…though not necessarily in that order.

The Power of Sound and Human Speech

Sound is uniquely intrusive. It gets into the brain faster than pictures or the printed word, and stays there longer. All other factors being equal, ear-oriented advertising is more potent than eye-oriented advertising.

Few of us write letters today. Instead we send texts and emails, or post comments on social media. But when the message really matters, what do we do?

We pick up the phone and call the person.

Why? Because human speech is our primary form of communication. Speech combines words and emotions with an authenticity that cannot be achieved by any other means.

Let me illustrate. Listen to this :60-second commercial:

Could Meredith’s story could be told as effectively using the printed word?  I don’t believe so. When we speak to each other, it’s not just the words but our emotions, enthusiasm, and the honesty attached to them that convey so much more.

Unscripted testimonials, such as this one, are one of my favorite ways to tell an advertiser’s story. There’s no better spokesman for your business than an enthusiastic customer.

This would be an appropriate place to point out that effective advertising isn’t so much about you as it is about your customer.  If what you’re saying doesn’t matter to her, it doesn’t matter period!

Your business is unique.

So why should your advertising sound like everyone else’s?

Think about what distinguishes you from others in your category. What makes you special?  Why should people care? What do your customers say about you? What do your employees say about you?  These are questions we ask early on, to help someone who doesn’t already do business with you to make a meaningful distinction between you and your competition. As one of my mentors likes to say, our goal in creating advertising for you is for you to become the first business in your category that comes to mind, and the one customers feel the best about when the need arises.

We accomplish this through engaging, effective story-telling.

First we uncover your story.  We uncover the attributes, values, beliefs, and practices that define your business personality. We want your story to resonate and impress the hearer deeply at an emotional level. We want that prospect to like you before even setting foot in your shop!

If you think your business would benefit from this more thoughtful and deliberate approach to advertising, we really should talk soon. Call me and let’s continue the conversation.