Huge Opportunity to Connect… Missed

An Ad Flunks the "So What" Test

Every now and then an ad makes me want to remonstrate the copywriter… and then rewrite it myself.

copywriting tip -- make the ad about the customer

Ad in The Oregonian 3-5-17

“First you need to enter the conversation going on in the prospect’s mind.”   — Robert Collier.

If your message doesn’t address something your target’s already thinking about, you’ve flunked the “So What” test.

The ad above was in my local newspaper the other day. What conversation does this sentence enter?

Silver Chef’s meal plans are carefully planned by a registered dietitian, then prepared by a highly skilled chef with a senior’s needs in mind.”

I mean… so what?

Silver Chef customers won’t care about Silver Chef…unless they think the company can help solve a problem. This message doesn’t help anyone solve a problem.

I’m in their target demographic — 50’s with an aging parent. As a potential customer, I’d shrug and turn the page.

But the professional copywriter in me suspected there was a better story to tell. So I went to their website, and learned that the company actually tackles a problem that many boomers may have.

What conversation is the family member of a senior citizen having? They may be worried their loved one is not eating properly, and looking for ways to help them stay independent.

What if the ad entered that conversation? What if it said something like this?

We Deliver Peace of Mind Right to Your Door

If someone you love could use some help with meals, call us. Each day we’ll prepare carefully-balanced individual meals  — breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack — and deliver them right to your loved one’s home. All they have to do is heat them up and serve. 

The headline I used was already on the Silver Chef website. I wrote the body copy myself, quickly (for money, I’d be happy to spend more time on it — call me, Silver Chef!). 

If you make your ad about you, you’ll flunk the “So What” test. Talk to your prospects about them, and you’ll pass. 

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Category: Advertising
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2 thoughts on “Huge Opportunity to Connect… Missed”

  1. Great Article Phil!

    This is the perfect example of providing a solution for the customer instead of pushing the integrity of the business ownership. Too many people want to talk about themselves.

    Reply

    • Thanks for the kind words, Ron. Would love to know who wrote the copy. It reads as if it was written by a committee…

      Reply