The best way to get a prospect's attention, bar none, is to
imply, via your headline, that you can help him or her solve a
problem. That's it--you've got their attention. You're
saying "I've got a way to make your life easier and better
than it is now." And that's specifically why they're
willing to tune in to your message. Without an enticement,
you're talking to a wall.
In Boggan's case, he's got quite a remarkable
problem-solving device. It's a custom monorail system that zips
a disabled person virtually anywhere he or she wants to go in the
house. The rider can install a rail from bed to bathroom or front
door to bedroom or living room to kitchen and so on. There's
even an optional switching feature like that on a railroad track
that lets the rider leave the bedroom and bypass the bathroom to go
down the hallway to the living room. It offers unique access and
independence, and Boggan has now created the same sort of device
for use in buses and vans.
So how can he characterize this device in a way that has special
meaning for prospects? My suggested brochure-cover headline,
roughly based on an idea Boggan himself concocted for other
material, is "Now????Wings' for the Physically
Disabled," followed by a subhead that reads "The first
customizable monorail system that whisks you almost anywhere you
want to go in the house."
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Boggan's idea to describe his product as "The Next Best
Thing to Wings" emerged from a brainstorming session that I
think can inspire every entrepreneur. His experience shows how not
being satisfied with the expected can transform your advertising
from mundane to attention-getting. Here's how it happened, in
Boggan's own words:
"I had been struggling for quite a while to find a good
slogan for my company. We had tried `Pride And Dignity Thru
Mobility' and `Custom Mobility for the Physically
Challenged,' but I really didn't like either of those. They
were too much like other slogans in the disability business. Around
the shop, we had often called our system The Flying Machine, so one
day I was online and found an animated graphic of a flying dove.
After a bit of free-associating and brainstorming, I came up with
`The Next Best Thing To Wings.' For someone who's been
confined to a bed, a wheelchair or a home environment, it's
tremendous freedom to move about without effort. It's like
leaving the nest. It's the means to an expanded world."
Boggan should know. He's 30, and has been disabled since birth
with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, which essentially renders him
quadriplegic.
His brochure needs to capture the feeling he describes, starting
with the more dramatic opening and then leading to a headline on
the inside that reads: "Introducing a new, higher level of
access and independence." This would be followed by a subhead
that explains "A lift and transfer system that offers you more
freedom and movement than you've ever known before." Two
additional elements the brochure should definitely include are a
section of testimonials and a bio-blurb on Boggan so that prospects
know the developer is someone who understands, firsthand, what they
really need and want.
Q: I can't decide whether a Yellow Pages display ad is a
good investment for my family-counseling practice. It's a bit
of a budget-buster, and many people prefer to be referred to a
counselor. Any opinions?
A: I think such an ad can be a darn good investment (and
an adjunct to your referral business) if you put some sweat into
making it a distinctive piece of advertising. Unfortunately, many
Yellow Pages ads are essentially rubber stamps of each other,
containing only the most routine information and offering little to
separate themselves from surrounding competitors. So with all these
clones singing the same song, it becomes an eeny-meenie-miney-mo
kind of decision for prospects.
Create your Yellow Pages ad as if you were making the most
persuasive argument possible for choosing your services over
others. With psychological counseling or similar professional
services, however, a slightly different--though no less
arresting--approach is required. You could not and would not use
any form of hard sell as we know it. But what could be effective is
an excerpt from a letter you may have received from someone who
felt they benefited from your wise counsel and wanted to let you
know in writing. Ask permission to use a snippet--printed without
attribution, of course--and without any details that might give
away the client's identity. This would become the centerpiece
of your ad. And although it would be an unorthodox approach, it
would be in good taste and, more important, would separate you from
your peers.
The Yellow Pages rivals the Holy Bible for distribution and has
a shelf life of an entire year, so you'd be in one of the most
powerful advertising mediums on the planet. Develop an ad for it
that's drop-dead great, and it could become a continuing
practice-builder for you.
Contact Source
Team Paragon, (888) 281-5290, http://www.paragonmobility.com
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