Part 2: More Blunders

Part 2 in a series.

For the consumer electronics specialty retailer, advertising can be a very costly necessity. This series will highlight mistakes dealers commonly make, and offer solutions to avoid waste and maximize effectiveness.

Blunder #3
You’re talking to your customers like they’re idiots.
This is an area where we, as an industry, have really shot ourselves in the foot. Over the years, we’ve thrown about terms such as “revolutionary,” “breakthrough” and (ugh) “state of the art” so many times that they’ve totally lost their impact. It also greatly undermined our credibility.

And yet we still see this everyday. (Perhaps the worst offender out there right now–perhaps the worst ever–is Pioneer, with their Kuro line. Here’s a small sample of the swill they ask readers to swallow):

“Engineered for the ultimate experience in sight and sound, this revolutionary new flat panel harnesses technology designed to attain perfection.”

“…to provide an unmatched HD experience that surpasses the standards of flawlessness.”

“…deliver a cinematic experience so spectacular it will swallow you whole and remain with you forever. And that standard is now one where the line between perception and reality has all but disappeared. “

That’s drivel that demeans a truly exceptional product.

The alternative: Tell people the truth. Respect their intelligence. Address their questions and concerns. Keep it simple, but not dumb. Avoid the stupid names manufacturers give to technical features (e.g. ClearFrame; Ultra Filter Bright; Auto Motion Plus). Remember Selling 101: People are interested in benefits, not features.

Blunder #4
You’re talking to your customers like they’re engineers.
Again, think about your audience. You use the vernacular of consumer electronics every day. They do not. And so it’s a waste of space to describe a television as having 3:2 pulldown or 120Hz refresh rate, at least if you don’t also to take the opportunity to explain the benefits. (Which you should.) In fact, using such terms adds to the alienation and antipathy many people feel toward specialist dealers.

Lots of folks are intimidated at even the thought of entering our stores, because we’re going to use a bunch of technical terms and make them feel like idiots. (Which they don’t like; see Blunder #3.) Having your advertising contain these–to the customer–meaningless terms is worse than a waste. It is a couched message that tells people who “can’t speak the language” to stay away.

Stay tuned. More Blunders to come. In the meantime, I welcome your comments and questions.