Hey guys,
I have a client that is a mattress store and he is thinking of stopping his advertising. I need some ideas, if you have them, for a great promotion to get his interest back up. I'll any and all suggestions.
Thank you!
Reed
Reed, I'll make sure your post gets included in this week's newsletter, but in the meantime, did you see the ad script for a mattress store that Chris Rolando shared in another discussion thread?
Mattress: The fact is that Mattresses should be replaced every five years... thus:
Man and woman in a mattress store. She wants something new, he is cheap and says that their current mattress is just fine. She says she'd like something that is not too firm and not too soft. he says that the mattress they have has any number of years left in its life. Salesman says that a mattress is basically worn out in five years. Man says "ours sure isn't"... she takes a beat and says... "tell me about it". Then on to the message.
And here's another discussion thread with some bedding-store-specific ad/promotion ideas: Seeking Radio/Web Promotion Idea for Mattresses.
Reed,
The Heart's Desire promotion discussed in the thread Rebecca mentioned at the end of her reply is worth considering. Be sure to listen to the client testimonials I mention in my last comment there. Even though they're decades old, they have lost none of their power.
Rod
Try this:
Man drives to a mattress store. Parks his car and walks into the store. Enquires the price for a good mattress as per specification.
Salesman gives the perfect mattress for his requirement and mentions the cost which as per the customer is huge
The salesman asks: Sir, how much time do you spend in the car a day?
Customer: 3 hours in a day
Salesman: And Sir, how much time do you sleep in a day
Customer: 8 hours
Salesman: Sir, for 3 hours in the car, you are ready to spend 50/ 100 times the cost of a good mattress in which you spend more time and which is very good for your physical and mental well being???
Customer: (Enlightened!!) You are making sense my friend. Thanks a lot
My experience tells me the client is not specifically interested in a "promotion". The client is doubting that the ROI is there. Many business owners say they rely on referrals or word of mouth. I always explain to the client (over and over and over) that we beleive in referrals also...and we are their best source to get a lot of them. I use story telling to make my point. I had a dentist just yesterday finally realize that his radio advertising is getting him referral business from non-patients. The non-patients already know they will be moving their business to this particular dentist at the next "triggering event". Until then, they are still referring the dentist based only on the message in his commercials. Of course, if the message is not specific with points of difference this will not work.
The goal of radio is not specifically to reach the customer. The real goal is to reach the customer or the customer's circle of influence. Every person knows at least 200 people. That's where the power is at.
I may not make any friends here but I truly believe there is a fundamental problem with all of us who are passionate about the power of radio. The problem? We rely on "ideas". I sold for 13 years and if I had to continually create "ideas" to keep my clients on the air I would have failed.
The messages need to focus on the story of the business. Who are they? Why do they do what they do? What is the reason to give them your money instead of anyone else? I hear messages everyday and I know the competition could take that message and place their name in it. That is nothing more than promoting a category. It is not promoting their specific business.
We must challenge ourselves to help our clients understand the value of telling their story. This helps them understand the need for consistency. This helps them understand the need for frequency on a specific audience. It also alleviates the problem of "the next great idea" having to be generated to keep them on the air or to even get them on the air.
We know this works. We have made this work and continue to make this work. You can too. This conversation puts you on a level with the client no other sales rep is having. It's what creates long term, deep budget advertisers who believe in the power of radio to do 100% of the job.
I couldn't agree more with you but I am in the minority in my office.
Jeff, you may be right. I've always agreed with Dan O' Day that a radio commercial should be a story about the listener...not the business. Or Roy Williams on radio advertising: "Don't tell me a story about you [the business]. Tell me a story about ME [the listener]. How are you going to save me money? Save me time? Reduce stress in my life? Or cause other people to think highly of me?" Does the story of the business outsell the story of the listener? As I say, you may be right.
