It is absolutely imperative that your ad copy be crystal clear to your prospect.
You simply can’t afford to have a prospect questioning what you meant ... or misunderstanding your intent. If prospects don’t precisely understand your copy — and understand it on first reading — the outcome is likely not to be to your liking.
Let me reinforce the importance of clear communication via a quick, little story ...
Before you ship that ad off to the newspaper (or the direct mail package/brochure to your printer), re-read your copy. Then, have other people read it. Watch them. Do you find them re-reading portions? Do they look confused? When finished, ask them questions to make sure they got out of it precisely what you intended.
Look for every possible instance of potential reader misunderstanding in your copy. Then, correct it. If you don't, you'll be wasting much of your advertising dollar.
Of course, communicating with your staff (and communication between members of your staff) requires the same attention to clear communication details. Miscommunication can create all sorts of unnecessary problems and grief within the practice.
Copyright 2007 by Galen Stilson
You simply can’t afford to have a prospect questioning what you meant ... or misunderstanding your intent. If prospects don’t precisely understand your copy — and understand it on first reading — the outcome is likely not to be to your liking.
Let me reinforce the importance of clear communication via a quick, little story ...
A hapless hobo comes to the front door of a neat looking country home and raps gently on the door.As this story points out, sometimes seemingly clear communication ... really isn’t.
Soon, the well-dressed owner of the home -- a dentist -- answers, "Yes, what is it ?"
The hobo begs, "Please, sir, could you give me something to eat? I haven't had a good meal in several days."
The dentist sternly says, "I have made a fortune in my lifetime by providing quality services for people. I've never given anything away for nothing."
"However, if you go around to the back of the house you will see a gallon of gray paint and a clean paint brush. If you will paint my porch back there, I will give you a good meal."
So the hobo gladly agrees and quickly goes around back. Soon afterwards, he again knocks on the door.
The dentist smiles, "Finished already? Good. Come on in. Sit down. Enjoy your meal."
After the hobo finishes a grand meal he turns to the dentist and says, "Thank you very much, sir... By the way, there's something that I think you should know. That's not a Porsche you've got back there. It's a BMW."
Before you ship that ad off to the newspaper (or the direct mail package/brochure to your printer), re-read your copy. Then, have other people read it. Watch them. Do you find them re-reading portions? Do they look confused? When finished, ask them questions to make sure they got out of it precisely what you intended.
Look for every possible instance of potential reader misunderstanding in your copy. Then, correct it. If you don't, you'll be wasting much of your advertising dollar.
Of course, communicating with your staff (and communication between members of your staff) requires the same attention to clear communication details. Miscommunication can create all sorts of unnecessary problems and grief within the practice.
Copyright 2007 by Galen Stilson
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