Listen to Yourself Why does 99.99% of all advertising stink? Because it doesn't talk to you. It talks at you, and insults you by doing so. Bottom line: you turn cold when you see such garbage and that piece of advertising is immediately rendered a useless waste. No amount of slick graphics, copywriting or shrewd media buying can help it. Why does this happen? Because the advertiser or ad agency (or both) does not look at their messaging as if they were on the receiving end. It seems profoundly obvious, doesn't it? But nevertheless, there is that 99.99% of garbage advertising pounding away at you and me every hour, every day, every week, every year. So why the disconnect between sender and recipient? Like writing your own resume, you lose perspective when bringing your service or product to market. People generally fall in love with their own words, sounds and images. Too bad there isn't a pill you can take that immediately divorces you from your ads. But you can get out of your own skull by going to others. Below are ten tips on how to get the real skinny on what others think of your ads, PR and marketing message: 1. Ask your friends to be "brutally honest." Offer them lunch or some other incentive. In fact, the more frank they are, the bigger and nicer the lunch you buy them. This shows them you really mean business. 2. Form a "Mastermind" group. This is a concept best explained in Dale Carnegie's book "Think and Grow Rich." Yes, your fellow Masterminders who may meet once a month or more are supposed to be supportive. But there are many times when honesty is more supportive than being too "rah rah." Better they tell you what's wrong than the marketplace. 3. Don't be overly directive at first: When I run into readers of this newsletter, I ask general questions and let them define their experience, rather than having my questions frame their experience. Hundreds of people have told me they file these newsletters in a folder called WDFM or Larry Chase. On the other hand, some people don't know what WDFM means and on more than one occasion have told me WDFM reminds them of Worldwide Wrestling Federation (WWF) Thursday Night Smackdown. They wouldn't share this if they sensed I simply wanted praise and stroking. 4. Get input from people who don't like you very much: It may be hard to hear, but at least you'll be sure their feedback won't be tainted with a desire to spare your feelings. :) 5. Test, Test, Test: This is easier said than done. But the truest feedback is the marketplace itself. It can be tedious, time-consuming and frustrating, but do it anyway. 6. Look at how your competitors or peers market the same products and services. Ask yourself, "Does this message speak to me?" and "What parts of it can I adopt for my work?" 7. Write your copy and walk away from it for at least one day, if not two or three days, or even a week. You'll return to it a different person with more experience. Then ask yourself the tough questions. 8. Be very skeptical of focus groups: They often tell you what you want to hear, especially if they're getting paid. I'm not saying don't use them; I'm just advising caution. 9. Mail your sales letter to yourself, or paste your ad into the magazine or newspaper where it will run. It sounds crazy, I know, but look at your work in context -- instead of on a story board, or neatly mounted on foam core, where it is out of context. When you're flipping through that magazine, will your ad really stop you and draw you in? 10. Pay a pro to look at your work: Find a good one. Get referrals. When they have no vested interest other than to give you the straight poop on your work, you'll probably get the right and honest input from someone who's been there before and can give an experienced assessment. |
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