Five Questions to Ask Before Becoming Your Own Spokesman

In BullShots! last week we shared five reasons to appear in your own advertisements.  But as we said, thoughts are divided on the subject.  So this week we present the flipside of being your own spokesman.  Answer these questions honestly before you decide:

Five Questions to Ask Before You Appear in Your Own Ads:

Which would you buy from this guy?
Dog food, a used car, or a submarine?

1.  Are You TV and Radio Friendly?  It would be great if we lived in a world where we were all judged on our inherent abilities and goodness.  But alas, that’s not the case, and in this world image and appeal count.  This applies not just to physical good looks, but to manner of speech and general demeanor.  Any accent, regionalism, or speech impediment can work against you.  Do you seem honest? Trustworthy?
2. Is it Ego That Drives the Decision?   Agencies and spot reps know the best way to appeal to a client with a big ego is to urge him to do his own spots.  We all want to be stars.  A lot of crummy advertising results from this sort of pitch.  It’s a disservice to the advertiser, and it’s a disservice to the advertiser’s business.  If you do decide to be your own spokesperson, give a lot of thought to your motivations. 
3. Do You Look the Part?  This isn't a looks question, it's a casting question.  Although you may be the best speaker and best looking person in the world, you still may not be the best choice to relate to your target customer.  Do you look the part?  Are you selling expensive cars but look like a longshoreman?  Are you the supermodel type trying to sell dog food?  Or are you an electrician who looks like an electrician? 
4. How Does it Affect the Long-Term Value of Your Business?  Let’s say you build a very successful business acting as your own spokesman.  Now it’s time to sell and retire.  What is the new owner going to do about advertising?  Your face is connected to the business, and you won’t be around any more to pitch it.  The new owner will have to make a substantial investment to overcome the lack of your involvement, and the business may be worth less because of it. 

A great example of this is Jordan’s Furniture, a Boston area chain.  For years, the Jordan brothers appeared in their own radio and TV spots.  Eventually time came to sell out, but the business was so strongly linked to the brothers that the new owner was forced to keep one of them on the payroll, just as spokesman.  What’s going to happen when there’s no more Jordan associated with Jordan’s furniture?

A nationwide example:  Bob’s Discount Furniture.  Bob is smart, however – he’s already preparing for this by turning himself into a cartoon character.  But is that really the way you want to go?

5. What are You Really Selling?  Sorry, but it’s true:  People don’t care about you.  They care about the washing machine, tv, computer or storm windows you’re selling.  They want to know about features, price, and value for their money.  You might be a pleasant guy or gal, you might have a beautiful family, but people don’t buy refrigerators because of your kids – they buy them because they keep food cold.  Unless you’re a politician, keep your family out of your ads, and keep yourself out too.  And frankly, a lot of politicians would do well to stay out of their own ads too.

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Who do you think does the best job of being spokesperson for their own company?  Who does the worst?  We’d like to know, so please comment on this article. Your Links and Likes are appreciated too! 

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Out of Season? Then Think Out of the Box!

Last time in BullShots! we talked about the effectiveness of advertising during the off season.  This week, we'll take a look at some possible campaign ideas.

Off-season advertising campaigns lend themselves easily to humor.  The disconnect between the current season and advertising something unseasonable sets up a situation that's ripe with possibilities.  Although not all off-season campaigns need to be humorous, humor is a great way to avoid annoying your audience.

What does Santa do in the off season?  He plays golf!

For example, we've all had the conversation in which a friend tells us that she's been to a certain store, and by golly, they've already got their holiday merchandise up -- and it's only August!  Everybody shakes their head and wonders "what is this world coming to?"  The store seems greedy. 

But had the store added a touch of humor -- maybe putting out signs or tent cards with a little joke about Santa running out of room so he asked us to hold on to some things for him -- the result would be different.  The joke would become the topic of conversation, not the retailer's greed.   

You can use a serious approach too.  For example, here in New England there's not a lot of home remodeling going on during the winter.  January just isn't the best time to rip out all the doors and windows!  But it might be a great time to generate some new business.  Perhaps mention that drafty window that's bothering them right now, and that they don't have to put up with it.  "Why not book with us now and put a stop to the chills!"  Or, make a special off-season offer: "Book now and we'll save you 20% ... and, you'll be first on our list come Spring."  It's a good deal and I bet you'd get a lot of takers. 

A winter business, such as a ski shop or resort can apply the same techniques.  Why wait until ski season starts to tell the audience about the improvements you're making to Bunny Hill?  Tell them in the summer, and get those dedicated skiers excited about how great the coming season at Bunny Hill is going to be.  "Hey skiers, we just wanted to let you know that we're hard at work making Bunny Hill better than ever..."   Just keep it light.  Off-season ads aren't the place for the hard sell. 

Educating your customers can work too.  A bike shop might talk about new models and features that manufacturers will introduce next bike season.

A public service campaign is a great way to keep in the public's mind and do some good at the same time.  A seasonal specialty shop might offer safety tips:  "When your kids are walking home from a friend's house at night, make sure they carry a flashlight so they'll be seen by oncoming cars.  And by the way, this fall your spooky friends at Halloween Scene will have the most ghoulish flashlights and lanterns you've ever seen...."  Maybe Dracula should be doing the voiceover for that one? 

One of my favorite promotions was done by a tavern in a resort area.  They did most of their business during the summer, and most of that was over the Independence Day holiday.  Another holiday during the summer would be great for business.  So they decided to host a New Year's Eve party -- in August!  Complete with hats, streamers and noisemakers, they did a pretty good business that night as we all counted down "10...9...8... Happy August 17th!" 

Keeping your seasonal business front and center in your customers’ minds during the off season can be tricky, but it is good marketing.  There is always a way to do it.  Just get your creative juices flowing, think out of the box and have fun with it. 

Was this article helpful to you?  What ideas have you come up with for your own seasonal business?  Need help?  Let us know!  Your feedback and links to this page are always appreciated (just let us know where to find the link).  Thanks!