Two hair cutters in town share a common theme and a common experience. Big League Haircuts and Sport Clips have a sports theme, and the "Brand" (that is, the experience of going there) is a shampoo, scalp massage and back massage in addition to a fair haircut.
The difference, Big League has one price that includes everything. It is a couple dollars more than Sport Clips "just the haircut" price. At Sport Clips, you pay $5 more to get the extras (their advertising does not say this), which makes it more expensive than Big League's flat price.
Who has the stronger brand? Big Leagues by giving a repeatable experience every time, or Sport Clips for providing the option, which means you can have a different experience each time?
My money (literally, since they've won my business) goes to Big League. By making the brand experience optional, Sport Clips has diluted the all-important experience. You see, they've mistaken Identity (the sports theme) for Brand (the experience).
Interestingly, they are both about the same age, and Sport Clips has three times as many outlets. I hear regularly about Big League on the radio and billboards and tried them when they first opened a year ago, and return regularly. Sport Clips is right around the corner and has been for three years, but I didn't know it until I received a free coupon in the mail (for a regular haircut, not the extras). I won't be going back.
Big League understands the experiential nature of the Brand and craft their Identity to it (which includes a much better floor plan than Sport Clips).
One last thing: I asked the Sport Clip stylist about Big League. She trash-talked them (inaccurately, too). She should have been coached by the owner to ask "Who do you like better? Why? How could we improve?" which would have impressed me more than the fairly good haircut she gave me. And it would have gathered information the owner needs.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Drawing the Line on Familiarity
I get a lot of good information free by signing up for other copywriter and online businessman's special reports, white papers, and, as a result, their newsletters.
There is a true science to these e-mails. You have to send them out often enough to stay in the receiver's mind, but not so often that you annoy them.
But repetition isn't the main thing. I have one fellow send me e-mails almost every other day and it doesn't bother me. I've bought his books, spoken with him on the phone, and his copy strikes just the right tone of familiarity. Sometimes he sends me solicitations I don't want and I trash them, and sometimes he sends me articles and advice, which I keep.
Another fellow sent e-mail once a week until I opted out. He was too familiar. He wrote as if he was my best friend. The free report I'd read was simple and not all that helpful, but it had a few good points. The writing style was presumptuous.
I call it the Goldilocks syndrome. If the porridge is too cold, or too familiar, I'll spit it out. If the porridge is just right in familiarity and helpfulness, I'll keep accepting the e-mails. Finding that tone is what separates a professional from an amateur.
There is a true science to these e-mails. You have to send them out often enough to stay in the receiver's mind, but not so often that you annoy them.
But repetition isn't the main thing. I have one fellow send me e-mails almost every other day and it doesn't bother me. I've bought his books, spoken with him on the phone, and his copy strikes just the right tone of familiarity. Sometimes he sends me solicitations I don't want and I trash them, and sometimes he sends me articles and advice, which I keep.
Another fellow sent e-mail once a week until I opted out. He was too familiar. He wrote as if he was my best friend. The free report I'd read was simple and not all that helpful, but it had a few good points. The writing style was presumptuous.
I call it the Goldilocks syndrome. If the porridge is too cold, or too familiar, I'll spit it out. If the porridge is just right in familiarity and helpfulness, I'll keep accepting the e-mails. Finding that tone is what separates a professional from an amateur.
Friday, October 5, 2007
Website Drivers and Free Information
There are several kind of drivers (items that drive people to your website). They might include discount coupons, free physical products, and - the most effective of all - information products.
People who use the web are often information junkies, so offering free information is a great lure for your website. What you call these items and what they really are might be two different things. For example, "Special Report" pulls better than "White Paper" so, even though they are two different things, you might want to call your White Paper a Special Report. Pull issues aside, though, you should know the difference between different information items and where to use them.
A Book (e-book or paper) is a long treatment of a single subject. Books draw people who don't necessarily know a lot but want to learn. As a result, the author must build plenty of bridges to explain each link in the chain of their argument's logic.
A Pamphlet is smaller than a book but serves much the same function. It still draws people of limited knowledge, but perhaps the subject isn't as big, or you're using it to lead people to buy the larger and more complete book.
