Scott Lippitt – Marketing Tip of the Week #1

In this week’s marketing tip, Scott Lippitt focuses on the importance of focus or single-mindedness.  Scott Lippitt spent over 23 years working at major national advertising agencies on such brands as Hershey’s, Hallmark, Hardee’s, Progressive Insurance, Arby’s, Bush Bros., Dunkin’ Donuts, Dove for Men, as well as such beer as: Stroh’s, Lone Star, Old Style, Old Milwaukee, Henry Weinhard’s, Ranier and more.  Scott Lippitt therefore has a wealth of experience to share with those doing marketing in today’s highly competitive marketplace.

He strongly suggests limiting your message to the one, single idea or benefit.  Too often, small business owners think more is better.  They attempt to include everything he/she thinks might motivate the prospect to purchase their product or service.  They fill out the brochure or social media post with an obscene amount of details.  Nice to know information, but information that is not all that relevant to the purchase decision.  More is not better.  More is overwhelming for today’s over-communicated-with consumer.  And when consumers are overwhelmed, they tend to postpone making a purchase decision.  Therefore, it is up to you, the marketer, to limit your communications to the one feature (and related benefit) that can convince your prospect to purchase from you.

Scott Lippitt advises asking your current customers what was the most important factor that affected their decision to use you or purchase your product.  Don’t let them drone on and tell you the top 10 things that influenced their decision.  Forced them into disclosing THE most important feature/benefit have influenced their decision.  This will enable you to determine your most important and effective message.

Once you have determined you single-minded benefit you are going to hang your brand’s hat on, you must resist the urge to clutter this message up with other secondary features and benefits.  In marketing, less is more. Instead, become fanatically focused on what makes you different and better, and you, your brand and your company will begin to make significant headway into the mind of your prospects.

If you would like to discuss this with Scott Lippitt further, email him at scott@marketingresultants.com