Quit Trying To Sell Everything To Everybody.
Focus In On Specific Prospects’ Needs And You’ll Start Hitting Home Runs.
A remodeler recently submitted the following ad to me for feedback and suggestions:
Before
While I felt like the ad was generally speaking UGLY and looked exactly like the 31,221 other bathroom remodeling ads people see in the paper and in magazines all the time (not good!), my biggest gripe was with the TARGETING.
See, the ad is attempting to reach several different target markets at the same time. They want you to know that they can remodel any kind of bathroom—from “beautiful” baths to “tub to shower conversions” and “walk-in tubs,” they can do it all. A few platitude-filled bullet points don’t really do anything to clarify who would want to buy this stuff or why they would want to buy it from this particular company.
The following dialogue ensued (edited for space):
Me: What percentage of your business is senior citizens, 60 years and older?
Remodeler: 60% to 70%
Me: Is that the kind of customers you’d like to continue to attract?
Remodeler: Yes.
Me: So why don’t you reach out to them specifically instead of throwing out this general stuff?
Remodeler: (head scratching)
Me: What is the biggest problem they have that you solve?
Remodeler: They can’t get their leg up over the tub to get in or out; or they are worried about slipping when they raise their leg.
Me: How about we just say that?
Remodeler: That suddenly seems very obvious.
Obvious, indeed.
Sometimes if you just literally capture what is in people’s minds, it is a very powerful way to communicate something that instantly resonates with them. Because you’ve simply captured their thoughts.
A little more probing revealed that some of their customers prefer to take baths, and some prefer to take showers—and they have products to suit either preference (walk-in tubs and low/zero entry showers).
Here is the text for the ad that I wrote him on the spot:
“It’s Hard To Raise My Leg Over The Tub…”
Finally, An Inexpensive Way To Make Bathing Easy & Worry-Free Again.
Our Patented Walk-In Tubs & Showers Solve Your Problem For Good.
Let’s face it, just getting in and out of the tub can be a major challenge. Slips and falls can and do (and will!) happen. Don’t wait until you have an accident to remove your tub and replace it with a SAFER alternative.
Prefer To Take Baths? If you prefer to take baths, convert to our patented WALK-IN TUB. It has a low-step door that perfectly seals water in while your bath remains perfectly safe. No more worrying. Stress-free bathing.
Prefer To Take Showers? We can pull your old tub out and replace it with a low-step (4 inches) or roll-in (zero inches) entry that eliminates the stress of getting in and out. Both models have optional seats & grab bars (recommended!) and non-slip surfaces for your safety.
We’ve been creating perfect bathrooms solutions for 40 years—we are preoccupied with perfection. We are adamant about excellence. We are fixated on flawless. Let us help you solve your bathroom safety concerns today.
The final step is to drop the text into an interesting ad. After looking but not finding a photo I like, I had my artist create an illustration that captures the feeling perfectly. See how it all comes together:
After
Now THAT’S an ad that reaches out and grabs readers! But not just any readers—the right readers that we are trying to reach.
Moral of the story: When it comes to contractor marketing, speak directly to your target audience!!!
© 2014 – 2016, Rich Harshaw. All rights reserved.
