The Difference Between Captivating and Crappy Marketing
The other day I got an email from author and entrepreneur Mike Michalowicz with the shortest marketing lesson ever: Be different.
Easy, right?
Not quite.
Michalowicz shared a video explaining an offer he got in the mail from a company specializing in replacement windows and doors. It wasn’t typical junk mail. It was a handwritten letter on heavy stock paper.
It was different.
According to Michalowicz, once you stand out by doing something different, you need to take it two steps further. Your content or marketing must be attractive with a strong call-to-action.
The mailer looked enticing...at first.
But as Michalowicz took a deeper dive, things didn’t add up.
First, the sender identified himself as Larry, yet the letter was written in bubbly cursive handwriting. Michalowicz says the writing was more feminine than what he's seen from most men. Maybe it's a generalization, but it raised a red flag for the recipient.
Second, Michalowicz shows us the postage on the envelope. It's stamped as a bulk mass mailer. It's inconsistent with a personalized letter, he said.
Inauthentic + confusing = major turnoff.
For the sake of his video, Michalowicz looked for the call-to-action. The trigger was clear: call by July 31st to claim the offer.
While several things were done correctly according to Michalowicz, he concludes he wouldn’t do business with the company. He says the message came across as unattractive and dishonest. It didn’t completely pass his test, he said.
Don’t lose potential customers!
How have you been marketing to your audience?
Do you need to step back and tweak some details so your prospects will pay attention?
Is it time to try something different to stand out so you can build trust and get more clients?
Here's the bottom line: Be sure your marketing strategy is attractive, genuine and truthful. People notice the details.
