The other day some flashing lights at the side of the road grabbed my attention. I knew it wasn’t a police car, or a fire truck, so I was curious as to what was going on. I passed a small truck with a sign in the back that said, “DESIGN,” with flashing lights around the sign.
As I passed, I wondered exactly what kind of design the sign was referring to. I had just passed a restaurant that showcases local works of art. I was coming up to a t-shirt design and printing store. There was a very small interior design store around the corner. I was also near some car dealerships. So what kind of design did this sign refer to? I have no idea.
Flashing lights are attention-getters; they do not tell a potential customer what action is desired, or how a product or service can benefit someone. I notice this type of attention-getting advertising on TV all the time. There have been several commercials recently I have seen and noticed how clever they are; but I have no clue about how the product can benefit me.
To effectively create a marketing message you need three things:
1. Attention. (The flashing lights did this.)
2. A message that appeals to your customers. (If the design sign above had referred to the t-shirt store, I might have stopped. If it referred to custom designs painted on a car, it would have appealed to other customers. As it was, no one knew who the sign was intended for.)
3. A call to action. A call to action is what you want people to do. This would include:
“Turn here if you want . . . .”
“Call this number for a free visit from our interior design specialist.”
“Honk your horn if you like these flashing lights.”
Remember not to get caught up in a cut, attention-getting idea to the exclusion of who your customers are and what you want them to do.
That’s all for now.
Leave a Reply