"In ads, always use the words "sale" and "free." They are proven winners."
Sometimes, conventional wisdom is right on the money. Sometimes, as in the above statement, it isn’t always so.
True, the words "sale" and "free" *can* be attractive, in certain settings, and for certain products and services. But when car dealers who have been in business for 50 years have had sales EVERY SINGLE WEEK of those 50 years, the word loses its meaning, as does the word "Free" when it’s in almost every ad in every magazine.
It’s not only because of the injudicious and promiscuous use of these and other "come on" words are they no longer ineffective. Sometimes, using them simply doesn’t make any sense.
Sometimes, "Free" implies garbage, or something poorly made. It may not fit the brand. For a luxury item, it make not make sense to ever have a "sale" or to give the product away for free. It cheapens the brand - a brand usually built up over generations.
Can you ever imagine a "blue light special" at Macy’s? What about a "buy one get one half price" at a BMW dealership, or how about a law firm offering a half price sale on divorces? That’s the point.
That’s why, when writing ad copy, it’s best to not only consider "trigger" words such as these, but also consider the audience - the target market.
In public relations, paid advertising can play an important and complementary role to earned media in getting out a message, especially as part of a campaign to change perceptions.
But it’s crucial to understand when a traditional "ad pitch" is warranted, and when it’s simply going to do more damage than good.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Bad Customer Service Can Lead to an "Iceberg" That Can Sink Your Business
It’s long been known that poor customer service creates enemies and destroys goodwill. Experts say those who have good customer experiences with a business gain that customer’s repeat business. But if the customer has a bad experience, they tell an average of 10 other people about it, who in turn relay that experience to five others.
That was recently borne out when a friend of mine recently traveled on US Airways to attend a relative’s funeral. Her flight on US Airways was so traumatic that she has become a vocal opponent of the airline.
First, her flight was delayed for hours as she sat in her plane on the tarmac. This was likely to make it impossible for her or any of her fellow passengers to make connecting flights, and when she landed, sure enough, she missed her flight. But instead of promptly correcting the problem with apologies, she was told there was "nothing they could do" and because of the time of day, no other flights were available.
Nearly hysterical with anger, she was forced to stay in an expensive hotel overnight rather than sleep in a big city airport terminal. The following day, she came home, having missed the funeral.
Had this been the end of it, it would be bad enough, but after initially promising to refund the $600 ticket price, airline officials later informed her - by email - that she would not receive a refund, because delays were partly due to "weather problems."
Infuriated, she has literally told everyone she knows (including me) about this incident, and has urged everyone she knows to not fly US Airways in the future. In fact, she has even told strangers about the situation, going over every excruciating detail with them. And she’s found much sympathy. Imagine how bad this is for US Airways if everyone on the flight has done this.
In fact, they may well be doing just that.
Research firm TARP recently conducted a study showing that for every 26 unhappy customers, only one will lodge a formal complaint with a company’s management.
Remembering that dissatisfied customers tell, on average, 10 people, and they in turn tell five others, the magnitude of poor service begins to seem almost catastrophic.
In what TARP calls the "Customer Complaint Iceberg," an average of 1,560 people will hear about at least one of these unhappy customers' experiences.
Now, when you think about the 25 unhappy customers who DIDN’T complain, but still might spread negativity about you poor service, it becomes a near-nightmare scenario for a company.
Reputations are built on goodwill, and goodwill is built with good customer service.
Business owners need to be pro-active about customer satisfaction. They need to actively survey their customers to quickly identify any flaws in their delivery of goods or services, and to quickly correct those problems.
Abbott Public Relations can conduct a Customer Service Audit that will survey your customers and help identify possible problems - before they start complaining to their friends, family and strangers.
Don’t wait for disaster to strike, in the form of an army of angry former customers.
That was recently borne out when a friend of mine recently traveled on US Airways to attend a relative’s funeral. Her flight on US Airways was so traumatic that she has become a vocal opponent of the airline.
