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.
Tags: copywriting, Marcia Yudkin