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THE LEVISON LETTER
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Action Ideas For Better Direct Mail,
E-mail, Web Sites & Advertising
Published by
Ivan Levison, Direct Response Copywriting
August, 2001
Volume: 16 Number: 8
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Copywriters should think outside the box
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In my town, the post office parking lot has just three
crummy spaces.
Next door to it is a bank that has a big parking lot.
Naturally, everyone who needs to visit the post office
parks at the bank.
Because of all the extra cars parking on their
property, you'd expect the bank to put up this
kind of a warning sign at the entrance to its lot:
Parking For Bank Patrons Only!
All other vehicles will be towed
at owner's expense.
But someone at the bank knew how to think outside the
box. They didn't settle for the obvious. Instead of
being the town meanies, they put up this sign where
everyone could see it:
Union Bank of California
Welcomes Post Office Patrons!
If you're not banking with us, come on in
and see why we're a great place to bank . . .
as well as very convenient!
What we have here is an example of guerrilla marketing
at its best. The bank took a problem and, using a kind
of marketing jujitsu, turned it into a plus. The funny,
subversive sign says to potential customers that "we're
the kind of bright, responsive people you want to bank with."
Examples of turning lemons into lemonade, like the one
I've mentioned above, are all around us and are always
instructive.
Remember the old Avis rent-a-car advertising campaign?
Years ago, Hertz was the market leader. Avis was in
a
distant second place. So their terrific ad agency came
up with a campaign theme that acknowledged their
second-place status and turned it into a virtue. The
headline of one of their classic ads reads:
Avis is only No. 2
in rent-a-cars.
So why go with us?
We try harder.
The body copy explains that "we can't take you for
granted" and that when you're No. 2, "you just can't
afford dirty ashtrays. Or half-empty gas tanks."
Another ad in the campaign used the headline:
When you're only No. 2
you try harder.
Or else.
Instead of being ashamed of their second-place status,
Avis proudly (and humorously) proclaimed it and used it
to explain why they try so hard to provide great
service and value.
So what does this have to do with YOUR marketing
efforts?
Plenty. It shows how you can take a problem and use
it
to your advantage. As the saying goes: "If all you
have is lemons, make lemonade."
Is your software company's "lemon" the fact
that you're
tiny? No problem. Your "lemonade" is that you provide
unbeatable, personal service.
Is your company's product back-ordered so that you
can't deliver promptly? No sweat. The crush of orders
is proof of tremendous product acceptance and
popularity.
Is your software product lacking a load of hot
features? Nothing to worry about. Your software is
perfect for people who want to get up-and-running
quickly without having to wade through thick manuals.
You get the idea.
The take-away message this month? It always pays to
think outside of the box and look for new ways to turn
problems or challenges into moneymaking opportunities.
There are LOTS of them.
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How To Get In Touch
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Ivan Levison
Direct Response Copywriting
14 Los Cerros Drive
Greenbrae, CA 94904
Phone: (415) 461-0672
Fax: (415) 461-7738
E-mail: ivan@levison.com
Web Site: http://www.levison.com
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Copyright 2001, by Ivan Levison, All Rights Reserved.
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