There’s a saying in marketing and advertising that “To Be Terrific You’ve Got to Be Specific.” If you think about the advertisements that you’ve been attracted to, you’ll see that it’s true. The more you “water down” your message, the less effect it will have.
Here are some examples: Which would you be interested in?
- “The new Toyota gets great gas mileage,” or “According to the 2014 Department of Transportation tests, the new Toyota gets 40 miles per gallon in the city, and 48 miles per gallon on the highway”
- Or a headline for an apartment for rent: “New York City Apartment,” or “Penthouse Apartment overlooking Central Park, with views of the Sunset, just a short walk from the Museum Mile”
- Or this produce wholesaler: “We have fresh produce,” or “Its the height of our local season and we have more sources than ever for locally grown produce, all harvested within a day. To give you the freshest vegetables we pick up right at the farm, so you know you’re getting the best local produce available – in the best condition. Logistics are everything when it comes to handling fragile fruits and vegetables – and we are the logistics experts.
Which ones sound more interesting, the “general” ones, or the “specific” ones?
It’s easy to see that when you leave out the specific details, you leave out the reasons your customers will want to buy from you.
How do you show consumers that you’re different from your competition. Talking in “general” terms won’t help.
Look at your advertising. Are you being specific? Developing a specific message is easier, but getting the best results is worth the extra work.