In my years as a copywriter for an advertising agency, I’ve had many clients who were so in love with their brands that they wanted to tell the consumer everything there is to know about it. Now, while enthusiasm toward about whatever it is that you are selling is a good thing, being too product-centric can hurt your chances at connecting with the consumer and making a sale.
But just how much is too much when it comes to shining the spotlight on your product? Well, the short answer is there are no set rules. But here are some things to watch out for:
Are you being too technical?
While a spiel like“it has all essential macronutrients and fiber” may sound awesome to you because you know your product and what all these things can do for the body, it probably wouldn’t mean as much to the average consumer unless they do research—and they most likely won’t.
In this case, saying something like “it keeps you strong, fit and healthy” would work better because it uses terms that everyone understands. Obviously, this is an oversimplification, but it paints a clear picture of what effective marketing copy should be. You can always just put the technical stuff about your product on your website, packaging or social media pages.
Are you talking too much?
The thing with feature-packed products is that they make it super tempting for marketers just to go on and on about why you should make the purchase. Unfortunately, very few people appreciate a marketing spiel that sounds more like a lecture than a pitch.
The key here is to keep marketing messages short and impactful. Try to capture everything that is good about your product in a single sentence and just save the detailed explanation for consumers who ask for it. Just to be clear, “asking” also includes taking a brochure, browsing your website or social media pages and reading the back label of your packaging.
Are you hiding the benefit?
“What’s in it for me?” is the most important question in any consumer’s mind—and it’s the one all your marketing efforts should answer first (and clearly).
Remember when the iPod first came out? While everyone else was talking in terms of actual storage sizes and technical specs, Apple’s campaign simply said “5,000 songs in your pocket” (or something to that effect)—and we all know how that turned out.
Apple went straight to music—the thing that mattered most to its target consumer—and took a huge chunk of market share in the process. By highlighting how the consumer would benefit from buying the product instead of simply showcasing the actual product, Apple gave everyone a more compelling reason to make the purchase.
The takeaway
Long story short, the idea is always to put the focus on your consumer instead of the product. Use language that they would understand don’t lecture and highlight the benefit to them instead of simply enumerating your product’s features.
Have any additional tips to share? Tell us in the comments!
