Make them an offer they can't refuse
Published on 07/20/1998 under Ad Strategy
I've mentioned in several recent columns the importance of emphasizing "The Offer" in trade publication advertising, but the subject deserves more than a mention. So here comes the Full Monty on making an offer in your next ad that will move your readers to take action. Hopefully, not of the disrobing kind.
In preparation for this undertaking, I studied several current issues of a leading horizontal trade journal, one that attracts a broad cross-section of business-to-business (we used to say "industrial") advertising. What I saw tied knots in my alimentary canal.
It's painfully obvious that many advertisers, including some of our most prominent industrial companies, believe that presenting product or service features and benefits is all that is necessary in creating a successful ad. And I have it admit it beats ads without features and benefits by a country mile.
But isn't it possible to move beyond product information and put yourself in the shoes of someone who might actually need your product or service? Are features and benefits enough to motivate a busy, harried, overworked prospect to take action? In many cases, I'm sure they are not.
Far too many ads close with the cliched line, "For more information, contact your XYZ representative today." They even provide an 800 number to make it easier, and oh yeah, a website URL as if that is any great favor. Have you actually tried going to a company's website to find information directly related to a specific ad? Very few advertisers have mastered that technique.
I did find quite a few examples of ads where a key benefit, buried deep in the body copy and not mentioned in the headline or displayed in the visual, would have made a compelling argument on behalf of the product. Ingersoll-Rand submerged the line, "the CSS drives down costs from $10,000 a year to just $390" in the third paragraph of an ad devoting 60% of its space to a photo of an angry, bearded man having his head smashed into a bed of nails. Go figure.
Chevron Lubricants closes their very tastefully designed ad with the good news that my "local Chevron representative is ready to talk." And what local sales representative isn't?
The problem these days is managing to do more and talk less. Show me how to do that and you have my full attention.
Intergraph wants you to pick them as your partner for engineering information technology. Their headline, subhead, tagline and body copy are full of puffy words like "leadership, experience, commitment and vision" - well, actually that was their tagline. They even mention something called "SmartPlant" in their visual and list a website address as www.smartplant.com. But they couldn't find it in their hearts to tell us what SmartPlant is or why we should care.
I guess some advertisers have extra money laying around and can't be concerned about connecting with a target prospect in ways that demonstrate an ability to solve problems efficiently.
But wait. Here's an ad for Berg chilling systems offering a free, informative booklet on "industrial process cooling." Their headline and copy explain that chilling systems must designed to satisfy specific operational needs and they show a half dozen typical Berg systems in a photo montage. It actually makes you feel they know what they're talking about. And want their free booklet.
Here's another free guide from Lincoln Electric explaining what a new "motor efficiency law" means to me. It's titled, "Staying legal: How the Energy Policy Act of 1992 affects your AC motor selection." That sounds helpful, but it would have been better if the offer tied more directly to the "Ultimate E" product message.
GE Lighting makes several strong claims for its T8 lamps featuring the new Starcoat Technology. Then they offer a free video by fax to explain how it's better. That shouldn't take too much effort to get, should it?
My only gripe is they relegate claims regarding a "reduction of energy costs by 38%" and "lasts 20% longer" to the last two paragraphs. I guess they wanted a strong finish.
Loctite uses a spread ad to provide tons of thoughtful facts about its liquid threadlocker product, providing a chart comparing the extra cost of this approach to five other methods. They even describe how threaded assemblies loosen in simple terms that even an advertising columnist can understand.
Kelley Dock Systems challenges you to see a demonstration of their Star trailer restraining system before a certain date and become eligible to win a free trailer restraint and FX Dockleveler. I think they could use a new art director though, because the headline and copy are needlessly placed over a man's nose and lips. The photo is distorted in his reflective sunglasses. Don't ask why. Some things are best left unanswered.
I've long admired the advertising of New Pig Corporation because it's very response- oriented and they're not afraid to have fun with their subject. The particular ad I observed was promoting the Ham-O PIG Mat and urged readers to take the Ham-O PIG Mat challenge by requesting a free Ham-O PIG Mat sample kit. The call-to-action was to call 1-800-HOT-HOGS and mention code 4278 so they could rush you a complete Ham-O PIG Mat sample kit, plus information on how to get your FREE Ham-O T-shirt.
How can you resist an offer like that?
I think you're starting to get the picture though. With just a little extra effort, you can leapfrog from features and benefits to a related offer that moves the prospective customer from brainlocked indifference to hopeful interest in what your product or service can do for him or her.
And in today's crowded marketplace, that's an offer that can't be refused.