Zazou Marketing

Tell me the truth: Are you more likely to buy a camping chair because it is made of polyester/nylon mesh or because the fabric dries quickly and won’t puddle water when left out in the rain? If you chose the latter, that’s because you are like everybody else in the world — you like to know how a product will benefit you.

Luckily for REI, I got this example from their website, where they did it right: Their description focused on the benefits of the chair (that the material dries quickly), instead of just listing the features of the chair (that the material is polyester/nylon mesh).

REI successfully touts this chair's benefits, not features, on its website

But just because REI succeeds in giving benefits over features, doesn’t mean that all the big companies do so in their marketing materials. In fact, the New York Times just ran a blog posting about how Ford forgot this very important aspect of marketing and copywriting.

The posting is about the company’s new van that gets 22 to 25 miles per gallon, and it’s being marketed as a small-business delivery van. Here’s a portion of the blog:

“When I looked over the marketing sheet for the trucks before they got here, I couldn’t help but notice that Ford’s marketing people don’t really know how to talk to their customers — they don’t speak “entrepreneur.” It was a classic case of selling the features instead of the benefits….

For instance, they say, “The power train was upgraded to include a proven Duratec 2.0 liter dual overhead cam (DOHC) I-4 engine …” What does that mean? But then I drove the truck and noticed the pick up. Me understand. Me go fast. Me want. How many people even know what a power train is? Or a dual overhead cam? Oh, excuse me, a DOHC.”

The posting goes on to cover point by point how the brochure fails to sell this van to its customer.

Luckily for Ford, the writer actually saw the van in person and didn’t have to rely on the marketing materials to discover that it’s a perfect fit for his needs (and then went on to write about that in the New York Times).

But how many of their potential customers are going to have that same opportunity? And how many of their potential customers will have the chance to tell so many people about the vehicle’s benefits?

According to the NY Times, Ford's brochure for this new van fails to tell its potential customer how he or she will benefit from buying this vehicle.

So take this as just another reminder that if you offer a product or service, you need to find out how it benefits your customer — and then tell your customer all about that in your marketing materials.

Some habits are hard to break, and it’s likely that these three will be among them for you. However, in order to make sure that your brochure, website, advertisements and other marketing materials are error-free, keep these rules in mind:

• Do NOT use the ampersand (&) to replace the word “and.” The ampersand should only be used when it’s in a formal name of a company. That means that yes, you do need to take it out of your headline (one of the worst offenders), and you need to take it out of your copy! I know that the rather fun character is cooler and easier to type than three more boring characters are, but that doesn’t change the rule.
• Speaking of formal names, do not use a comma before Inc. or Ltd. And before you publish a company’s name, make sure you are writing it correctly. There are plenty of well-known organizations that we think we know the name of, but we have it slightly wrong. For instance, did you know that it is the Smithsonian Institution, not the Smithsonian Institute?
• When you want to say “also” use “too,” not “to.” I know that you are saying, “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I learned that in grammar school.” But if you pay attention, you’ll be shocked to see how frequently people mess this rule up.

I tell clients over and over to get to the point: Cut needless words; cut pointless thoughts; and start out sharp (you only have a few seconds to grab people’s attention, after all). Which is why it was so embarrassing when my husband pointed out I hadn’t done the same for myself.

On my website I wrote, “With Zazou Marketing’s writing, editing or proofreading services, your words can be a powerful sales tool: We deliver the words that sell your products or services.” He read it recently and very tentatively asked, “Shouldn’t it start with, ‘Your words can be a powerful sales tool.’?” Well, yes, it should, I admitted.

The moral? Even people who write copy all day, every day can benefit from an outside set of eyes to look over their copy. Sometimes we’re just too close to our words to read it objectively. And sometimes we’re too close to our business to read it like we have never read it before. Either way, remember that your marketing copy will likely also benefit from another person’s editing and viewpoint.

(By the way, if you go to my website, you will see that I have changed my copy to start with, “Your words can be a powerful sales tool.”)

And, for more examples of how to keep your copy to the point and sharp, see my past posting, “Copywriting Secrets To Selling Your Doodad.”

If you’re launching an ad campaign, you certainly want a return on your investment. So it’s nice to know that research shows how to make your ad campaign increase sales or profit.

Here are the results of a study done by The Journal of Advertising Research, as published in Ad Age today, which found that the following strategies are most likely to increase sales or profit:

* Focus on hard objectives, such as specific market-share gains, rather than soft ones, such as brand awareness
* Focus on price, not volume
* Focus on penetration (winning new consumers) rather than loyalty
* Influence consumers emotionally rather than rationally
* Create ads with “talk value”
* Have a high share of voice relative to brand market share
* Include TV in the mix
* Include a small number of media channels with a concerted message

Source: Les Binet & Peter Field, June issue, Journal of Advertising Research.

