Writing The Ad Is Easy

If You Have A Good Strategy

I have been asked several times lately to help teach better copy writing for commercials. Truth is, I am no more than average when it come to the writing of commercials. I strive every day to be better.

What I am good at is developing a strategy. When you find a good strategy, the commercials almost write themselves.

Uncover what the goal of the advertising is and matching it with why consumers will care enough to buy. Sounds simple, huh? It should be. Much too often commercials are focused on the advertiser and not what the consumers care about. Here are a few simple questions to ask prior to writing that next commercial.

1. Why Advertise? What is the advertiser hoping to accomplish with this commercial?

2. Is there a demand for the product or service? Why?

3. Why will the consumer care about the message you are writing?

4. Who is the competition?

5. How does the advertiser compare, good and bad to the competition?

6. How will you measure the success?

7. What is the time horizon?

8. If the advertiser meets a potential customer on the street, what would they say in :60 seconds to convince them to use their product or service?

9. Can any competitors say the same things?

10. At the end of the day, what does the advertiser want to be known for? Why?

These are just a few starters that will get you on the right path to developing a solid strategy. Once these are answered, a picture should start coming into focus.

Shoot me an email if you want to discuss further. Let's get rid of bad ads, one customer at a time!

Come On In

The Water's Fine

The message in church this Sunday was called "Coming To Grips With Our Power Shortage". Now, not to get religiony here, but this particular message applies to many of our lives and careers. (It was a great message and you can hear it online at www.lfmc.org)

There were several messages in the sermon, but I really want to focus on one portion. It was called How To Appropriate Power.

a. Admit Our Lack Of Power (In whatever area of our life we are struggling) Basically, admit that you need help. Without this admission, your are doomed to a life of dointg the same things over!

b. Believe In Faith in what you are doing. Just let go and do it no matter what past experience has shown and what your mind and heart says.

c. Act In Faith. Immaturity is living by our feelings. Maturity is living by our commitment. Sometimes you just have to do what you know is right and believe in the process. A perfect example is in this verse from The Book Of Joshua (3:13-16)

"When the priests who carry the Covenant Box of the Lord of all the earth put their feet in the water, the Jordan will stop flowing, and the water coming downstream will pile up in one place.".....the river was in flood...As soon as the priests stepped into the river, the water stopped flowing and piled up...and the people were able to cross near Jericho.

Point is, the step had to be taken BEFORE the water stopped flowing. That is a bit of a nervous moment. It required total belief in the process. Too much of the time, we don't believe enough belief to take the required steps to success in career or relationship. Even when we know it is the right thing to do.

Saying that you believe is one thing. Stepping into the water is truly another. Do you really believe? I mean really? Let me know if this hits home with you.

Step into the water.

Commit To It

That Includes Your Marketing Plan

I see it time and time again. An advertiser launch a very solid campaign with a good message. In his or her mind is some arbitrary time line and criteria to judge it's effectiveness. They have already begun thinking what to do with their advertising dollars when this doesn't live up to what they expect.

This is complete hogwash. (i know, strong words)If the strategy is good today and the message conveys the strategy, commit to it. Without a timeline. It will work. Do not judge it based on if people say they heard or saw it, but if revenue increases. That is all that really matters.

Too many advertisers think that they should be able to determine a consumer's time of need. Nope. You can't. Just be prepared when the need arises!

Matter of fact, most advertising campaigns work exponentially better in their second or third year. Most advertisers skip out between 13 weeks and a year searching for the magic advertising elixir to solve all of their challenges overnight.

Today's picture is a good illustration. When the business started, they did not put up a tent, planning to move and set up elsewhere if this business didn't work and try something else. Don't treat advertising that way!

I'm On A Horse

This weeks' Monday Morning Memo from Roy Williams. If you are not a subscriber, please get it!

Swim to Kansas

“Hello ladies. Look at your man. Now back to me. Now back at your man. Now back to me. Sadly, he isn’t me. But if he stopped using lady-scented body wash and switched to Old Spice, he could smell like he’s me. Look down. Back up. Where are you? You’re on a boat with the man your man could smell like. What’s in your hand? Back at me. I have it. It’s an oyster with two tickets to that thing you love. Look again. The tickets are now diamonds. Anything is possible when your man smells like Old Spice and not a lady. I’m on a horse.”

