Memorable? Actionable? Immediate?
Does your marketing material meet these three important tests?
If not, I hope you not surprised when your material generates little action or response.
In my post, Does your marketing material FAIL... and you don't even know it? I mentioned this sign for storage units. It was such a good example it merited further discussion of how it meets the important tests.
Face it, storage units are BORING and FORGETTABLE. Even people that need them don't always think about using them.
This sign is great for many reasons that most marketing material fails.
To begin with, it is not about the storage unit... it is about the customer! No explanations of the value of storage units or where they are located or what size units they have. Customer focused! The details will come AFTER the customer is interested.
It creates a sense of urgency by getting people to think about how others may feel about them.
Emotions can be so much stronger than fact for most consumers, particularly in the initial stages of getting their attention.
This sign's emotional response creates a sense of urgency. Even if it not dolls in their house, it gets people thinking about other items.
The sign frames expectations with a starting cost. You can look at this quickly and say, "Hey, that is in my price range" even if you need a larger unit that costs more. You have a sense of price scale now. This sets the stage for memorable and actionable.
The web address and phone number make it easily actionable. The phone number is designed to be easy to remember. The web address includes the location, so it does not have to be repeated. These folks make it easier for the customer to do business!
Now, I know some will think, "Houses are different... you can't use this for selling a house." I want to be clear, I am not suggesting THIS sign for selling houses (although stagers could easily use this concept!). I am suggesting material that meets the tests. And that indeed is possible.
Remember: Memorable Actionable Immediate
There are successful people across the country that use this everyday to make money in many fields, including real estate. These successful people have gotten past the idea that the marketing material is all about them or about blasting customers with tons of information BEFORE they are really interested.
And do I suggest you sell houses with the "freak people out" approach? Of course not. But you can look at your material to be sure it meets the tests and is not just a big, boring, looks like every-other-agent infomercial that everyone will forget almost as soon as they see it.
Great post Glenn...something to think about. When I clicked on the post I thought it was going to be about seller's doll collections...some of them are freaky, huh?
I love it !I have recently gone off the deep end...lol with my marketing technique. Read my blog it has been a great experience.
Tina Allen (ERA Breese, Craft & Hensley) Hi Tina, I thought some would think this was a home stager post as well. Thanks!! G
Hi Glenn, Great post and the sign is a really excellent example - it sums up all of your points so well. I've bookmarked this to use as a standard for my own future efforts. Thanks!
Liz
Richard Bowman (RE/MAX ) Richard, regardless of outcome you are going to learn more than all the folks just "sittin' around" waiting on the world to change... and may very well find some success! G
Elizabeth Bolton - Cambridge MA Real Estate Agent (Coldwell Banker Cambridge, Massachusetts) Hi Elizabeth! I hope this is useful on your efforts. I work to remember that it is about the basics and about results. Making marketing efforts look like everyone else's is a recipe for forgettable. All the best! G
I know an agent who put an add on the side of a bus. His head shot, info, what not, just a standard ad. He spent many dimes on tha ads to have his face all over.
He told me of a time though that he recieved a call from a very angry person who blamed his ad for almost causing her accident. His face was so big she was focused on it and damn near hit the side of the bus. He said she was just angry with him. He called her back a day later and said sorry, and they talked. He also does bus stop bench ads and says he gets calls once in a while asking for the bus schedule. His point, he paid to get his name out, they called, they remember him (and will talk to him). They are not clients today, but tomorrow, they may be.