there is a strong danger to this strategy. It invites direct comparison of your business to multiple established competitors. If you can't hold up under such scrutiny, this decision could effectively kill your business.

If you have a strong U.V.P. choosing such a location can be a powerful strategy. Without one, you’re all too often at the mercy of the competitor who does.

You do have an easily articulated, customer-focused U.V.P. don’t you?

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Chuck’s 2007 Letter to the Ad Fairy

Dear Advertising Fairy:

Thank you for the wishes you granted last year. I’m happy that the “Lost another loan to DiTech” banker appears to be gone. And, although I’m still waiting for you to eliminate those stupid TAG Body Spray storylines that so blatently rip off the old Hai Karate ads from 1967, I’m confidant you’ll get to them soon.

Ad Fairy, I hope you’ve dusted off your magic wand, ‘cause we've flipped the calendar over again and I have my usual five more advertising wishes for for the new year.

5. The phrase “Now THAT’s what I’m talking about” will never be used again in any ad any time anywhere. In fact, let’s strike it from the vocabulary. OK, Ad Fairy?

4. Instead of saying “This product has not been evaluated by the FDA,” natural male enhancement products will not be allowed on TV until evaluated by the FDA.

3. X-Treme anything will no longer be allowed. Let’s find a new word. How about… um… Poofy? That could work. “Tonight on Poofy Sports….”

2. Ads for ED medications will get past that pesky four hour issue.

And my top wish for advertising in 2007?

1. That Apple give us more “I’m a PC / I’m a Mac” ads.

If they did that, then maybe other advertisers would catch on to the power of a simple explanation of benefits to the purchaser. If Apple lead by their current fine example, other companies might drop the "entertainment" thats being passed off as solid marketing.

Perhaps that guy building the stand up comedy club in his back yard would simply consider the STARZ comedy pack for $12.95. Maybe then the Quaker Oatmeal To Go guy would stop cooking on the bus. With those examples could Carmen Electra quit throwing herself at the ordinary guy who dumped her in the Taco Bell commercials? And then would it be possible for Halls Sugar-Free Bursts not to be used to take the scratches out of an LP record?

Could they all stop talking to me as if I'm mentally deficient?

Hummm.

While I think of it, let's put Countrywide Finance and E-Harmony on the list of advertisers who don’t pander to, don’t talk down to, and don’t treat me as if I’m stupid. Ad Fairy. I wish them all greater success in 2007.

But see what you can do with those TAG Body Spray ads, ok?

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