Direct Marketing Strategies

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How to OUTFOX your Competition

Want to out-fox, out-market and out-perform your competition? Who doesn't? I see it every day in ads and direct mail pieces that proclaim--- We're number one!--- We've got lower prices!--- We have more selection!--- Ours is faster, bigger or better! These types of statements are forms of comparative advertising. The problem with this approach is that it's not very effective. Here is a better business growth strategy---

Most comparative ads just don't work. This is because the writers use their competitors as a reference point for their message. In other words, they rely solely on telling the reader how much better they are than someone else. The problem comes when the reader tries to decide 'better than what?' because you can't realistically prove such claims. Without proof of claim, the reader yawns and ignores your message.

  

Instead, smart marketers reposition their competition. They do this by zeroing in on one very specific point of difference that is important to the prospect. Then they prove that their product is exactly what the prospect wants. One of the most famous examples of this is Tylenol brand pain reliever:

'For the millions who should not take aspirin--- If your stomach is easily upset--- or if you have an ulcer--- or your suffer from asthma, allergies, or iron-deficiency anemia, it would make good sense to check with your doctor before you take aspirin.

This is because aspirin can irritate the stomach lining, trigger asthmatic or allergic reactions, or even cause small amounts of hidden gastrointestinal bleeding.

Fortunately, there is Tylenol---

Notice that there are six lines of copy before any mention of the name of the product. Sales of Tylenol took off after this ad copy ran. Today, Tylenol is the number one brand of non-prescription pain reliever. Notice it doesn't say 'We're the best or we're the number one selling brand? What it does is confirm that Tylenol is preferable to aspirin. It is a simple yet effective strategy of demonstrating superiority--- rather that just talking about it in vague terms. It lets the prospect make up their own mind--- based on the facts as well as an artfully crafted emotional appeal!

You don't have to be a big company like Tylenol for this business growth strategy to work for your business. For example, a swimming pool builder might write an ad like this:

'The number one complaint among people who have recently hired a contractor to install a swimming pool is that it didn't turn out like they expected it to. They say things like--- the new pool is too shallow--- too close to the house--- or it's much more work than they expected to keep up with all the cleaning, chemicals and maintenance required. With that said, it would make good sense to go though a checklist of these types of potential problems with a professional pool designer before one shovelful of dirt is moved.

This is because a poorly designed pool can make your backyard look unsightly, reduce the value of your property or even become a source of danger to your family.

To help guarantee that you will be completely happy with your new pool, XYZ Company offers you a free 19 point pre-construction checklist to make sure that you will be totally happy with the outcome before any work begins.'

Sure beats just saying we're number one, doesn't it?