Timing is a funny thing. The other day I read the Miles & Co What Are You Bragging About? blog post, in which Lynn
Does your messaging truly reflect your above-and-beyond-brand of Shareworthy Service, or are you promising what every customer simply expects?
The very next day I received an email from a television advertising salesperson on the West Coast. She was looking for a creative idea for a roofing company. She had asked the client what made his roofing company different, and got this answer back:
“We will complete the job to the customer’s satisfaction. We are here before, during and after the job.”
That’s the company’s unique selling proposition? They’ll complete the roofing job to a customer’s satisfaction? That’s an awfully small hook to hang their hat on.
Looking for something more, I went to the company’s website, where I learned that they are “Roofing Experts”.
Blah.
Blah.
Blah.
.
Customers expect a job done to their satisfaction. They expect a the people who work for a roofing company to be roofing experts. Any of their competitors can make exactly the same claim.
Advertising Sales Tip: Say NO to Blah
If you are an advertising salesperson tasked with coming up with a strong campaign, you have a responsibility to say NO to blah. need to dig for something more.
What else can your client talk about? Do they offer a guarantee that’s better than anyone else in town? Offer a product, or installation technique, that’s unique to the area — and better than the alternatives?
What does your client do that nobody else does? What can they offer that nobody else can? Find the answer, and you’ve got your campaign.
[reminder]What’s the most interesting claim you’ve ever been able to put into an ad?[/reminder]