Do Your Ads Have A Purpose (Or Are They Just Filler Text)?

Another blog post I originally wrote for the ADwërks blog, but wanted to share on my personal site too. Hope you like it.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua…

Be honest. You thought we screwed up, right? You thought maybe one of us ADwërkers blew it and accidentally posted filler text in place of a thought-provoking, world-changing blog post.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but it was intentional. We wanted to demonstrate a point. If the copy, content or ads you produce do so little to inspire movement or ignite passion that they might as well be filler text, then it’s time to consider a stronger approach to your messaging strategy.

To be clear, this isn’t a matter of copywriting. It’s not a simple question of “does this ad get someone’s attention?” It’s a matter of whether or not your marketing reflects your company’s unique qualities and aspects.

If you’re a banker, think about your bank’s latest newspaper ad. Now think about that same ad with a rival bank’s logo placed over yours. Would anybody (besides you) know the difference? If you’re in the auto repair business, would anybody notice if your radio spot had a different shop’s name voiced over your shop’s name? If the answer to either question is no, then you have a problem.

Because if the ads you run are simply filler text like lorem ipsum, it’s time you consider a new approach. One that gets to the core of your business and shows the world what makes you unique. One that shows people the aspects of your business that none of your competitors can copy.

There’s a reason we at ADwërks emphasize handcrafted marketing as our calling card. Because in this day and age, if it’s not unique, it’s not going to be noticed.

And if it doesn’t get noticed, it might as well just be filler text.

-Mike B.

Photo by Mårten Björk. Thanks Mårten!

How Do You Make A Good Offer GREAT?

I originally wrote this post for the ADwërks work blog, but figured you guys might find it interesting too. Hope you like it!

Bed Bath & Beyond is smart. Sneaky smart, even. Here’s why.

This weekend, Bed Bath & Beyond held a special “Bridal Registry Wrap-up Party.” The purpose? Recently married couples could get 20% off the gifts on their bridal registry that nobody had given them at their wedding.

Naturally, my wife and I circled the items we “needed” and headed in to clean house and show Bed Bath & Beyond we meant business. But when we arrived, the Bed Bath & Beyond folks hit us with a double-whammy that lit our eyes up like a Christmas tree (and ultimately proved how in control they were all along)…

“You can actually get 20% off of EVERYTHING in the store today.”

Wait…what? Everything? Even if it’s not on the registry? Like…everything?

Yep. Everything. Thankfully, my wife isn’t a wasteful shopper, but we still ended up with numerous items in our cart that were never on our registry (like a new electric razor for me…jackpot). All because Bed Bath & Beyond gave the right offer to the right (target) market.

Think about it: a select niche of shoppers was already in a buying mindset and had fresh wedding money to spend. By expanding the 20% discount to every item in the store, Bed Bath & Beyond ensured that guests of the “party” (snacks and door prizes included) would grab at least a few items they may have never purchased or would have purchased somewhere else at a lower price.

By making their good offer great, Bed Bath & Beyond saw loads of overflowing carts pass through their checkout lines – with little more than a carefully disguised 20% off coupon.

The question is, what are you offering right now that, with a little planning and focused targeting, could take your offer beyond just “good?” Let us know in the comments below. And if you don’t have any ideas, give the crew here at ADwërks a call. We can definitely help you figure it out.

-Mike B.

P.S. – Always be careful in the Beyond section at BB&B…

Photo by Rob Young. Thanks Rob!

Driving brand management (in the real world)

I originally wrote this post for my work blog at ADwërks, but also wanted to share it here on my personal blog. Enjoy!

Imagine a perfect Saturday afternoon. You’re driving down the street when you look in your rearview mirror and discover that, seemingly out of nowhere, a large pickup truck is riding your tail and isn’t letting up.

Your blood boils. You’re already going the speed limit. In fact, you might even be going a few miles per hour over the speed limit. You think, “Why is this idiot so desperate to get past me?” Then you get over to let them pass and, as they speed by, you notice an “Anderson Construction” or “Jackson Bros. Plumbing” logo along the side of the truck. And you think to yourself, “Well I’m never using THOSE jerks in the future.”

Unfortunately, that’s what happened to me last weekend. Odds are you’ve experienced the same at least once or twice in your life.

As a business owner or manager, can you really afford to have drivers leaving such a negative impression of your business on potential customers? Of course not. But, for some reason, it happens more than it ever should as far as I’m concerned.

In an era where business owners are increasingly concerned about the next “viral campaign” or “engaging” on their Facebook page, maybe they should remember to train their employees on reputation management in other important markets like, you know, real life.

I know everybody can have a bad day and people are people, but if you’re going to slap your logo on the side of a truck and let employees drive it around town, remind them that they are no longer Johnny Anonymous. They represent your business now, and, unless your business doesn’t care for new customers, they should probably drive like it.

Think of it this way: A little bit of brand management from the start will do a lot to keep your employees from driving me crazy – and driving me away from your business.

-Mike B.

How about you: have you dealt with similarly frustrating experiences? As a business owner, have you trained your employees to represent your brand with class and professionalism? Let us know your thoughts on either question in the comments below.

Photo c/o nick@. Thanks Nick!