While some of these elements are part of an overall marketing strategy, many of them are very much intertwined with your copy. So remember, for instance, to consider keeping your focus on specific objectives that win new consumers.

Of course, each advertising campaign is different and some “rules” are meant to be broken, but the above list is certainly a good guideline when mapping out your ad campaign — or, for that matter, any marketing materials or marketing campaign.

I fear sounding like a broken record, but that’s not going to stop me from saying it again: Make me care.

I know that I just wrote about this, but I was inspired to revisit the topic when I read Amanda Ameer’s Life’s a Pitch blog posting today. This week she is asking the same eleven questions of different New York City publicists. Today, she posted the answers of Steven Swartz, who is the founder of Dotdotdotmusic, which provides PR and consulting services to the new music field.

Here is an excerpt from the post:

What is the purpose of a press release? And what, in your opinion, is the most important aspect of a press release?  How does that element accomplish the purpose?

I think any publicist would agree that it’s not enough to convey the essential information — you have to answer the reader’s unspoken question, “Why should I care?”  Ideally, all of the elements of the release work together to provide that answer, but the heavy lifting is accomplished by the narrative you create in the release, and the context you provide to support and enrich that narrative.

So there you have it. Another voice who reminds us that whether you are writing a press release, a brochure, a website or any other marketing material — make sure it answers the question, “Why should I care?”

Just in case anyone at Chase is reading this…. I think that you need to rethink one of your ad campaigns.

Here’s why: One of the first things I tell my clients is to drop the “We’ve been in business for xx years” from the first line of your marketing materials. Why? Two reasons:

• If you are thinking about buying a service or product what do you care about first: Do you care about what the service or product can do for you, or do you care that they have been around for 10 or 20 years? I guarantee you only care about the latter after you know what they can do for you.

• The longevity of your business may or may not be relevant. Need an example? Bear Stearns was founded in 1923; Lehman Brothers was founded in 1850; Washington Mutual was incorporated in 1889**. Need I remind anyone what happened to each of these banks in the last year? Clearly experience doesn’t guarantee success. (And, yes, I’m writing about banks and their marketing campaigns again.)

What does this all have to do with Chase? I was driving down the freeway and saw a billboard that read “Chase. New to California, but not to banking.” (or something close to that — I was driving so not only could I not get a photo, but I also couldn’t write it down.)

If I had seen this advertisement a year ago maybe I would have thought, “Well maybe my rule can be broken in some instances.” But now? I think it just makes my point even clearer. After all, what does the length they have been in business promise or guarantee — especially now that we know huge banks with a long history can go belly up?

So, I’ve said this before and even before that and will say it again: If you are creating marketing materials for your business, I remind you to wait until you’ve made people care before you tell people how long you have been in business.

**These dates are all according to Wikipedia, which is not always accurate. But for the purposes of this blog, the point is that these companies were all around for a loooooong time.

Sometimes marketing campaigns just aren’t sexy. And that’s OK.

Take banks, for example. There is a whole slew of them who want the public to know that they are safe and solid–in a word, they’re boring. I have personal experience with this message, since I was hired recently by a credit union to two write letters for their annual report. The content of those letters? In part it was that the credit union is safe, solid and growing. And that they never took part in all of those risky lending practices that got the big banks in trouble.

But the marketing message definitely goes beyond one credit union. The New York Times ran an article about banks earlier this month, titled “We’re Dull, Small Banks Say, but Have Profits.” While the title pretty much sums it up, here’s an excerpt:

“community bankers have felt compelled in recent months to mount public relations campaigns to emphasize their fiscal health and in some cases to announce they rejected Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, funds. Some have held cookouts, others have held “reassurance” meetings in their lobbies, hoping to educate customers and prevent panics.”

The point of all of this? Sometimes what sets you apart from your competitors is not something bold and flashy. Sometimes it is your boring old business practices that give you an edge. The important part is that whatever it is that gives you an edge, go ahead and sell it!

I was contacted by two new clients this week. One gave me a list of ideas about their company; the other gave me what amounted to a list of facts about an event. Both clients wanted the information turned into one page of marketing material copy. And both were rush jobs — the marketing materials needed to be done in less than 24 hours — so there was no time to get additional information to fill out the marketing pieces.

Can you guess which one I took on and which one I passed on until I could get additional information? You may be surprised to know that I took on the one that started out as essentially a list of facts. Why? Because with such details I knew the:

• unique selling proposition
• target market
• what sets them apart from their competition

Here’s the key: If I have the facts and details to start with, I can usually add flavor, tone, and style. But with only series of belief statements, I have little to work with to tell your customer why they should hire you or buy your product.

Here’s an example: The list of facts included the location of a contest that the organization is putting on (Highline Ballroomin NYC) and what the grand prize will be for the winner of the contest (including a Jacob & Co. pendant).

