Is using a “YOU-focused” or
“inner-focused” marketing
message hurting your business?

What is W.I.I.FM and how
will it help you get better results...

By Joseph Cekauskas
Marketing Strategist & Consultant
JC Marketing Communications

We routinely review brochures, ads, sellsheets, website copy, radio commercials, sales letters and more from prospective clients who would like to work with us. Using our proprietary ten-point Marketing Analysis System, we make accurate assessments of where our customer could use improvement. Thirty years in the making, our System allows us to check for the key components needed to get our clients maximum results. One interesting benefit of using our proprietary System is that it allows us to objectively evaluate any marketing piece from the perspective of the viewer reading it.

Unfortunately, all too often advertising messages and/or marketing tools are NOT written from the perspective of the reader. Meaning they are NOT “customer-focused.” Instead, many marketing messages seem to be written with a “YOU-focused or inner-focused” methodology. This “fool-osophy” compromises your return on investment—the message is all about the advertiser and provides no benefit to the viewer—thus, fewer prospects buy your product or service.

For example, we recently reviewed a full-page magazine ad for a bank. Their ad contained the headline, “Go ahead, judge us by the company we keep.” The rest of the ad simply contained the logos of five of the bank’s customers, followed by the bank’s logo and contact info at the bottom. This is what we call an “ego” ad. It’s 100% “YOU-focused” or “inner-focused.” To clarify what we mean, this ad is all about the bank and its other customers—with no mention of any benefit for potential NEW customers or prospects. We guess the bank wants us to be impressed that their establishment has these other customers. It’s clear that the bank’s management thinks we should rush right out and open an account just because they’re great.

This is a classic example of a “YOU-focused or inner-focused” ad. It’s all about the advertiser and provides no compelling reason at all for viewers to read it and act. There’s absolutely nothing in it for the reader. What was really eye-opening was that most of the other ads in this business magazine suffered from the same “YOU-focused” methodology.

Now, if you’re an advertiser who doesn’t care whether or not people respond to your advertising...OR if you just want to boost your ego, this kind of ad is perfect. On the other hand, if you want to get measurable results from your advertising, then you absolutely must write your marketing messages toward the perspective of what’s in it for the reader, instead of what’s in it for you. We explain to customers that they have to advertise on W.I.I.FM. It’s not a real radio station...it’s an acronym for “What’s In It For Me.” Thus, WIIFM. Studies prove that nearly all viewers of ad messages are concerned with one thing when reacting to an ad: “What’s In It For Me.”

Remember the headline of the bank ad we’re discussing? It was “Go ahead, judge us by the company we keep.” This message could apply to ANY company in ANY industry—therefore, the message appeals to no one specifically. While knowing who the advertising bank’s customers are might be interesting to the bank’s competition, do you think new potential customers really care? When writing your marketing message, results can be optimized if you create “attention” in a compelling fashion that appeals to potential prospects and/or customers.

This bank ad completely lacked other critical components. There was nothing at all in the ad that would even remotely stimulate a potential customer to want to do business with this bank. And importantly, there was no “call-to-action.” Meaning, no statement of what a person is supposed to do immediately AFTER reading the ad. We guess the bank assumed that people would want to “rush right into the bank” based on the names of the other businesses that use them. Would that make you rush right in for a loan or to open up a new account? The point is, if you want your marketing materials to work AND if you want your message to motivate qualified people to seek you out—you absolutely positively MUST make sure your message is “customer-focused.”

If you want a FREE constructive review of any of your marketing pieces using our ten-point Marketing Analysis System, email us a pdf or jpeg of your piece to info@jcmcom.com. Within 48 hours of receiving your email, we’ll send you back a few suggestions.
OR
Please call Joseph Cekauskas (pronounced See-cows-kiss) at JC Marketing Communications (JCMC) 860.621.8866 to arrange for a complimentary no-obligation evaluation. The worst that can happen is that your advertising will be more effective.

Imagine—one quick phone call to us can launch your business toward accelerated growth, larger market share and higher profits. Call while the thought is still fresh in your mind—860.621.8866.