Strategy 10: It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3…

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3…
Helping to ease the fears your customers may have about buying your products is always a good idea. Show them in simple steps how easy it is to use, buy or assemble your products. Whenever you can simplify the buying process you are eliminating barriers that keeps them from buying. Develop ways that explain how easy it is to make a purchase in simple easy steps.

Examples of Giving Easy Steps
A perfect example is how to choose a hydrations system found on the old CamelBak’s website. See examples below. CamelBak gives you three easy steps to buying a hydrations system. One—Pick an activity. Two—Pick your duration. Three—Pick your cargo size.

Another example is from a Wolf Automotive catalog. In this catalog I simplified the ordering process from 11 steps to 3 steps. The new page shows three easy steps to order your vehicle cover from Wolf Automotive. They consist of: 1. Gather your order information 2. Have your shipping information ready 3. Call the number provided to place your order. Download an example here >>

It couldn’t be simpler than that. When you make it easy for your customer they will come back to you who caters to their needs. Look at your competitors and use this strategy to get one-up on them.

__________
Taken from my book Benchmarked: What The Best Of The Best Do To Keep Customers Running

Strategy 7 - Use Great Descriptive Words

There is a fine line between over kill and finesse. When done well, it informs and builds confidence. Consider using words like: Original, Quality, Distinctive, New, Rugged, “Still the Best,” “Might as well have the best!,” and The ultimate…, are great words for rough and tough products.

Words Matter
Words like Soft, Plush, and Comfortable work well for towels or carpet. Descriptive words can help set the mood of your offers and can attract the right type of customers.

Our society is becoming weary of hype so when you use these words make sure you follow them with solid facts that prove it. Facts are not ambiguous. All to much marketing is fluff or full of platitudes and customers, your customers recognize them from football fields away and promptly ignore them and you if you are using them.

Honesty Counts!
Be careful how you describe your product, say it straight and say it clear and your customers will respect you with their time. If they give you their time it is easy to get their money.

Examples of Great Descriptive Words in Use
"...our materials are the very best obtainable, for we know that the best is none too good and that quality is of vital importance." C.C.Filson, 1914



This icon or callout (Improves Gas Mileage) is placed on packaging, brochures, sales fliers and websites—everywhere the customer see this product to reinforce how they can save gas.








This callout was used to show the how a tonneau can increase the security of your cargo when you cover it.








Nordstrom stands out in more ways than one to be sure their use of copy is an art. Following are lines from a recent mailing talking about shoes.

“It’s only fitting—finding the shoe you want in the size you need.”
“Sure black goes with everything, but fuchsia is so fun!”
“Going someplace? Have fun getting there,” in our shoes is the connotation.
“A little extra cushion? Whatever makes you comfortable.”

A few others that attract the customer’s eye are:
“Great products at a great price!”
“Remarkably versatile”
“Tightly woven fabric”

No matter how you use descriptive words remember this — what you say is important, but if you don't back it up it will be as if you didn't say anything!

Callouts in Action - How Are You Using Them?

Following are some ways in which to use callouts to drive traffic, sales, and interest.




























In this example, a poster was created to discuss the blog entry for The Internet Dark Ages. The callout "Truth" was use to call special attention to how truth is being used in modern society today.

This poster was posted throughout the community with two different headlines. One said, "The Truth Isn't What You Choose To Believe!" the other, "The Truth Is What You Choose To Believe!" This was done to play on the different philosophies of readers.































The Double Your Protection callout on this brochure was designed to call attention to an additional way to a vehicle cover protects your vehicle — when you cover your vehicle you protect your gear that is inside your vehicle — out of sight out of mind. This callout drives interest and intrigues.






























Here callouts were use draw particular attention to the many benefits of a Top Mount tonneau in this 7 page brochure. Available at retail and online. We discuss each point with a callout and then follow it with a short description.

Callouts are bursts of information that can be used in every situation where you want to inform your customers about something. Use them to your advantage, if you look around you will quickly realize they are underutilized. Take advantage of this and start using them today.

Strategy 8 - Use Callouts To Sell More!

Callouts are the best way to quickly educate your customers. A simple icon tells a story and builds credibility at a glance.

In a retail environment callouts can and should be used to draw attention to specific products, offers and services. In a catalog or online callouts quickly make a point. Something text can't do.

A callouts will stay with the average customer much longer than most copy. So, when you want to drive home a point, say it with a callout and your customers will remember it better.

Use callouts to build profiles of products or services you sell. Create icons that emphasize the main features that your customers find important.

Letting your customers know about your return policy, informing your customers who their resident expert pointman (REP) is, and educating your customers are all vital to your businesses success.

People expect to be educated. Are you taking advantage of these opportunities?

Incorporating internal marketing strategies like callouts in conjunction with your marketing plan is a great way to show off valuable services. They also add value to the products you sell.

See the example on this page or visit this link for many more. They easily and quickly emphasize the point. Read more about callout in the book The power of color & shape—a logo & callout book. Click here >>

Next entry will show some callouts in action.