Recent Marketing and Advertising Articles

for Your Small Business

Chapter Fifty-six: Do your materials scream "This has nothing to do with you!"?

Just today, I received an invitation in my email announcing an open house, from a lady that helps you find your life destiny.

Moving to a new location is always exciting for you the owner... but what does it mean to your customers?

When you have an announcement like this to share – make sure you tell them how it impacts them.

Look at the wording on their invite:

Please join us... in celebrating our new training facility Clients, family, and friends please drop by to enjoy our open house

Date:

Time:

Location:

Logo

Please RSVP by ____

WOW! I can barely contain my excitement. Where in there does it say the magic word? From the customer’s perspective, they open this invite and all it says (to them) is "SO WHAT?"

So they have a new facility – good for them.

NOT ONCE in this invite is the magic word, 'YOU', mentioned.

So this invite is not about the customer – it is all about the company.

Surprise, surprise... ok, maybe not that much of a surprise as this is the most common mistake small, medium and large businesses make – assuming the customers "get it". They assume the customer should be excited about their announcement... even though it really means very little to them.

My suggestion: anytime you have a new event or announcement to make – create a theme party to it! Make it exciting – and make it ALL about the customer. Give them compelling reasons to perk up and listen. Give them real reasons why they should care – and attend – or take action.

Show them you actually care about them (the paying customer) – not about your new building or new website or new brochure.

I would have done something like this (this is quick off the top – investing a couple hours and you can make this shine):

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

With your generous support, encouragement and feedback – we have listened and acted. Starting on ____ you finally get access to the tools you asked for.

Announcing the Pirate Pete's Customer Appreciate Party (or whatever theme party you create).

Because we love you, our devoted customer, we have a present waiting for you.

Join us at the Pirate Pete's Customer Appreciation party:

Date:

Time:

Location:

FREE Door prizes, FREE treasure maps to some big surprises, FREE Spiced Parrot Juice

And FREE Early bird RSVP prizes for those who act the fastest.

Don't be a scurrrvy dog... be there on time... or walk the plank (bring this invite with you and the secret code will be revealed that may make you a winner)

NOTE: The pirate idea could be used for any business – pirates are HOT right now. You can find all kinds of pirate gear and decorations at http://www.orientaltrading.com – and you can find funny ideas for the part and the wording of a pirate party at http://capn_rummy.tripod.com/id1.html

You can find darned near anything you want on the net! There was an entire site dedicated to "Pirate Talk – how to talk like a pirate"

Make any event or announcement about the customer and you will see a huge difference in response you get. In this case – they got so caught up in the excitement about their new move – they forgot who actually paid for the move – THE CUSTOMERS!

Without them, there is no doors to open... never forget.