Does Your Customer Care?

An Applebee’s ad in a local newspaper was an excellent example of mistakes made buying advertising.  The ad  was three column inches wide and three inches high.  Across the top in capital letters was a headline, “Menomonie Applebee’s Gets a Full Makeover.”  Three small pictures were stacked one above the other along the outside of the ad.  The inside of the ad contained two and a half columns of information in very, very small type.  I guessed the size to be two point.  In contrast, you are likely reading this Insight in eleven or twelve point type.

I readily admit that I am an unusual consumer of advertising.  That’s why I took the time to read the teeny-weeny type of the ad. 

The first and second paragraphs stated the Applebee’s location closed for three days to undergo a complete transformation.  New light fixtures, carpet, booths, chairs, and wall decorations were installed inside while new signage and window awnings were changed outside.  The general manager was quoted that this was done for a “Wow effect”. 

The third paragraph detailed the changes in the bar area with a sleek bar, more TVs, and booth seating.  Murals of the area and local sports teams were added, too.  This paragraph also ended with a quote from the general manager who stated all this was done to “show the community that Applebee’s is still your neighborhood grill and bar.”

The final paragraph said to “stop in and see the new look” followed by the restaurant’s hours.

What mistakes were made in this ad?

While I was very glad to see an actual headline, putting that headline in all capitals was not smart.  All capitals are hard to read.  Upper and lower case is easy to read and much more inviting to the reader.

Using two point type was a size that customers will not read.  They might glance at the headline, but they would not read the two-point-type wording.  As I read the small type, I wondered if this was a press release that Applebee’s could not get printed in the main section of the paper.  In frustration, the store manager squeezed the release into an ad.

As to the content of the ad, I don’t think customers care.  Yes, the business spent a great deal of money upgrading and changing the décor, and, yes, restaurants need to do that at particular intervals.  Yes, management gets bored with the same old décor and is proud of the change.  However, what’s in it for the customer that the décor has changed?

The principal reason customers go to a restaurant is the food.  A nice décor is a plus, but, if the food is not good, a nice décor will not bring in customers.  Applebee’s would have been much wiser to have promoted the food first and the décor second. 

Whenever you tell customers of a change which is not the main reason customers frequent your business, promote “What’s in it for your customer” first.  Look at the change from your customer’s point of view, not yours.  Reinforce their reason for doing business with you.  That is the best way to generate the most revenue from the change. 

This week's marketing trivia challenge is How have you seen a change promoted? E-mail me your answer.

Interpretations

I watched an interesting story on buyers’ interpretations of sellers’ real estate descriptions. Here are a few examples:
Cozy means too small.
Charming is too old.
Conveniently-located represents too noisy.
Efficient kitchen tells that a kitchen is too small.
Usable land describes no trees.

Do you agree? Do any of these surprise you? Have you used them?

Many times we use words that appear to be attractive from our points of view. We fail to consider the customer’s point of view. As you can see from this list, what the seller thought would be attractive wording was not interpreted that way by the potential buyer. I suspect that many buyers did not even consider properties with these words in the descriptions due in large part to the wording.

That fact would be a big shock to the sellers.

The story went on to suggest what to do to get the buyer’s attention. I heartily agree with the suggestions. The first was to start with an attention-grabbing headline. Most print and electronic ads lack a headline. Why have one? The headline piques the reader’s interest and pulls him into the ad. In order to do that, the headline must tell the reader what’s in it for him to read the ad. The story’s examples included “No Closing Costs” and “Close in Seven Days.” Both of those are benefits to the buyer, aren’t they?

Those benefits save a customer money or time. Either one would likely pull a potential buyer into the ad.

The second suggestion was to be specific. Look back at all the descriptions above which customers misinterpreted. All of them have one thing in common. They are all vague. They are words chosen to sound good. Today’s buyers know that and are immediately suspicious. Sellers use the words in hopes of enticing buyers, but the opposite is happening.

I see this regularly in a company’s advertising, too. Rather than specifically speaking to the customer about what’s in it for him to do business with a company, the company uses fluffy, nice-sounding terms which are meaningless to the customer. While the company thinks it has written beautiful copy, there is no substance to it. This is interpreted by the customer as not worth his time.

Instead of those vague terms, the story recommended something such as “Mid-century modern with mountain views.” That phrase gives a great deal of information. The buyer now know the style of the home and the view. From this information the buyer can make a decision on his next step, whether to look into the home further or not.

Take a close look at how your company’s advertising is worded. Are you using words which clearly communicate with your customer from his point of view? Are you giving him information which will help him make his decision? Are you employing specific words which will be interpreted by your customer as you intended?

Make certain that your words are specific and clearly communicate your message from your customer’s point of view.