There are certainly plenty of people who know exactly what kind of vibe and caliber this performance space is and just how coveted a a custom-made Jacob & Co. pendant is. However, there are plenty of people who do not. And if someone who does not know is being approached to be an investor, the one-sheet needs to let him or her know what kind of an event this is.

That in mind, to address what kind of a club the Highline Ballroom is (and by extension, the contest), I included the caliber of artists who have performed there:

“That night, the six contestants will let loose and have some fun—all at the same location that performers like Lou Reed, Mos Def, and Amy Winehouse have performed, at the Highline Ballroom, a performance space in the Meat Packing District on 16th Street.”

And when I described the grand prize, I included some of the designer’s celebrity fans — thereby showing just what kind of caliber the entire contest is:

“a custom-made Jacob & Co. pendant (popularized by the likes of Angela Bassett, Jimmy Fallon, Gisele Bundchen, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, Enrique Iglesias, Justin Timberlake, Fred Durst, David and Victoria Beckham and many others)”

So, when you are creating your marketing materials, remember to include the details of what sets you apart — and also remember to include information that lets people know just why those details are relevant.

I got a call today from a client who wants a brochure. He wasn’t sure what he wanted, so I mentioned a few possible topics that we could cover in the marketing material, many of which were a surprise to him. It made me think that it might be helpful if I posted some general areas that are often covered in brochures.

So, as you think about your own brochure, think about which of these will be most helpful in selling your service or product. And that really is the key — don’t just include that you have been in business for 50 years because you think it sounds impressive; only include that information if it’s going to make your clients buy your product or service. And keep in mind that you almost never want to have all of the following topics covered in one brochure!

Also, just because you talk about your services (or some other topic), you should not label the section “services.” Instead come up with a catchy, descriptive header that helps sell your company, product or service.

Possible features to include in your service or product brochure:

• Introduction – Outline what you offer and–of course–what you do for your client.
• Call to action – Ask the reader to act. Do you want a call? Order a product? Or for the client to visit a website? Then let them know what to do and how to do it.
• Services and/or products – Describe the services and/or products you offer (and always focus on how they benefit your customer).
• Business structure – Describe how you do business and why it benefits your client.
• Clients – Include case studies or a list of people or organizations who have hired you or bought your product. Or you can include descriptions of the kind of companies who have hired you.
• Testimonials – Include testimonials that tell how great you or your product or service is, of course, And, if possible, use ones that include numbers that prove that your service or product has improved their life.
• Fees, prices and terms – If you have a set price structure, you may want to include it, in addition to any guarantees that you make. For products, you may want to also include shipping and handling costs.
• Features – Highlight features that set your product apart from your competition. And, of course, include how those features benefit your client.
• How the product works – Describe how your product works and what it can do, including why its superior to the competition.
• Information about the buyer – Sometimes its helpful to spell out who the product or service is designed for. (Even if you don’t have an entire section for this, all of the content should keep this person in mind.)
• Applications – Describe how your product or service can be used and answers the question of what problems it solves.
• Availability – If you sell a product or two or three or more, you may want to list the models, sizes, construction materials, options, accessories, etc. Again, include why these specs matter to your client. Also, you may want to include charts and graphs to help your client select the right product.
• Technical specifications – For products, you may want to include and technical requirements, such as cleaning methods, storage conditions, etc.
• FAQ – This is obviously where you include frequently asked questions (and their answers).
• About Us – Including a brief company description section can show that the service or product is backed by a reputable company. And, if it well help sell your product or service, highlight the credentials of important employees.
• Support – This section can be either who and how to contact support, or it can be information about delivery, installation, upkeep, etc.

Many organizations create websites assuming that the product or service will sell itself… If you can just get people to your website, they’ll see how wonderful what you offer really is. And then they’ll go ahead and buy it, right?! Well, now that you’ve had your website for some time, you have probably realized that simply having a site doesn’t necessarily mean sales.

So, if you want your website to actually generate revenue, you may need to revamp a few important aspects of your site. In fact, there are six things you should update, says an April 28 article in The Washington Post. And since I’m writing about this article here, you won’t be surprised that one of the fixes that the article advises is to “write better product descriptions.” Here’s the article’s sage advice:

Spend some time reading your product descriptions to make sure they’re succinct and filler-free. The formula here can be difficult because, as Amy Schade says, you need to “convince [users] the product meets their needs,” but the verbiage “has to be short and descriptive.” There’s no salesperson available on a website, so shoppers “should be able to see a product and know what it does,” says Schade, a director at the Nielsen Norman Group in New York City and co-author of the second edition of the “E-Commerce User Experience” report. Writing new and better product descriptions, Schade says, “is time consuming but worth it.”

So there you have it. Good writing can equal sales. So, when you are creating product descriptions, remember to make them succint, descriptive, and filler-free, while also ensuring that they convince prospective buyers that the product meets their needs.

Zazou Marketing