What Writing Over 20,000 Commercials Taught Me About Your Business.

Whether or not you're paying for advertisements, you are still communicating something out to the world through your business.

Every social media post, blog, newsletter, post card, and indeed advertisement is a message from you to your next customer. With AI, concise and catchy copywriting is getting easier (albeit bland), but that doesn't mean you can just type a few prompts and expect a good lead. If you don't have strong copy (industry slang for messaging) with a point of view, a call to action, and your brand voice in mind, your sale or service may still not reach your intended audience. Here is what my history in commercial writing has taught me about your business:

1. You might be saying too much already!

   I've worked with hundreds of small businesses who wanted to tell you about every shoe on the rack and every tool in the shed. Rather than squeezing every single possible piece of information into your message, consider this: Most people don't have the attention span to handle all of that. Instead, a concise message, with no more than 3 points or offerings, will go way further. Have you ever seen a Coca-Cola ad where they tell you about every single product they offer? Me neither.

2. Phone Numbers are a Thing of the Past.

   Yes, you should include your business' phone number on your website (and make sure Google can find it). But placing your phone number in your ad or sale message is just wasting space. The majority of consumers aren't going to call you - they're going to Google you, read reviews, compare services with your competition, or even ask Reddit about you. Many consumers have Googled your menu before your host/hostess even seats them. Unless you have a memorable number (Pizza 73 for example) that phone number is just another 9 digits that someone is likely to forget.

3. You Might Not be Telling Your Customers/Clients What You Want Them to do.

   Content with no call to action is just content. People often need direction, especially in a busy retail setting. Every time you send out a message or an ad you need a "call to action" - a term meaning a direction or action you want your customer or client to do. "We have luxury vehicles!" tells me just that; "Ask us about how you can get into a luxury vehicle for less today" tells me you have luxury vehicles, that I can get into one for less, and that I should reach out today!

4. You're the Best! So is Everyone Else.

   It's a funny thing... I have never worked with a business that wanted to advertise that they were the fourth best. Everyone knows a plumber, and their plumber is the best! But if you're not their plumber, does that mean you're not the best? Marketing your business as "the best" or "number one" doesn't have the effect you think it might. Instead, tell me why you're the best; because your clients love you, because you offer a different/unique service, because you do things differently.

5. You Might Not be Marketing Consistently.

   One thing that makes me shake my head every time is seeing or hearing a message over here, and then seeing a different message over there. Your message (design, tone, brand, etc.) should be consistent across all platforms and mediums. We all see tens of thousands of messages a day. If your business looks different on LinkedIn from how it looks on your website or in your print ad, that can read as separate messages - even different businesses!

Good marketing looks easy and effortless because you're seeing a finished, polished, final product. In reality, marketing your business or service is its own full-time job. Even with advances in AI, marketing is not something you can do off the side of your desk if you hope to see undeniable results.

I've worked with hundreds of businesses in Alberta - let me help you with yours! Rambow Consulting Group will help you navigate the pitfalls above that so many businesses and organizations fall into every day. Reach out today for a free discovery session!