Which Subjects & Questions Do People Want To Hear & Answer? -- Small Businesses Discussion Forum

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, [4], 5, 6 ]

Subject: Which Subjects & Questions Do People Want To Hear & Answer?

Author:
Dennis S. Vogel

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 21:02:17 04/17/13 Wed
In reply to: Aswer please 's message, "Headlines To Question or not to Question that's the question?!" on 14:47:55 04/17/13 Wed

As long as I can understand your message, grammar & spelling isn't such a problem. I'm not a dentist, so my knowledge of your cavity trouble is ...

Seriously though ...

Thanks for the question. Here's my non-expert, different experience perspective.

The main issue is - advertisers might ask a question which listeners/readers would answer with 'No' or any answer that won't help the advertiser. Nobody will ever sell to everybody, right? So, what's the problem?

"Ever call in & request a song? Ever sit around waiting for it to be played? A Trane will never keep you waiting."

If people answer either question with 'No', they may stop listening/reading the advertising. What does requesting a song have to do with heating, ventilation & air conditioning (HVAC)?

I understand the concept of waiting & urging people to avoid waiting for service. I disagree with the decision to start that commercial with a non sequitur issue.

What also came to my mind is a recent promotion I've been hearing.

I don't want to directly critique the advertiser, yet here is the basic message:

The commercial's opening statement is - "Are you looking for a weekend getaway?"

Avid sports fans may ignore the rest of the message because maybe they have no interest in a weekend getaway. It may depend on how they interpret what "a weekend getaway" is. Yet, they may want to participate in the promoted tour of famous sporting event venues.

A better choice for an opening statement may be 'Tour Lucas Oil Stadium. See Churchill Downs. Experience Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home to the greatest spectacle in racing, the Indianapolis 500.'

It should begin with whichever part of the tour is most interesting to most message recipients. Using sporting event sound effects may help attract sports fans' attention.

Messages should begin with whichever benefit is most interesting to most message recipients.

My point here is a journalistic axiom: Don't bury the lead.

Whether you ask questions or make statements, be sure your message is set to elicit responses that will help you be effective in helping your market niche.

Is the message about waiting for a song to be played or heating, ventilation & air conditioning systems? What is the advertiser trying sell? That's what the message should start & end with.

Dennis S. Vogel
thrivingbusiness@email.com
The success of your marketing strategies & tactics will
depend how well each aspect of your business fits consumers' lives.
Please click here for free information.
http://www.lakefield.net/~thrivingbusiness/

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]