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Scott McKelvey / August 13, 2012

How NOT to Offer Free Advice in Your Marketing

As I was driving to work this morning, I heard a PNC commercial on a major New York City radio station. The commercial started something like this. Keep in mind that I’ve paraphrased some details that the vast majority of listeners like me would never remember because those details are irrelevant.

Hi, I’m John C. Executive, Vice President of Something for PNC Bank, with a tip for small businesses…

Offering free advice, as long as that advice is useful and relevant, is an effective way to market your business, show people you care, and establish your expertise. But when you start any marketing piece like this PNC ad did, what you’re really saying is:

I’m dressing up this commercial as a public service announcement, but I’m really trying to sell you something, and I’m more interested in plugging myself and my company than helping you.

If you’re really concerned about helping someone, or you want to at least create that perception – whether it’s an ad, social media post, email blast, landing page or video – lead with the tip.

That tip is what’s most relevant and useful to your target audience. That tip will get them to keep listening, reading or watching.

Put yourself in the shoes of your target audience. Are you more likely to pay attention to a message that leads with a helpful tip, or a scripted introduction that amounts to a self-serving plug from someone with zero name recognition?

Quite frankly, nobody cares about who you are or what your title is.

People will be much more likely to care after you’ve shown how your company can solve a problem or fill a need to make their lives better. That’s how you create a connection without being “salesy.” And that’s the point of offering free advice in the first place, right?

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Filed Under: Content Writing, Observations & Commentary Tagged With: content writing, marketing message, relevance

Scott McKelvey

Content writer. Marketing consultant. Storyteller. Communicator. Interviewer. Listener. Information sponge. Simplifier of the complex. Husband. Dad to two girls. Homework checker. Soccer coach. Not necessarily in that order.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michael Ventriello says

    August 14, 2012 at 6:36 pm

    As a former radio guy and alternative music fan I find the program grant announcements on the Brookdale public radio station more disturbing. The amount of promotional information provided rivals that of a commercial spot.

    Reply
    • Scott_McKelvey says

      August 14, 2012 at 7:08 pm

      Michael, I have to admit that I’m not familiar with those announcements. As you know, “follow the leader” is a popular approach in radio, and it sounds like someone could be following the wrong leader. Thanks – Scott

      Reply
  2. Eugene Teslya says

    August 14, 2012 at 6:10 pm

    This is so true. This “little” things can tip the
    scale toward image destructive side. And unfortunately the line is so thing
    that slipping into self-promoting mode can be very easy.

    Thank you Scott for such a vivid reminder!

    Reply
    • Scott_McKelvey says

      August 14, 2012 at 6:19 pm

      Well said, Eugene. What could be worse than doing something that’s unintentionally self-destructive? This ad was well-intentioned but poorly executed.

      Thanks!
      Scott

      Reply
    • Scott_McKelvey says

      August 14, 2012 at 6:21 pm

      Well said, Eugene. What’s worse than creating a message that’s unintentionally self-destructive? Well-intentioned ad with a smart strategy yet poor execution.

      Reply

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