First, her flight was delayed for hours as she sat in her plane on the tarmac. This was likely to make it impossible for her or any of her fellow passengers to make connecting flights, and when she landed, sure enough, she missed her flight. But instead of promptly correcting the problem with apologies, she was told there was "nothing they could do" and because of the time of day, no other flights were available.
Nearly hysterical with anger, she was forced to stay in an expensive hotel overnight rather than sleep in a big city airport terminal. The following day, she came home, having missed the funeral.
Had this been the end of it, it would be bad enough, but after initially promising to refund the $600 ticket price, airline officials later informed her - by email - that she would not receive a refund, because delays were partly due to "weather problems."
Infuriated, she has literally told everyone she knows (including me) about this incident, and has urged everyone she knows to not fly US Airways in the future. In fact, she has even told strangers about the situation, going over every excruciating detail with them. And she’s found much sympathy. Imagine how bad this is for US Airways if everyone on the flight has done this.
In fact, they may well be doing just that.
Research firm TARP recently conducted a study showing that for every 26 unhappy customers, only one will lodge a formal complaint with a company’s management.
Remembering that dissatisfied customers tell, on average, 10 people, and they in turn tell five others, the magnitude of poor service begins to seem almost catastrophic.
In what TARP calls the "Customer Complaint Iceberg," an average of 1,560 people will hear about at least one of these unhappy customers' experiences.
Now, when you think about the 25 unhappy customers who DIDN’T complain, but still might spread negativity about you poor service, it becomes a near-nightmare scenario for a company.
Reputations are built on goodwill, and goodwill is built with good customer service.
Business owners need to be pro-active about customer satisfaction. They need to actively survey their customers to quickly identify any flaws in their delivery of goods or services, and to quickly correct those problems.
Abbott Public Relations can conduct a Customer Service Audit that will survey your customers and help identify possible problems - before they start complaining to their friends, family and strangers.
Don’t wait for disaster to strike, in the form of an army of angry former customers.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Day One for Abbott-Media.net
This is Day One.
This is the first official day of Abbott Media, a company designed to bring news and information to its intended audiences in creative, innovative ways that fully engage the consumer.
Abbott Media is about innovation, information, and inspiration.
Like other microbusinesses, Abbott Media seeks to embrace new ways of doing business, so we can survive and thrive in the new information marketplace of ideas.
Abbott Media seeks to bring news and information to its intended audiences in creative, innovative ways that fully engage the consumer.
Abbott Media seeks to inspire other micropreneurs - It is about empowering microbusinesses and the micropreneurs who run them to embrace innovation in both the new and old media.
We will grow our business by helping other microbusinesses - we seek to inspire and engage our customers, so they, and we, will be able to more quickly grow their businesses from their home office to a downtown office.
Micropreneurs need and deserve support. Abbott Media brings that support, and will bring together other micropreneurs to share their travails and successes.
As we look back boldly on this journey we're embarking on today and say, "we've been there," we will be willing to show others the way there, too.
Let’s go there together.
This is Day One.
Stephen Abbott http://www.abbott-media.net
March 17, 2008
This is the first official day of Abbott Media, a company designed to bring news and information to its intended audiences in creative, innovative ways that fully engage the consumer.
Abbott Media is about innovation, information, and inspiration.
Like other microbusinesses, Abbott Media seeks to embrace new ways of doing business, so we can survive and thrive in the new information marketplace of ideas.
Abbott Media seeks to bring news and information to its intended audiences in creative, innovative ways that fully engage the consumer.
Abbott Media seeks to inspire other micropreneurs - It is about empowering microbusinesses and the micropreneurs who run them to embrace innovation in both the new and old media.
We will grow our business by helping other microbusinesses - we seek to inspire and engage our customers, so they, and we, will be able to more quickly grow their businesses from their home office to a downtown office.
Micropreneurs need and deserve support. Abbott Media brings that support, and will bring together other micropreneurs to share their travails and successes.
As we look back boldly on this journey we're embarking on today and say, "we've been there," we will be willing to show others the way there, too.
Let’s go there together.
This is Day One.
Stephen Abbott http://www.abbott-media.net
March 17, 2008
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