Don’t worry, this is not a recommendation to wear a lampshade at your next social event.  This post is about effective advertising.  But since the social metaphor is on the table, let’s follow it for a minute to illustrate how you can save a lot in wasted marketing dollars and, instead, turn those dollars into a powerful investment.

Have you ever gone to a party or networking event and found yourself locked in a one-way conversation with someone that spent 20-30 minutes going on and on about themselves?  It’s a pretty miserable experience, particularly if politeness, politics, or family relation prevented you from bolting.  It  certainly didn’t leave you wanting to learn more about or interact more with that person.  We’ll use this as our definition of ‘boring.’

Now, if you hold your marketing up to the same standard, would this fit our definition of boring?  It’s a fair question because 70-80% of the advertising you notice on local TV, print, online, or radio (and ALL that you don’t notice) fit this description.   These ads are boring because they focus mainly on the advertiser, and not the end-user.  Just more blah, blah, blah about things consumers don’t care about.  No one except the lonely people watching informercials want to hear about what a business is selling.  For the most part, these boring messages are a waste of marketing dollars.  If you want to communicate with a consumer, make your communication about that consumer.  Her problem.  Her felt need. Read more »