Apparently the experiment failed.  I gather the public in general was no more thrilled with the new cartons than the blogging world.  According to Roberta Rosenberg (The Copywriting Maven), this failed experiment cost Tropicana $35 million. I appreciate her alerting us to the original change, and the reversal.

Interestingly, I think a year ago I would have been more appalled at the price tag.  Unfortunately, lately the news is full of huge numbers, and $35 million seems, well small.  Compared to the trillions the government is talking about.  Which leads me to another question:  What comes after trillion? According to my dictionary, my first guess was right: quadrillion.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t want the government to go there…

Meanwhile, back at my local grocery store…

My local stores were slow to get the new packaging, and still have the new up.  When I look at the cartons, I see a sea of white.  Somehow this sea of white seems more surreal to me than a juice aisle.  It even seems to affect the lighting in that part of the store.  Weird.  And they still remind me of canned generic vegetables.

As I noted in my previous post on this, the generic-type branding looked a lot like the new Pepsi.  Which I’m also not exactly thrilled with.

But, to each his own.

In this case, though, Pepsi also owns Tropicana.  Now the similarity makes sense.  Probably used the same agency to design both.

I wonder if Pepsi is having second thoughts, too?

And I found myself turning once again to Claude Hopkins’ advice in Scientific Advertising.  Isn’t it amazing how some advice can indeed stand up to the test of time?  Sometimes I think more of our politicians in Washington should look to history for the answers to current problems.  But
I digress …

Basically, do we follow what a “guru” claims is a sure-fire method, or our own perhaps more moderately successful campaign?

Well, in the case of one question the guru’s advice isn’t working for two marketers.  Not one, but two.  Yet, their own methods are working.  Moderately, but working.

Well, looking at it scientifically as Claude Hopkins suggested is one way to start.  I think the answer is clear from that perspective:  Do what works.  Refine or tweak it if necessary.

The hypothesis is that a certain method will work.  And it’s not working.  So the answer at least to me seems clear:  the hypothesis is wrong.

Does that mean the guru is also wrong?

No, not necessarily.  It could be the current economic climate … the method may be too highly specific for all niches … perhaps the implementation was faulty.  Or perhaps the method worked a year ago, but not now.

So, what’s the solution?  It depends.  There are too many potential variables to give an answer that applies to all.  Except perhaps to suggest that if something is working, that’s a good place to start.

There’s an old adage: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

I think Claude Hopkins would agree.

It’s hard to imagine a wildly successful company like Google having to change course.

But, let’s go back in time…

In 2000, Google had a pay-per-click (PPC) program. This was before AdWords. Their first version was like all the others then around.

And had less than stellar results. In a word? Unsuccessful.

So, did they give up? Nope. They tried something different.

Just like Thomas Edison over a century before, who is quoted as saying:

“If I find 10,000 ways something won’t work, I haven’t failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.”

One step forward. And then another led Edison to the electric light bulb. And many many more inventions.

So what did Google do? They took another step forward.

And developed AdWords, which became successful.

Google, because it kept experimenting to get something better, has become a large company. And many consider it the major Internet search engine. Not only that, but it’s a major part of the Internet.

Thomas Edison went on to develop the electric light bulb…the phonograph…the motion picture camera. He also held 1090 other patents. And his company, Edison General Electric eventually became General Electric. Unfortunately, after he’d sold his stock.

So, rather than becoming discouraged if something doesn’t work, the scientist…the inventor…the marketer tweaks, adjusts, or tries something completely different. And learns from what hasn’t worked.

All because he or she had a hypothesis, and tries to prove or disprove it.

“IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, …”

It reminds me of the recent economic crisis and various government officials’ responses.  Especially when I hear the ones most responsible are blaming … consumers.  Not acknowledging their own responsibility in the crisis.

The use of the Marketing of Fear seems to have exponentially increased recently.

And I don’t like it.

Some years ago a pharmaceutical rep tried to tell me I couldn’t use a particular antibiotic for pneumonia because it wasn’t licensed by the FDA for that purpose.  In contrast to her drug, of course.  She was wrong.  My choice was a better choice than hers under the circumstances, and completely legal.

Escorting her out of my office, I made sure my office staff knew I wouldn’t see her again.  In retrospect, I probably could have complained to her boss.  But that wasn’t my style.  Today I might react differently.  Probably more assertively.

Over the past few years, our government has jumped on the Marketing of Fear bandwagon big time.  First it was one administration; now it’s another.

During the Great Depression, President Roosevelt reminded Americans in his first inaugural in 1933,

“So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory.”

In most of our wars, the enemy tried to get us to fear.

Today?

It’s our government.

As Walt Kelly in the Pogo comic strip so brilliantly penned,

“We has met the enemy, and he is us!”

I still don’t like the marketing of fear.

For your reference:  Rudyard Kipling’s full poem IF and FDR’s First Inaugural Address.

