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ARTICLE:

When Marketing Becomes a Dangerous Game of Russian Roulette

This article addresses the literal DANGERS of not paying enough attention to your marketing message, and the effect that this can have on your prospects. It uses a very controversial issue to help make that point, so if you're easily offended this article isn't for you.

But for the rest of us, we're all adults, right?

Perfect.

Here we go...


The Shocker

As I was riding home one bright, clear day in November, I saw something pretty astounding around the corner from my house. There were 75 to 100 people lined up along the side of one street across from a new church with signs that read:

"Abortion Kills Babies"

Ouch.

Okay, they got my attention, but ... what next?


The Goal

I believe that the signs were used as "shock tactics" to quickly get the attention of passersby, and that the "protesters" were obviously looking to convert people with opposing views on the topic of abortion.

This may have been the goal, but it was probably NOT the result. And it made me darned uncomfortable.

URGENT NOTE: You have to be able to do something productive after you've *gotten* the attention of your prospects, or the campaign is a waste of your time, money, and energy.

Simply "getting attention" IS NOT enough!

Going about any campaign this way -- shocking/appalling people for no apparent reason -- provokes an *undesirable* reaction in your prospects.

As for the anti-abortionists, their audience base can be broken down into two types of people:


1. Women who'd already chosen, or had seriously considered, abortion.

The problem here is that the protesters likely evoked feelings of guilt, self-hatred, and disappointment in these women. Not a good combination of feelings to get someone to first accept then take the action *YOU desire* as a result OF your message.


2. Women who were "on the line" -- not really sure whether or not abortion was a good choice for them, or for others.

The problem here is that the protesters likely evoked feelings of disgust, annoyance, and even confusion in these women. (Confusion of how they were expected to respond, not of what the message meant.)

You may be thinking that the "what next?" is obvious.  The protesters wanted people to reject abortion and become "pro life." Okay -- I understand that. But why leave ANY doubt in people's minds as to what you want them to do with your message?

And how we should *go about* doing it?

Did the protesters want people to...

"Tell a friend!"
"Call 1-800-ADOPTION for help and support, today!"
"Be a mother to that baby!"

I expect it was probably all of the above, but *tell us that* -- don't leave us with a bad taste in our mouths, turned off at the severity of your message.


The Problem, Exacerbated

Obviously, these protesters were only concerned with one thing: having their prospects NOT choose abortion.

This is okay ... until you look at what we're left with.

It probably made some of their prospects (the women) say,

"Okay fine. I KNOW I'm making a wrong decision. But what do I do about it? I mean, what can I REALLY *DO*? I can't afford to have this baby!" (And of course we're not only talking about "afford" in the monetary sense.)

For many women contemplating abortion, their choices are only to have (and keep) the baby or abort the pregnancy. There is no in between. It doesn't even dawn on some of them that adoption may be one very realistic option.

The main problem with these protesters' campaign is that the brutality of their message very likely propelled several women into a state of extreme anger or grief.

You *DO NOT* leave your prospects in this volatile a state without giving them a direction to go!

And this is an extreme example, but in this scenario, the consequence of such a grievous oversight can be literally dangerous.


One Woman's Alternative

One of the dozens of protesters *mixed in* on the line with the others had a sign that read:

"Adoption -- the Loving Option"

Okay?

It rhymed. It was cute.

But it made no impact.

My initial response (obviously after analyzing the campaign with a marketer's eye) was...

"Umm ... yeah, whatever. What now?"

...and my feeling of discomfort remained.

But this was definitely not a strong enough reaction to their campaign for me to make such an important decision as whether to support or reject abortion. Because regardless of whether or not I *agreed* with the statement made in the above sign, again...

What was I supposed to DO with that information?

HOW was I supposed to respond -- RIGHT THEN?

You'll understand what I mean in a minute.


The Cure

The "marketing campaign" of this particular group of activists was fatally flawed.

THERE WAS NO CALL TO ACTION.

Again, bringing up the question I asked in the beginning of this article:

"What next??"

For this particular "campaign", the choice seems obvious: choose life. But what about for campaigns that have more than one alternate option?

For instance, apply the above marketing mishap to a campaign directed at online marketers. It's then tantamount to having "signs" (advertisements) that read...

"Banner Advertising Bites the Big One!"

"Free-For-All Link Pages NO LONGER Work!"

"Spamming is BAD. Don't Do It!"

That may be your opinion, but your prospects don't care about YOUR opinion. You haven't given them a reason TO care, nor have you explained why they should choose your option (opinion) over every other point of view that's out there.

And not only that, but most importantly...

You haven't *first* explained what your option IS.

Do you see the problem here?

There's no e-mail address to write. No website address to visit. No statement telling the prospect what they need to do, and when they need to do it.

There's nothing but a statement of opinion, and no successful marketing campaign can be based around simply that.

Moving back to the protesters, they could've cleaned up their campaign by simply reworking their message, to:

"Abortion Kills Babies: Don't Let YOURS Become a Statistic. Call 1-800-HelpNOW for Help, Support, and UNDERSTANDING -- Today."

Can you see how that's better?


First, you still have the attention-getter / shocker...

"Abortion Kills Babies"


You then have the command...

"Don't Let YOURS Become a Statistic."


Then you have a call to action that appeals to the *positive* emotions of the prospect...

"Call 1-800-LetUsHelp for Help, Support, and UNDERSTANDING Today."


The first emotion evoked with this campaign is obviously shock at the "headline". The second emotion evoked is sadness/desolation after the initial jolt. But these negative emotions are soothed and counteracted by the plea to "call for UNDERSTANDING."

Women who contemplate abortion may feel sad, alone, angry at themselves, angry at the circumstances, and MISUNDERSTOOD. A lot of them want nothing more than to be HEARD, for their point of view to be understood, and to be treated like human beings who have the right to decide what's best for their lives.

With just a simple change in this "marketing campaign", it could have appealed to all of those emotions.

Of course, the protestors wouldn't have been able to fit the entire new message on a single person's sign. But perhaps spread out over the signs of a long line of people, similar to the ones held up by fans at a football game, so as the driver reached the end of the block, the message would've been spelled out for them?

This, of course, is just one option.


The Message BEHIND the Message

This wasn't an article about abortion. The subject matter was simply the vehicle for the message.

This was a message about the *literal dangers* of haphazard marketing.

If you're not careful and DELIBERATE with the messages you send in your marketing, you could be having the opposite effect, and even driving your prospects AWAY in shock or disgust.

Put any emotions YOU have about the controversiality of the "vehicle" aside, and let your marketer's mindset take over.

Think about it.

Analyze your marketing.

Then go fix what needs fixing.

Article © 2004 by ... well, Harmony Major, of course. You'll be able to join the upcoming Marketing Twists blog SOON. But for now, just please continue reading the free e-business and marketing articles, and for heaven's sake -- enjoy. ;)