The hazard of being a conversion copywriter is…everything IS COPY.
The other day I was in a marine store, groovin’ on the new displays and the “change” they had fashioned (literally,) from just a marine store carrying bumpers, lines, boat gadgets, and supplies, to a full blown water sport store complete with the latest boating fashion clothing, shoes, paddle boards and coolers.
As I was browsing, my eye sweeps across an standard display when BAM! I see it!
A small product with a BIG presence.
If you’re an outdoorsy person, you may have heard of Yeti. They are the “high end” brand that makes coolers even the toughest grizz can’t open. (I wonder if it’s shark proof?) Anyway…
I see a stainless coffee mug.
It looks like any of the cool mugs that are on the market today.
What caught my attention?
The label
The attention grabbing, bold font label that drew me in an made me (yes it “made me”) pick it up.
As I inspected the mug, I discovered that it wasn’t a “mug” at all. No, it was a tumbler.
And it wasn’t just any tumbler…it was the RAMBLER tumbler.
One word makes all the difference!
It could be just a Yeti tumbler, but going one step further (using just ONE more word) sets it apart from all the other beverage toting tumblers on the market.
Does your label GRAB the attention of a passerby like this one?
In an INC. article the author talks about getting the attention of consumers – and it’s not nearly as easy at it used to be.
As technology advances and consumers’ attention spans continue to wane, startups looking to incite consumer interest in their brands face an increasingly difficult challenge. For entrepreneurs, this means taking a tactical approach to getting your message to resonate–fast. If you can’t make an impact in eight seconds, consumers will move on to the next adorable cat photo they stumble across. (Inc.com)
To start with, getting the attention of your ideal customer is key! You don’t do that with gimmicks. You don’t do it with free shipping.
You have to be tactical!
You have to make in impact in 8 seconds.
How do you do that?
You speak to the ONE person that matters most when you write copy and content.
Remember the Rule of ONE – not every person is going to be a customer. But for your ideal customer, your ONE reader, does your label copy grab their attention, get them to take notice, and then act on what you copy compels them to do?
Does your copy let them know THIS product is for them?
Let me review the RULE of ONE – and then we’ll play and “I spy” game with Yeti’s Rambler Tumbler copy.
ONE Reader – ONE Big Idea – ONE Promise – ONE Offer
Okay, got it?
I’m kidding…I’ll give you a little more.
One Reader – This is your avatar, your ONE ideal customer that you imagine talking with about your product (or service.) People make the HUGE mistake of wanting to sell to the entire world. Not “everyone” is going to be interested in you and your product. Trying to speak to “everyone” dilutes your message – and is extremely exhausting!
A 21 year old millennial has way different values, problems and needs than a 57 year old baby boomer.
PICK ONE – you’ll be glad you did.
ONE Big Idea – You want to focus on ONE idea to present in your message. It could be your ONE big benefit. It could be your ONE big solution. A good example is this article. My ONE big idea is Label Copy. I’m not talking to you about copy for your catalog, I’m not talking about selling tips, I’m not talking about what colors work best….SQUIRREL!
Get the point?
There is a study by Sheena Iyengar from Columbia University using jams (yes, the kind that goes on your toast) to demonstrate why limiting options – that goes for ideas as well – works best for grabbing attention and converting customers into buyers.
ONE Promise – That means you’re not going to promise the world. Your product isn’t going to promise that it’s cheaper, better for your health, will schedule your social media posts, and help you train for that half marathon you want to run.
See what I mean?
Confusion means people will NOT make a decision.
ONE Offer – You are offering ONE thing that will match what your ONE reader needs. That’s it!
Back to the YETI label…
Here’s where we play I Spy
Can you find the ONE promise on the label? I’ll give you a hint…it’s under the word YETI…
It Keeps Your Drink Cold!
Plain, simple, straight forward. You know exactly what this tumbler is for! (oops…this Rambler Tumbler)
Then, it goes a step further – a quirky and fun step further.
Not only does the label tell me what it does, it tells me what I can use it for…in case I didn’t think to use it for my Arnold Palmer (ice tea, if you didn’t know.) And for my Palomas – yes please!
Instead of run-of-the-mill “instructions” I get icons that show me where I can use it…aside from just holding it in my hands.
It has all the feature information on it that a label’s supposed to have…the material it’s made from, the design that keeps it extra cold (or hot, depending on if you’re drinking a Palomas or a hot toddy.)
And of course, all the places I can take my mug. I think my favorite is ALL of Arizona!
Just in case I wasn’t sure how durable and reliable this little tumbler will be in keeping my favorite beverage at the right temp…they let me know it’s not just a slapped together idea. It’s a confidence builder to let me know that they worked to get it RIGHT. In fact, they went over-board to let me know it’s over-engineered for Maximum Insulation.
It all paints a unique, distinctive story! Can you picture the engineers, with their slide rules and blueprints, designing each angle and curve of the double-wall to fit perfectly in my hand/car/boat while I’m enjoying my outdoor adventure?
There is ONLY thing I can suggest this label does to complete this conversion.
Make me buy it!
I would add a CTA (call-to-action.) Something like – BUY ME or Don’t leave me here on the shelf.
Does your label defines your brand in a unique and distinctive way?
Take a lesson from Yeti.
Look at your label. Will I stop in my tracks? Will it “make” me want to pick it up? Will I feel compelled to buy it?
If you like what to write head turning labels (and other marketing copy) but don’t know your ONE reader (your Avatar) like you should, grab my awesome AVATAR PROFILE worksheet. All you have to do is CLICK HERE (or on the image) and put your name and email in the form to get your download.
