Get specific when you advertise

How many advertisements do you see that just scream out: We give you the best prices or Our service is better? The simple answer is, too many. It's easy to make a promise like this in an advertisement and every newspaper is full of them, but they can be a real turnoff to an aware public who are interested in finding value and need proof that you can offer it.

Consumer research has consistently shown that people perceive most businesses as having similar relationships between their pricing and service. They know that there are top of the line suppliers that excel in service and charge higher prices, just as they know that there are cut rate suppliers with lower prices and lower standards of service.

But they also perceive that the difference in pricing between the two levels isn't all that great, and that no business will stay around long if its service isn't at least acceptable. That leaves the important question of how you can stand out from the competition while still trying to communicate your own value proposition.

Tell them what you're going to give them

If somebody's never been a customer of yours previously, your advertising has to be very specific in painting a picture of what they'll find if they buy from you. It's essential to convey your uniqueness rather than just trying to say "We've got good prices and service".

What is it about your business that will interest a prospect? What will you do for them that nobody else can do? Or, that nobody else is saying they'll do?

It begins by finding out what your customers and prospects really want, then telling the world that you've got it. What's really important to them that will induce them to purchase from you?

The biggest thing to keep in mind is that your advertising has to be about them and not about you. Be specific about what you'll do for them - is it better fitting clothes or a smoother running engine? That's what they really want, and not just bland statements of price and service.

Customise your benefit

Once you've identified the basic benefit that they want and you can provide, augment this with an offer that's specific to your business. Take a hypothetical situation where a person's refrigerator has broken down and a replacement is urgently needed.

That person looks in their telephone directory and sees two advertisements for refrigerators. The first says:

Award-winning electrical appliances. Great service and the best price.

The second advertisement says:

Electrical appliances delivered free. Same-day service to most areas.

It's obvious that winning awards and vague promises about service and price aren't nearly as important to somebody without a refrigerator as having it delivered quickly and especially if it's free. There's no question about which advertisement is going to be the most appealing.

The best way to stand out from the competition is to base your advertising on what your customers really want and how you'll provide it to them. Think about this the next time you prepare an advertisement and you'll be using words your customers want to hear.

For more information contact your RAN ONE business professionals at
Academy of Business Excellence Limited