Fresh out of ideas

The blank sheet of crisp, white paper curled around the carriage of a manual typewriter from yesteryear may have evolved into the vacant computer screen with the cursor winking mockingly over and over, but the feeling of helplessness remains the same when the ideas just won’t come.

Sometimes, it’s trying to turn a phrase just so to make the most of an opportunity to tout a new product or service that should lead the marketplace. Other times, it’s finessing the words to make certain that a news release says just what you need it to say to create the perfect position. And, oftentimes, it’s trying to find a new way to catch the eye of the marketplace for a product or service that has long since lost its pizzazz.

Those who have the task to market what most people consider commodities face that final challenge each and every day. After all, there’s only so many ways to spin a familiar story powerfully enough to get those in the target audience to say, “You know...that IS different!”

But, even so, you have to use a little common sense.

Case in point: Chase Financial. In markets where this major financial player has a presence, they have an outdoor campaign running currently whose message is “Gt $ Fstr.” The sales line below says, “Our ATMs are now twice as fast!”

Consider, for a moment, your own experience with ATMs. Exactly how much time are we talking about saving here? 30 seconds? Perhaps 60 seconds? Oh my...how shall we spend this extra free time generously gifted us by the technological wizards over at Chase...?

Seriously, we may be in an inpatient age, but is this the best point of differentiation they’ve got?

One can only imagine how this decision came to be. One person, in one focus group, related one story about an ATM experience that made him or her late for something, and the people behind the mirror said, “A ha!” And a campaign was born.

If you’re faced with marketing a product or service where new stories or marketing messages seem hard to come by, here are some thoughts to help you avoid making the same mistake:

• Consider the target market for your offer. Exactly who is Chase speaking to when it touts its double-quick ATMs? Probably not too many high net worth individuals in that group. Think about what type of business you’ll be growing if the idea you’re considering touting takes off. Is it the right kind of business?
• Consider the level of differentiation. Is this really a meaningful difference that can sustain you over an extended time period, or something that a competitor – if it wanted to – could easily copy?
• Take a breath. “A ha” moments that have some validity will survive a little extra think time. Don’t hesitate to ask a disinterested party what he or she thinks. If you hear laughter, you have your answer.

The message? Don’t jump at the first thing that sounds like a new idea, just because it’s something you never thought of. There may be a good reason it never dawned on you until just now.