Recently I was watching a public service announcement on suicide prevention by Amanda Hearst – but before I show you the video, let me give you a little background on her:
- She is the granddaughter of media magnate William Randolph Hearst
- She is a beautiful model who has a high profile job because of her parents
- She’s heir to a $1.6 billion fortune
There’s 3 things worth noting:
- Her emotions don’t relate—she has almost no emotion behind her delivery (it sounds like she’s reading a teleprompter)
- No stories don’t relate—she just uses vague adjectives like “tough times”
- Her situation doesn’t relate—this would make someone considering suicide seeing a rich, beautiful socialite, who seemingly has everything feel more worthless and pathetic.
Basically, she gives no real-world indication she actually has suffered (remember, people starve, are homeless, get fired and lose their car and home)—she can’t relate to the pain of the typical person watching her video.
This is like those people who read marketing books that say, “let customers know you’ve been in their shoes”, then blatantly go out and write marketing where they say, “I’ve been in your shoes, I know what’s it’s like”.
Remember the phrase actions speak louder than words?
In this case, DESCRIBING ACTIONS demonstrates you actually understand their situation, and can help them.
Showing a beautiful rich girl who got a high profile job because of who her parents, has BILLIONS of dollars coming to her for simply being born, and has been given everything (or the perception of that) is a TOTAL DISCONNECT from ANYONE who watches that video.
On the other hand, If Sylvester Stallone had been put on that PSA and talked about 6 years as a failed actor, going to the library in the winter because he couldn’t afford heat in his one-bedroom apartment, and how he eventually had to sell his dog (who he called his best and only friend at the time) for $50 to buy food, wouldn’t that have been a FAR more effective use of resources to get their message across?
The Importance of Consistency
One of the most overlooked elements of successful marketing, as I’ve said many times, is TRUST.
Trusts comes from the consistency of your message with your actions, your behaviors, and what you say and do.
For example, if the Red Cross donates blood they’re heroes.
If Wal-Mart donates blood it’s a marketing stunt by a company who abuses its employees and is obsessed with how much money they’re making.
A key to successful marketing is building an image that is consistent with who you are, what you stand for, and what your vision and goals are.
While there are many ways to find a great marketing and copywriting course online, many of them are only about promoting your product, and trying to persuade someone to buy it, but they overlook the fact you’re selling your product to another HUMAN.
It’s All in the Communication
If you want people to understand your message, and trust you, you need to communicate what you stand for.
Amanda Hearst, for example, may have been raped—I don’t know.
But she didn’t really communicate any evidence in that video that she has actually been through any experiences that give her the credibility to talk about “tough times”, or to reassure others that their challenging and difficult situations are going to get better.
If you don’t communicate what you stand for, just like in that video, others are going to simply look at what they see, and make their own assumptions based on that.
What Message Are YOU Saying To Others
This is why I talk so much about the fact that sales figures and numbers are real people, with real lives, who want real connections with other humans, because if you’re a copywriter.
People get so focused on doing everything from an “analytical” standpoint or as a “promotional stunt” or “marketing stunt” to try to get their message across (usually because they have the ulterior motive of wanting your money, or wanting to convince you to agree with them) that we forget to just be normal, and to communicate to others openly and honestly as one human to another.
Next time you talk to anyone, remember that you’re dealing with a person; in the context of a business, you’re dealing with a person who has a problem, and needs a solution, and successfully helping them, and in turn getting them to help you, starts with a foundation of HONESTY and TRUST.
If you help someone get what they want, they’ll naturally WANT to give you what you want… that’s how reciprocity works.
Chris Nosal is a marketing expert who has spent years studying copywriting, marketing, design, and how to build the perfect-end-to-end user experience, while also maximizing profits.
