The BV Blog

Marcia Yudkin is one of my favorite voices in the world of marketing and copywriting. In her Nov. 12th, 2008 newsletter she writes about turning what may be perceived as a negative aspect of a product or service into a positive selling point.

An ad in Writer’s Digest magazine shows a scene in the woods, with a Marlboro Man type wearing a fringed buckskin jacket, cowboy hat and jeans. His attention is on some sort of device propped on a stump in front of him.

The device is a $219 portable word processor that has been on the market since 1993. I remember considering it ages ago, then rejecting it because of everything it couldn’t do.

Take a look at the marketing copy accompanying this outdoor scene, though:

“No matter where you find yourself, this ruggedly portable, full-size writing tool instantly connects you with your thoughts - and nothing else. No email interruptions. No web-surfing distractions. No game diversions. Just non-stop writing capability: up to 700 hours worth on 3 AA batteries.”

The ad’s one-word headline sums up the product’s weakness creatively transformed into a virtue: “Focus.”

Brilliant!

List the weaknesses of your product or service, squelch the urge to apologize, and instead, conjure up a world in which the shortcomings help rather than hinder.

Related posts

• STRESSING BENEFITS OVER FEATURES
• FOCUSING YOUR COPY ON YOUR AUDIENCE

If you read the April 2007 issue of The BusinessVoice Marketer you may have seen our thoughts on focusing your marketing copy on your target audience. Here’s the piece:

What would you rather read about in this space: our company’s most recent accomplishments, that shiny new plaque I just accepted at our industry’s annual conference, and the new headquarters we just built?

Or would you prefer to spend your valuable time reading something that’s about you and your needs; an article that will help you get ahead or improve your company’s marketing?

Because you’re a human being with natural human tendencies you want content that’s directed at you. Right?

Once you understand that about yourself, it’s easy to see that your customers and prospects are more interested in sales and marketing materials that appeal to their specific needs; content that will help them see how your product or service will solve their problems and ease their pains.

So, when you’re writing copy for your website, your next print campaign or even a customer service letter, use pronouns that are directed at your audience. When you change the focus from “we” and “us” to “you” and “your”, customers will find it much easier to see the benefits they’ll reap from doing business with you.

Here’s more on the subject from this week’s issue of The Marketing Minute, Marsha Yudkin’s newsletter:

I recently came across an interesting precept from the Meisner Technique for acting: “Put all your attention on the other actor.” By responding to the other actor rather than focusing on yourself, your emotion, gestures, body language and tone of voice become more convincing for the audience.

This caught my eye because it corresponds to a shift that results in more convincing marketing writing, too. Instead of writing “I, I, I…” or “we, we, we…,” you write “you, you, you…”

What happens then goes far deeper than a change in pronouns.

Using the word “you” forces you to consider and speak to the perspective of the buyer. Instead of what “I” or “we” want the buyer to know, you naturally think and write to the reader’s emotions, wants, interests, needs and doubts. You probably feel more comfortable talking to “you” than about “I” or “we,” so the tone also becomes more genuine.

When the reader encounters the “you” copy, rapport occurs.

To get a message across, forget about yourself and put your attention on the reader.

Related posts

• TURNING NEGATIVES INTO POSITIVES
• STRESSING BENEFITS OVER FEATURES
• OIL’S WELL IN NEW AD CAMPAIGN
• ATTENTION MARKETERS: DO YOU KNOW HOW POWERFUL YOU ARE?
• A NEW “STAGE” FOR YOUR MARKETING

BusinessVoice president Jerry Brown sent me a blog post today about a topic many of us can identify with: trying to buy a product you know relatively nothing about.

It’s called “Excuse me, do you speak English?” and it suggests another way marketers can stress benefits over features to help consumers make good buying decisions and, in the process, create customer loyalty.

Related posts

• TURNING NEGATIVES INTO POSITIVES
• FOCUSING YOUR COPY ON YOUR AUDIENCE
• EVERYTHING YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT JERRY…ALMOST
• EVERYDAY vs. EVERY DAY
• BUCKEYE CHOSE JERRY