04/ 03/ 2002
Aren't you tired of overdone advertisements that promise the buyer free products, outrageous discounts and exclusive information? The next time you begin to work on your company's latest marketing campaign, remember: customers are as sick of those advertisements as you are. In today's Workshop, Jeffrey Moses lists a few marketing ploys to avoid.
1. "And we'll throw in for free, this spectacular ..." Come on now. Everyone knows that a company isn't going to give something away at no charge. Customers are intelligent, and they know that if a company throws in something for "free," they're making up for it in the cost of the main item.
2. "Information about this special sale is being sent only to our most preferred customers." Does anyone believe they're really a "preferred customer," when the mailer is sent bulk rate -- probably to tens of thousands of people? Most of the time, anyone who shows up at a store is let in. Better to say is something like: "Because you have purchased at our store before, we know you'll be interested in our special sale."
3. "You may already have won our drawing." It's unfortunate that so many companies still use the ploy of making people think that they've won something, when they haven't. You risk losing customers this way. When they realize they've fallen for devious advertising, many people are angry and don't do business with the company again.
4. Disguised mailings. People hate junk mail, so don't try to mask your mailing as something it's not. Some examples:
- Mailing letters that look like checks. This is more irritating than impressive.
- A message on the outside of the envelope that says, "A special message to you from the president of our company." When people read the letter, they quickly learn that the message has been sent to an enormous number of people.
- Disguising the letter as one from a government agency. This practice is illegal in some states, but direct-mail companies
skirt the lines of legality many times anyway.
- Printing official notices on the envelope, such as "NOTIFICATION DOCUMENTS ENCLOSED." This makes the letter seem official and directed specifically to the recipient, when actually the letter is sent out in bulk to the general public.
Instead of resorting to these overused techniques, try honest and straightforward marketing. Being upfront makes your message professional and believable. Though half the battle is capturing the reader's attention, avoid turning people off to your message. You'll gain respect and create potential long-term customers.
