“Reasons Why…”
I’ve had a few people get in touch asking what the book was that I mentioned in my Marketing Presentation at the NCCA Meeting recently. Well it’s John E Kennedy’s “Reasons Why Advertising” and it appears to be OOP and hard to find in the format I have. The only ‘copy’ I can find is on Amazon, link below. That’s for that book republished with his follow up book ‘as one’. BUT if anyone wants to borrow my copy of the original I’m happy to mail it to you if you promise to mail it back promptly 🙂
I’ve side by side tested letters with just different opening paragraphs, some using “Reasons why” and others with a more ‘corporate’ feel to them, and hands down the response is FAR better from “Reasons why” opening Paragraphs.
Then I’ve tested the best performing “Reasons why” opening paragraphs and tested with the rest of the letter “Reasons why” format, and the rest of the letter a more corporate content. Again “Reasons why win hands down every time.
In a nutshell, for those that didn’t make it to the NCCA event, “Reasons Why” talks about composing your letters in a conversational manner and tell the client why your writing. Give them a reason why you write. Give them a reson why you’re making the offer, and not just “January sale” use conversation language to tell people why you’re having a January sale. As part of the mailing we’ve send in the Pre Christmas marketing in our carpet cleaning business I give people a reason for the offer in January…
“Post Christmas is always a little quiet as carpet and upholstery cleaning is the last thing most people’s minds, especially if it’s wet, snowy weather. We’re busy in January, but most of that work is for commercial clients, cleaning up hotel conference rooms, and other party venues after the festivities. Most of that is evening and weekend work though; which means we’re quieter during the day. You see everyone wins, it means I keep our technicians busy during the day in January, and valued previous clients like you <<title>> <<Surname>> can take advantage and save pounds on the usual price, everyone wins!”
IT WORKS! I’ve tested this and other’s side by side.
Kennedy then talks about reassurance, so I use…
“We may be cutting the price but you have my absolute assurance that we will not be cutting back on our high standards. As always, ALL our work is fully guaranteed, if you’re not completely satisfied we will put it right or refund your money, NO QUIBBLE!”
The following is another paragraph we find works really well, because it follows the guidelines in Kennedy’s book, we make it easy for the client to call now and tell them why we make it easy and why they can call now, so guess what, they CALL NOW, while they have the letter in their hand before they put it down and forget…
“So, if you want cleaning done before Christmas call us now, daytime or evening, and we’ll pull up your record and see if we can fit you in. If you want to wait until January for cleaning call us now and we’ll confirm the dates and the offer details for you. Remember, you can call us any time on your local number below, as outside of office hours they are diverted at our cost to our home. We realise you’re busy too and we don’t mind taking your call whenever is best for you to organise your cleaning. So call us now.”
PHEW! That was a longer post than I intended, but I hope there’s something useful for you.
Allan.
PS. Firstly always have a PS! Secondly, “Reasons why…” works because people automatically feel an affinity to the reason why and therefore feel comfortable and ‘just do it’. So, apply reasons why to your marketing and you’ll be working smarter, not harder. You’ll save time and money in all your marketing effort by reducing the number of mailings and increasing their response, the whole philosophy of GetBookedUp.
Here’s the Amazon link:-
http://www.amazon.com/Reason-why-advertising-Plus-Intensive-shall/dp/B0006SBBLI