Dear {FirstName},

We hope you've been enjoying your Monday Morning Motivator. If you've received this issue for the first time - welcome aboard! It only takes a couple of minutes to start your week off right with the MMM! Be encouraged by the success or great ideas of others in your business community.

Are You For Real?

This week we share a message from brand specialist and author, Martin Lindstrom. Martin's message resonates with us because we have been preaching that Truth is The New Buzz Word in Advertising for years. Today's hyper researched consumer has their BS detector on overdrive. Try to fool them at your own peril. 

Some years a go a British real-estate chain decided to go the totally reverse way when selling houses and apartments. We all know the usual real-estate jargon using words like breathtaking, stunning and exquisite in every sentence when describing even the most miserable apartment using sentences like: “This stunning apartment, presenting an exclusive panorama view of a breathtaking backyard in the central city is a must see…”

The interesting fact is that we all know the description hardly reflected the reality but only some of real estates fascinating writing talent.

Well this real-estate agency went the totally opposite way by describing the reality as it was … yes you read it right – as it is!

Gone were the clichés replaced with realistic snapshots of the real apartments of houses of the streets of London. “This bump of a house needs more than love to turn it into something anyone can live in. The hall is less attractive than the worst you can possibly imagine in Bangladesh – the walls are flooded with water and the floors are hardly visible due to the dirt spread across the whole house.”

Yes this was in fact the way the ads looked like. Would you dare this strategy?

The real-estate chain did – and the success was enormous – suddenly people actually began reading the ads, they were infact so motivated by this new writing style that people were looking forward to reading the ads, sometimes as good entertainment but in most cases as they were real and honest. Words which few real estate agents have learned about (if you happen to be a real-estate agent – sorry for offending you).

But the most interesting fact from this campaigning was that the sales increased, the real estate agents in fact loved it, as they didn’t have to lie and pretend something, which wasn’t there. The customers loved it as they were not wasting their time and the clients loved it, as the people visiting the properties were real customers – not customers lured to visit the property because of some fancy copywriters talent.

I receive about 500 spam emails a day in my public email address inbox – most of the headlines are lies – trying to attract my attention – and every time I or my assistants are lied to – to secure our attention – it downgrades our perception of the sender. No need to say that more and more emails are lying to attract attention - most likely 80 percent do!

But no brand has failed so far by being honest – I’m not asking you to down sell your proposition – but to be terrifyingly honest – tell it like it is – and add to it a twist of humour when relevant and required.

Do you know what – it builds trust. It actually makes people believe you if not everything you tell people is picture perfect – but realistic. Tell it like it is. Tell the consumer if the battery time in your cell phone is 2 hours – and don’t say 3. If the delivery time is 14 days don’t say 10 days. If you come back with more information within 24 hours – do it – or else tell the customer the realistic truth.

I’d rather downgrade the consumers expectation – and have them positively surprised than disappointed – and make them enemy of my brand for life. The Internet has become a media for lies – just like the real-estate industry and the used-cars salesmen. If you intend to differentiate your brand from the rest of the online content – stick to the honest truth, you will never regret it.

Have a great week unless you choose otherwise.

Drago

PS - We recently finished a new web video for Capital Direct which we also edited into new TV creative. The purpose of the video was to greet new visitors and explain to them the purpose and function of the Capital Direct website. You can see the video at AdamAdGroup.com in our video section or at Capital Direct.

PPS - From time to time we share some special media opportunities and recently we received a couple worthy of bringing to your attention.

- There is a new radio station in town 100.5 FM The Peak, there is a tremendous opportunity to get in on the ground floor with The Peak with rates at $50 for a 30 sec spot and for the launch period you will get 2 for 1.

- 650 CISL and 95.3 Crave FM have their one day sale coming up this Wednesday with deeply discounted rates.

- KVOS TV has their Christmas Greeting package available where you will get 100 15 sec spots for $2500.

To find out more about any of these opportunities give us a call at 604 937-8886 

PPS #2 - If you have missed a MMM you can catch up in our MMM Archive Section. 

Success Profile

This week we profile Ranka Burzan and her company Solutions Organizing.

Ranka started her company buy seeing a need by those that don't have the time to maintain their homes and offices. Working with children in the classrooms and other settings gave Ranka an opportunity to organize classrooms, multicultural events, daycares and other institutions.

If getting organized is a challenge for you then Ranka's team at Solutions Organizing & Staging can help. They will demonstrate many simple ways to conquer your clutter, provide you with tools and tips, and most importantly assist you in developing a system to help you get and stay organized.

Ranka's team is energetic, highly motivational, non-judgemental, compassionate and known to get results. To find out more about the company and their services go to www.Solutionsorganizing.com .

The Adam Advertising Group is proud to play a small role in the on-going success of many of the companies featured in the MMM.

Can The Adam Advertising Group help your business, or do you have a success story we should hear about? Contact Drago Adam at drago@AdamAdGroup.com or call 1 866 923 - 6477

PS : We wanted to say Thank You for sharing your Monday Mornings with us, and also for the positive feedback we receive weekly. The MMM started three years ago with 35 subscribers, today's issue is going out to over
14,658 Weekly Subscribers.