Recently, I reread Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins.

I’m one of those copywriters who learns something new every time I read it. This time, I saw more clearly the parallels between marketing and testing a scientific hypothesis or theory.

Successful advertising and marketing is essentially the scientific method in action.

A marketer starts with a premise, such as the Widget 4500 can be sold on a website with such and such copy. So, she puts up the website and sees what happens. In scientific terms, she makes a hypothesis her site will be successful.

She has created a marketing version of an experiment to test that hypothesis.

Following the results, she can make adjustments and tweak the site. In other words, change the experiment.

With today’s Internet tools, her webmaster can even set up a split test, testing variables such as two different headlines. Or different pictures of the Widget 4500.

And if it’s not successful, that doesn’t mean failure. Rather, the results may show what doesn’t work, or more optimistically what works partially or less than optimally.

Which reminds me of a story attributed to Thomas Edison. When asked if he was discouraged about failing to develop a light bulb, he allegedly replied,

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.“

Thinking of marketing as a process, not a one-time action is part of the marketing mindset. Or in the 1980’s and 1990’s business vernacular, a paradigm shift. It’s also a more optimistic view of marketing and the marketing process.

I’m all for a positive mindset.

Consider also this quote from Thomas A. Edison:

“I never did a day’s work in my life. It was all fun.”

Amen.

On December 30, I placed an online order.  I printed out the order confirmation, and received a follow-up email (nice touch).  The email said my order would ship the next day, and I’d get a follow-up shipping confirmation.  Okay.

In the course of the holiday and other busyness, I forgot about the shipping confirmation.  When I checked 10 days later, it still hadn’t arrived.  So, I went back to the web site, registered, and logged in to access my account.  The site indicated the order had shipped — that day.

Even accounting for the holiday and weekend (4 days at most),  that leaves 6 days unaccounted for.  Of course by now, I’ve double checked the order confirmation email (yes, it said it would ship 12/31) and the order confirmation page I printed (no indication of a delay).

Since this was my first order with this company, I thought it appropriate to ask if this is customary, to have the actual shipment over a week after the order confirmation indicates the order will be shipped.  I had to ask the question twice to get an answer.

Here it is (the website name has been changed):

Dear Valued Customer, 

We did have a disclaimer on the checkout page and in the cart page that
read, orders after the cutoff time on 12/29 will not be shipped until
the week of 1-6-09 due to holiday shipping volume.  I do apologize for
any inconvenience. 

Thank you
XXXX.COM

Well, since I don’t have a hard copy of either the checkout or cart page, and it wasn’t on the order confirmation page, I can’t confirm this.  Shipping the week of Jan 6 just qualifies, since my order was shipped the last business day of that week.

Addressing me as “Valued Customer” is highly impersonal at the least.  I can’t decide if it’s also highly sarcastic.

Note to Customer Service: You don’t want current and potential future customers wondering if you’re being sarcastic or rude.  They’re likely to look elsewhere for the same goods or services, as I plan to for future orders.
The apology should come earlier.  Or at least a statement to the effect of “I hate it when that happens, but …”  Even better would be also closing with, “Thanks for bringing this to our attention.  I’m going to be sure in the future when we can’t give next day shipment, our automated responses don’t promise it.”

I had to read the email twice before I saw the apology.  Probably because I was still seeing red from the condescending manner I perceived in the first sentence.  To me, it read more like, “We DID have a disclaimer on the checkout page AND in the cart page …” Where capitals are shouting.

The email is from DOCS@XXXX.COM.  I assume DOCS is Director Of Customer Service, but that’s my educated guess.  The signature XXXX.COM only adds to the impersonal nature of this email. All caps in the return email and signature also add to the perception of shouting at me (not a good thing).

And alienation of a potential repeat customer.  I sure don’t feel like a “Valued Customer” after reading this email.

You know, where the flashing lights on the futuristic scanner … in reality are just flashing lights. And the original hand-held medical scanners were salt shakers. Ah, the power of the imagination.   Actors and actresses taking the written word and transforming everyday objects into advanced scientific gadgets not yet invented.

All the audience has to do is suspend reality and believe …

Is the power of the imagination — with some savvy marketing — transforming questionable claims into science?

Over the weekend I read where there’s a company allegedly using brain scans to advise political campaigns. Interesting.

Supposedly they use MRI scans to “scientifically” determine people’s reactions to a particular candidate. I’m not convinced the science is that accurate yet. At least not with an MRI. A different scan, well … maybe.

The areas of the brain are not physically mapped like a roadmap. If I look at a map of the Interstate, yes I can find out where the next exit is. And how far I am from it.

But the areas of the brain are not that precise.  There may be some individual varation making pinpoint accuracy impossible.

