Just a few moments ago - another one of these New York encounters that make you think, make you smile, and make you write a blog post. Subway station, downtown Manhattan. As I am about to exit, I am spotting a panhandler near the stairs. Between 'first contact', and his last words fading, about twenty seconds pass - less than the time for a radio commercial. Yet his message is still stuck in my head. Within those twenty seconds, I hear it exactly three times, and while I am walking away, it rolls of my tongue a few times more, and makes me smile.
"You don't have to be a Rockefella to help a fella!", says he with a smile. Brilliant! Funny. Culturally relevant. All in one sentence. I wonder if he had help from a professional copywriter. This line deserves a golden pencil! It's clear what he wants - we get it the moment we see him. Does he have time to tell us his whole life story? No. Does anyone of us have the time to listen? No. Would many people actually stop and listen, even if they had the time? Probably not.
So the key here is: keep it simple, stupid. A short, concise message. Repetition is the key. And the delivery is important as well. As the message contains a certain portion of humor, it requires a personality that goes along with it. Love the guy!
I had a similar encounter a few years back, on a trip to D.C.. In some cities - I first saw it years ago in Europe - you have homeless people selling daily newspapers, all written, edited, published, and distributed by homeless people. While some of them come after you with the 'pity'-approach, one of them stood out. His message was unlike anything I had ever heard to that day.
It was unique. It was funny, and it is stuck with me to this very day. Standing in front of a bookstore (great strategic positioning!) on a very cold December day, he was quite a presence, in his long trench coat, the long, big beard, and his deep voice. His message? "Deep frozen, shock-frosted, and always fresh. Get it now. Get it here - The brand new 'Street Sense'".
I had a laugh, and I bought one.
Great Post! Absolutely correct. But before you can come up with a concise message you have to understand what it is that you are selling and who it is you are selling to.
ReplyDeleteTarget Market is the key, without knowing who it is that wants to buy from you, you will continue to flounder in the trenches of "Maybe this time!"