Sunday, May 27, 2012

Marketing Tip: Don't make (logical) sense--Trigger my senses!



I have another marketing tip.

Most of the time, I try to provide to write based on my experiences--as a marketer.  I have taught myself most of what I know through experience rather than formal education.  So in many ways, I am like a wide-eyed baby, just learning everything as I go.

Is this really the best way to advertise a restaurant?
I try to share those experiences with you, because they're often interesting (or at least I think so :).  Sharing these experiences with you also helps me take time to realize some things that I have learned.  This is an important part of the learning process.

This time, however, I am bringing you an experience based on something, where I bring a WEALTH of experience.

I LOVE food!  Generally, I'm willing to try just about any type of food, but I've had a love affair with food for years--too many years!

This morning, I was reading some advertisements within an unofficial visitor's guide, and I started noticing my own reactions to things.

I saw advertisements for many different things, but a couple of the ads caught my attention.  These were restaurant advertisements, of course.

So I started to pay attention to the different advertisements.  I realized that there were more restaurant ads than I noticed "naturally."  I only saw them once I was looking for them, but there were a couple of ads I noticed "without trying."

What was the difference between the ads I noticed and the ads I did not notice?

The answer is simple.

I noticed the ads that made my senses react.

When my eyes pass over advertisements, I am looking for excuses to look at the advertisements for a long time so that I can think about them.

In fact, I'm trying to ignore them.

The more I think about them, the more likely I am going to keep thinking about spending money with that company, and I'm not really looking to spend time thinking about how I can spend my money at your place.

Still, I noticed some advertisements.

I don't have those ads to place in here, but I looked online to provide examples for you.

Many places advertise in a way that talks about themselves instead of talking with you.

Some restaurant advertisements simply TELL about themselves.

Wow!  I bet you can see  yourself eating here, huh?

Pete Rose was a great baseball player, but how do their waffles look--or better yet taste?
Do these first two provoke ANY senses for you?  They simply state information about the restaurant.  They just TELL you.

Most restaurants realize that they have to use pictures, but they still seem to miss the boat.

Yeah, this is a nice-looking place and all, but does it even serve food?
Live music?  I guess that's nice, but does this really inspire you to eat there?
Some restaurants seem to understand that they should show pictures of the food they serve, but they still seem to miss an important part of the overall point of showing that food.

This is okay, but can you really visualize this being a plate YOU would eat?
This has a cute logo, but it looks like a cartoon hot dog--not a real one!
Many businesses seem to post FACTS, but we forget that we buy from emotion.  Some purchases are logical, but food is not completely logical very often.

Many of us can make food ourselves for a lot less money.  Even if we do not know how to make food, there has to be SOME reason that we are willing to spend more money by eating at one restaurant over another less expensive one.

Let's take a look at some stronger examples:

If you love burgers, can't you imagine that burger right in front of you--just before you grab it?
Tacos are the least imaginative Mexican food, yet can't you just about taste them?
Doesn't this seem like you just sprinkled on the parmesan cheese yourself on top of that fresh sauce?
With that glass slightly tilted, can you taste that sweetness about to splash into your mouth?
Can you see that butter dripping onto your plate and into your mouth as you bite into your food?
In each case, these do a much better job of inviting you into the experience.  These are not telling you that things taste good.   They are showing you something that makes it easy for you to see yourself enjoying what they offer.

THAT is what good marketing should do!

People buy when they see themselves inside what you offer.  It doesn't have to make sense.  They just have to see themselves wrapped within the benefit that you offer.

Logic does not grab my attention.  My visualizing the benefit grabs my attention.

Only AFTER that point, am I trying to use my logic to determine whether I will follow that muse.

If you cannot trigger a serious emotion, make yourself memorable with something humorous.

Though obviously a cartoon, is it possible to look past this hot dog ad?
Trigger my senses by being memorable--THEN be logical.  Otherwise, your logic will simply bore me--not induce me to spend my money with you.

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Hey there! Thank you for taking time to read my post and share your thoughts with me and my other readers. I'm always tickled when I get a non-SPAM comment. Honestly, sometimes I'm even okay with some borderline SPAM.

Let me know if you would like for me to address a topic by sending me an email at Chris@TheUltimateAnalyst.com.

Thanks, again. I look forward to seeing you soon.

Chris