Additionally, the areas of the brain overlap, as Dr. Sally Satel notes in the February 2, 2009 issue of Forbes notes. She notes that one area of the brain rarely performs only one task.  The same area of the brain may be responsible for multiple emotional responses. Dr. Satel coined the phrase “pseudoneuroscience” to describe the practice of making claims sound scientific by using the term “neuro” in the front of their specialty.

As in neuromarketing.

Neuromarketing reminds me of a course I took once. Billed as an “easy course” (it wasn’t that easy). Because it was given in May and June some of my fellow students dubbed it “Neurogolf.”  So when I hear the term neuro obviously tacked on to the beginning of another word, my first reaction is to stifle a laugh.

Dr. Satel’s full article can be found here.

Congratulations to them. Good for them, right?

Well, maybe…

All three organizations are among the most well known organizations exerting influence in Washington. But two of these organizations are also viewed as among the four organizations having the least amount of power. The survey had an interesting finding, what they called an “equation.”

Trust is inversely related to power.

The organizations that are perceived as the most powerful are the least trusted. And those that are the least powerful are the most trusted.

So, where else is this equation true?

It certainly at times seems to be true in politics. How often do we see an underdog candidate get elected, and then after assuming power, the people’s trust in her falls? Sometimes it’s due to corruption or mistakes in wielding power, and sometimes it’s just due to using power.  Even with integrity.

I’ve seen it in the politics of businesses. Someone from the ranks assumes leadership, and suddenly his decisions are questioned. Not always because he’s made unpopular decisions, sometimes just because he’s made a decision. Any decision.

Which raises several questions, including:

• Where does your organization or business fall on the power – trust equation?
• More importantly, is its place consistent with its mission and values?
• And do your copywriting and marketing materials help or hurt your company’s position in the equation?

I know I’ll be thinking about the power – trust equation when I make decisions about my copywriting and marketing — for both clients and my own business. Perhaps you will too.

The full Harris Interactive Poll results are here.

This week I learned a new recipe for making cookies. And it got me to thinking about how a successful sales letter, in many ways is a recipe.

So, what do you do first when writing a sales letter? Assemble the ingredients? Instead of flour, sugar, shortening, etc., assemble the headline, lead, order form, etc.? No, that comes later.

Maybe you look at the recipe? That way you’ll know what you need. So, for a sales letter you could look at notes on how to write a sales letter, or even look at old successful and unsuccessful ones. Also an important component, but it’s a later stage of the process.

The first thing in cooking you have to do is decide what to make. And likely that depends upon who will eat the finished product. Cookies I make for my dog will be quite different than those for Great Aunt Tillie. At least I hope so!

And my sales letter should be just as customized.

Yes, it’s customized for the client. But even more, it’s customized for the audience. Finding your target audience is one of the earliest steps of a successful sales letter. And no, it’s not as easy as deciding to make Aunt Tillie’s favorite cookies. Unlike Aunt Tillie who told you her favorite cookies, your audience usually isn’t directly talking to you. Finding who they are often requires some detective work.

This time of year I get inundated with solicitations for money. So many are great causes. And just this week I opened one that wasn’t written to me. My professional interest kept me reading. Otherwise, there was no reason for me to read on … let alone give.

And that’s the essence of the first step of writing a sales letter:

Give your reader a reason to continue reading.

Finding that reason depends upon learning about your target audience, focusing in, and finding your elusive dream client.

Before writing a word, your writer should be developing a mental image of your dream client. Knowing her hopes and dreams, where she’s been – and where she’s going.

Only then is it time to start on the next step.

And giving your reader a reason to keep reading is an important part of the entire sales letter.

To be continued …

And so should your company’s attitude towards customers.

Years ago, I attended a practice-building seminar for physicians.  The presenter stressed that the most important person in a doctor’s office is not the doctor … or the nurse … or the office manager.  The most important person is …

The receptionist.

Why the receptionist?  Because she has the day to day contact with patients.  The first impression of a physician’s office may not be the outside of the building, or the waiting room, but the telephone contact with the receptionist.  If she’s brusque or condescending with patients, you can bet they’ll look elsewhere.

Ironic, isn’t it?  Most likely the person with the least education, experience, and salary is the given the most important job as the initial face — or voice — of the practice.

In other businesses, the customer service rep may have the same job.  Not necessarily the same salary position, but maybe.

How many times have you complained or heard someone complain about trying to get customer support, and being transferred to someone who barely speaks English?  Not a good thing.  They may be the smartest person in the world about the problem, but if they can’t communicate the answer to the customer, the company loses.  Not only in prestige, but potentially much, much more …

Consider this: if you’re outsourcing your customer service to another company or especially another country, you may also just be outsourcing your customers, and losing your own job.  If not your company.

I’m all for saving money.  But when pinching pennies ends up costing customers and jobs, it’s past time to re-examine your company’s priorities.

So, what’s in your Customer Service Department — and what’s in your company’s wallet?