A Special Report (or just "Report") is normally longer than an article, but it explores a small topic. Bridges are still built because reports are for beginners and you're introducing "new" information. Reports tend to be more broad and the information-per-word-count is fairly low.
A White Paper is not for beginners in a subject. They are for executives, professionals, or people working in the field of your topic. It gets right to the point, it is detailed, but it doesn't waste time building bridges because these people are already sold on the subject, they just want you to distill the information into quick, easily read sentences. WP's tend to be deeper with a greater focus. Info-per-word-count is high. White Papers are better for Business to Business (B2B) rather than for the general public.
Special Reports and White Papers are often sold and sometimes for a great deal of money. It's my opinion that Reports should be freebie's and White Papers sold. Hook buyers with free Reports and then when they are more knowledgeable begin selling White Papers.
Articles are short (800 to 2000 words) that support a single thesis. They can be general for a casual reader or detailed for a trade reader.
Writing style for all of these should be conversational, even in the White Paper, but while charts, graphs and tables are wonderful for White Papers, use sparingly in all else. Short paragraphs, no typos, clean formatting are the rule.
PET PEEVE: From time to time I will buy White Papers. Invariably, I feel cheated when they are mostly sales copy and little information. I've already bought the thing, so get to the point quickly and succinctly. Pack the information up front and keep it packed all the way through. I would rather pay for 20 packed pages than 100 loosy-goosy pages. (You'll see this problem with trained copywriters who begin selling information products; they know sales letters and write their WP's the same way.)
Informational products are a great way to build your audience and promote your business. If writing's not your thing (promotional piece to follow) hire someone who is.
Rob Swanson
http://www.swanwrite.com/
People who use the web are often information junkies, so offering free information is a great lure for your website. What you call these items and what they really are might be two different things. For example, "Special Report" pulls better than "White Paper" so, even though they are two different things, you might want to call your White Paper a Special Report. Pull issues aside, though, you should know the difference between different information items and where to use them.
A Book (e-book or paper) is a long treatment of a single subject. Books draw people who don't necessarily know a lot but want to learn. As a result, the author must build plenty of bridges to explain each link in the chain of their argument's logic.
A Pamphlet is smaller than a book but serves much the same function. It still draws people of limited knowledge, but perhaps the subject isn't as big, or you're using it to lead people to buy the larger and more complete book.
A Special Report (or just "Report") is normally longer than an article, but it explores a small topic. Bridges are still built because reports are for beginners and you're introducing "new" information. Reports tend to be more broad and the information-per-word-count is fairly low.
A White Paper is not for beginners in a subject. They are for executives, professionals, or people working in the field of your topic. It gets right to the point, it is detailed, but it doesn't waste time building bridges because these people are already sold on the subject, they just want you to distill the information into quick, easily read sentences. WP's tend to be deeper with a greater focus. Info-per-word-count is high. White Papers are better for Business to Business (B2B) rather than for the general public.
Special Reports and White Papers are often sold and sometimes for a great deal of money. It's my opinion that Reports should be freebie's and White Papers sold. Hook buyers with free Reports and then when they are more knowledgeable begin selling White Papers.
Articles are short (800 to 2000 words) that support a single thesis. They can be general for a casual reader or detailed for a trade reader.
Writing style for all of these should be conversational, even in the White Paper, but while charts, graphs and tables are wonderful for White Papers, use sparingly in all else. Short paragraphs, no typos, clean formatting are the rule.
PET PEEVE: From time to time I will buy White Papers. Invariably, I feel cheated when they are mostly sales copy and little information. I've already bought the thing, so get to the point quickly and succinctly. Pack the information up front and keep it packed all the way through. I would rather pay for 20 packed pages than 100 loosy-goosy pages. (You'll see this problem with trained copywriters who begin selling information products; they know sales letters and write their WP's the same way.)
Informational products are a great way to build your audience and promote your business. If writing's not your thing (promotional piece to follow) hire someone who is.
Rob Swanson
http://www.swanwrite.com/
Welcome!
I hope to share with you my own insights and opinions about marketing, writing, and sales. While I have done a great deal of reading about and training in these subjects, I hope to impart as well as to learn. To that end, I welcome your comments -- even your disagreements. All I ask is that you keep them respectful, constructive and clean.
Thanks for joining me,
Rob
Thanks for joining me,
Rob
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