1. Setup no other god before the one true God.
2. Know your customers and solve their problems.
3. Have an excellent product or service.
4. Use no hyperbole (hype) in your marketing.
(Click here to read part 1)
Five through eight was how to ethically deal with customers:
5. Keep your promises.
6. Guarantee your work.
7. Don't stretch, color, or repackage the truth. Don't lie.
8. Do not cheat your customers.
Now lets talk about using customer's emotions in your marketing.
9. Avoid using Greed, Fear, Lust, Pride, Shame or Guilt.
The world is full of sales people who prey on their customer's negative feelings to sell their products. Greed and Fear are the two most commonly used emotions to write sales material. I was reading a book on writing sales letters written by one of the top copywriters in the industry, and he derided copywriters who used greed and fear to sell products as second rate hacks. I was in full agreement with him until he went on to say that there were much more subtle emotions to exploit, like lust, pride, shame and guilt. Wow. Again I say that if your product or service depends on tactics like these, then find a better product.
Now having said that, I want to distinguish between sounding a warning about a real, provable danger and offering a solution to it, and exploiting a person's unreasonable fears to sell a dubious product.
For instance, if you sell smoke detectors and fire extinguishers I believe it's appropriate to cite national statistics about the number of home fires that occur annually to point out the problem. You would also cite local building codes that require smoke detectors in each bedroom.
On the other hand, citing anecdotal evidence to sell a device that monitors the body temperature of a sleeping person in order to waken them should they spontaneously combust would probably fall into the realm of preying on a person's fears.
Five through eight was how to ethically deal with customers:
5. Keep your promises.
6. Guarantee your work.
7. Don't stretch, color, or repackage the truth. Don't lie.
8. Do not cheat your customers.
Now lets talk about using customer's emotions in your marketing.
9. Avoid using Greed, Fear, Lust, Pride, Shame or Guilt.
The world is full of sales people who prey on their customer's negative feelings to sell their products. Greed and Fear are the two most commonly used emotions to write sales material. I was reading a book on writing sales letters written by one of the top copywriters in the industry, and he derided copywriters who used greed and fear to sell products as second rate hacks. I was in full agreement with him until he went on to say that there were much more subtle emotions to exploit, like lust, pride, shame and guilt. Wow. Again I say that if your product or service depends on tactics like these, then find a better product.
Now having said that, I want to distinguish between sounding a warning about a real, provable danger and offering a solution to it, and exploiting a person's unreasonable fears to sell a dubious product.
For instance, if you sell smoke detectors and fire extinguishers I believe it's appropriate to cite national statistics about the number of home fires that occur annually to point out the problem. You would also cite local building codes that require smoke detectors in each bedroom.
On the other hand, citing anecdotal evidence to sell a device that monitors the body temperature of a sleeping person in order to waken them should they spontaneously combust would probably fall into the realm of preying on a person's fears.
These techniques may get you sales, but in the end is your integrity worth it?
10. Inspire positive emotions.
Instead of preying on negative emotions, focus on the good ones. Offer people peace of mind, hope, or the chance to be part of something larger than themselves.
TOMS Shoes is a great example. My teenage daughters love TOMS. Why? Because their shoes are stylish? They think so, and who am I to judge. No, they love them because when they buy a pair, a second pair is donated to a needy child.
Blake Mycoskie, the founder of TOMS was inspired to start the company as a way to do business and bless people at the same time. He taps into the desire people have to help others less fortunate than themselves. As a result, his business is growing by leaps and bounds. Last year TOMS announce that 600,000 shoes have been distributed to poor children around the world in the four years of the company's existence. This also means 600,000 shoes were bought buy customers. The sense of helping others encourages people to buy.
10. Inspire positive emotions.
Instead of preying on negative emotions, focus on the good ones. Offer people peace of mind, hope, or the chance to be part of something larger than themselves.
TOMS Shoes is a great example. My teenage daughters love TOMS. Why? Because their shoes are stylish? They think so, and who am I to judge. No, they love them because when they buy a pair, a second pair is donated to a needy child.
Blake Mycoskie, the founder of TOMS was inspired to start the company as a way to do business and bless people at the same time. He taps into the desire people have to help others less fortunate than themselves. As a result, his business is growing by leaps and bounds. Last year TOMS announce that 600,000 shoes have been distributed to poor children around the world in the four years of the company's existence. This also means 600,000 shoes were bought buy customers. The sense of helping others encourages people to buy.
So here's the bottom line: Make people feel afraid or guilty and you have their business. Make them feel good about themselves and you have their loyalty.
There they are. My 10 Commandments Marketing. Please leave your thoughts below in the comment box and subscribe to my blog.
Brett
There they are. My 10 Commandments Marketing. Please leave your thoughts below in the comment box and subscribe to my blog.
Brett