Much has been made of the new TV ad from Old Spice, “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like.” Yes, its seamless one-shot videography and old-school stage effects are impressive and I’m certain the oyster in his hand is supposed to trigger unconscious sexual appetite, especially when its location is invaded by a massive, Old Spice cylinder that rises slowly upward.

But these are not the things that captivate us. Impressive special effects and hidden sexual triggers are everywhere, no big deal.

That script, however, is a big deal. It’s fabulous. I’m going to pause for a moment to applaud the writer of that ad.

Okay, I’m back now. (And yes, I really did quit typing and applaud.)

The magic of the Old Spice script is hidden in plain sight; imperative voice is the sound of command: “Look at your man. Now back to me.” Swim to Kansas. Walk your dog. Kick a can. Lead the imagination. Don’t be ignored. Write imperative voice.

Imperative: 1. Expressing a command or plea.

2. Having the power or authority to command or control.

3. Impossible to deter or evade; pressing.
Do it. Open with a 3-word sentence. Make the first word a verb. Prepare to be amazed.

Imperative voice gets attention.
Lift the receiver. Dial the number. Two nine five, fifty-seven hundred. Kristin will answer. Make a donation. Finish the tower. Attend a class. Go home smiling. Make big money.

The area code is 512.

I shared all this with my partners during a 2-day training session last month. Tm Miles, a brilliant ad writer with so many clients that he no longer accepts new ones – ka-ching – sent me the following email a few days later:

Subject: Short Sentences Rock!Dude,
That short, impactful sentence exercise we did last week? I used it to write lines for an ad that started Monday. We saw an immediate increase in the number of generated leads. Seriously - BANG like a gun.
Thanks for the technique.
Tim

Here’s a 10-second example:

Swim to Kansas. Forget the water. The arms of the propeller on your Piper Meridian will move you quickly, safely and in powerful style. Swim the grand ocean… of the sky.
These are the keys:1. Short sentences. Four words are okay. Three are better. Two rock.2. Open with verbs. Walk. Sing. Wiggle. Kick. Dance. Jump. Swim. Lift.3. Imperative voice. Tight. Taut. Command.

This week’s memo is short.

I’m on a horse.

Roy H. Williams

Thomas wrote the Declaration of Independence and left you this advice:
“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.”- Thomas Jefferson
PS - Spoelstra! "The goal of life is to take everything that made you weird as a kid and get people to pay you money for it when you're older."- David "Swim to Kansas" Freemanscreenwriter extraordinaire and Wizard Academy adjunct faculty

The World Is Full Of Experts

If You Don't Believe Me, Just Ask Them

Just because someone decides that they are in the marketing and advertising business doesn't mean they understand it or are any good at it.

It has been my experience that people that don't make it in the world of advertising sales end up working for an ad agency somewhere and all of the sudden become an expert. There is a reason they didn't make it in direct sales with customers. Don't assume they know any more in the role they now have.

Advertising agencies in general spend most of their time with demographic targeting and scheduling and very little time on the actual message strategy. This creates ad campaigns that are ineffective and the media that ran it gets thrown under the bus as not having the right audience.

I have been preparing this morning to consult with a customer that has spent tens of thousands of dollars promoting a new product.(in one of our other markets) It is not working. The agency is looking for some promotion from the radio stations to boost the sales immediately. Our staff is getting together to brainstorm on behalf of this client. Great idea, except no matter what brilliant promotion they come up with (and i am sure they will) it will not work unless the MESSAGE changes.

This is a cell phone client that is now providing a service that works with wireless internet to save your cell minutes. Seamless coverage. Really cool. After three weeks, the service is not moving. They bought plenty of commercials. No significant results. My first thought? Check the message.

Sure enough, it was weak. It sounded like every other cell phone ad on the market. It was very well produced......with absolutely no strategy.

I spent an hour researching last night to figure out what direction the commercials need to go to motivate consumers to buy a cell phone. I found out that cell phones have 90% penetration in the U.S. and 90% of those are under contract. There are not many prospects out there that do not currently have a phone. People are not going to leave a service with a contract unless they are unhappy with it.

Other concerns uncovered in the research include ease of switching, keeping their current number, call quality, reliable coverage and annual savings. Each of these could be specifically addressed in a commercial series or campaign.

We must quit trying to predict consumers' moment of need and tell them WHY to use our product and wait for WHEN they are ready. It will happen with the right strategy and a modicum of patience.