It is hard not to agree with the following quote: “Sending sloppy junk to people is really a form of personal insult. It says you don’t care”. (Drayton Bird)

When you consider preparing a customer campaign, brochure or online material – what is it you think of first? Do you think about what you’re trying to sell and how it might look in terms of the graphics? Or do you consider what needs to be communicated? In most cases there’s a tendency towards ‘how it looks’ rather than ‘how it fits’ the goals of the customer. The advertising industry being geared to awards ceremonies for style instead of presenting clear evidence that the glossy material worked!

The critical component of any good customer campaign is how it gets inside the customer’s head. and how it turns interest into buying (or action) behaviour. Large companies create a broad spread of media coverage, but small businesses operate smaller budgets and have to get much more ‘bang for the buck’. When you spend your hard cash it is important that you have confidence that you’ll get a positive return.

So… make sure that you focus on the customer rather than focus on your products.

Here are 3 simple tips to help:

1. Think about your customer
Every customer, without exception, wants something that will help improve, change or meet the challenges they are currently facing in their business or personally. By taking the time to think about and ask questions about what they are currently looking to do you create a greater understanding of how your business services / products will make their lives better, more cost efficient and effective.

2. It’s all about FAB not just the F
F stands for features… Your services / products may be amazing, but your message must establish the Advantages and Benefits that consumers will get for their money. For example:

Feature: A neoprene protective cover for my netbook.
Advantage: Protects my netbook from damage.
Benefit: Less risk of losing my work – such as this article. The netbook looks newer for longer and I can pack it with other files in my bag with less bother.

3. Putting it together
So you know what customers really want and you understand your FAB’s. The next step is to cross reference the two lists, which FAB’s tie in to each challenge? By doing this you now have the ability to create campaigns and marketing collateral that speak directly to your customer. Your call to action will become more compelling.

It may sound easy and effectively it is. At the end of the day your customer is still a person and people still fundamentally buy things from other people. Your customers just need to know and feel that you understand what they’re about and why they might need what you’re offering. So review your marketing materials, your web site and the way you present your ‘shop window’. It’s worth the investment of your time.

April 8th, 2011 by Inspiro Creative Communications

I was recently involved in a campaign for a chain of sandwich shops. After contacting the local council the shops were given permission to advertise on bins outside.

We produced a simple poster, which said – You will never find any of our sandwiches in this bin!. A very simple, strong message that had great results. In the constant bombardment of advertising that we are faced with each day. There is often an overwhelming amount of information hitting our eyes and ears, and only a fraction of this information is actually absorbed. When someone uses a space that is not often used, it causes us to take note, and more importantly, take in that message.

Another important thing to remember is that it can often cost you next to nothing to produce. Here are a few examples of how far you could take it:

Yoga or Reflexology Instructor

Razors

Restaurant

To find out what we could do for you… get in touch!

March 13th, 2011 by Inspiro Creative Communications