Build more specifics into copy for better results

There's a television commercial running currently, that advertises a chain of "home cooking". restaurants.  As part of the spot, the owner is asked what her restaurants are known for.  Here's the opportunity for the owner to deliver SPECIFICS in answer to the key question -- "why should we buy from you (or eat at your restaurant?"   Because amid the clutter and viewers general disinterest in most commercials, it's the SPECIFICS that will draw the viewer in -- and be memorable.  But the owner wastes her precious limited TV time by mentioning "our excellent customer service."   How much stronger would her commercial have been if she'd given us the SPECIFICS of her menu?

No matter what medium in which you're advertising, you always have precious little time to get the reader's or viewer's attention -- and make a memorable impression.  The fastest and most effective way to make a memorable impression is by using SPECIFICS.   But meaningless generalities, unfortunately, are what too many web sites, email messages, mailers, magazine and newspaper ads, and television ads use.

A chain of home cooking restaurants is missing an opportunity for a much more effective TV spot -- by removing the general and replacing it with more SPECIFICS.   The owner of the restaurant chain is asked what her restaurants are known for.  She replies,

 "Everything is homemade . . ."   This is a wonderful statement, in keeping with their "home cooking" positioning, and delivers a nice specific about what makes the restaurants different.

" . . . our excellent customer service . . ."   uh oh.   It's too general and not memorable at all.  And the phrase "excellent customer service" isn't usually used with restaurants.  What does it mean exactly -- do they have a liberal return policy on that meat loaf?

" . . . we bake our turkey on premises every hour!"   Finally, some specifics about their real selling point -- their food.  What does everyone want to know about a restaurant -- how about SPECIFICS about what's on their menu?   So instead of wasting their air time with a useless generality like "excellent customer service", the owner might have said:

"Everything is homemade -- from our chicken dinners to our prime rib to our turkey baked on premises every hour."   Now that's home cooking, it's memorable, and it should help accomplish their objectives for doing TV in the first place -- building awareness and their brand image. 

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