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.

The 12 Stages Of Intimacy

This week we share a message from one of the brightest minds in marketing, Roy Williams. In today's MMM we'll teach you the "The New Language of Effective Ads."

Most women can tell at least one funny story about a tragic first date. In most of these stories, a misguided man spends the entire evening saying,

“Here's an example of how wonderful I am...”
“Let me tell you what I can do...”
“...and that's what makes me special.”

Although we’re rarely drawn to people who begin all their sentences with “I,” “Me,” and “My,” this first-person perspective remains central to mainstream advertising.

And it’s why most people detest mainstream advertising.

“At [name of company,] we…”
“Voted the number one…”
“Why settle for second best?”

This outdated language of self-promotion is known as “AdSpeak.”

The new language of marketing is the language of Intimacy. Connectedness. Shared values. The sound of one friend talking to another. Intimate ads are believable because they confirm what the customer already knows. The fact that the advertiser knows it as well – and is willing to admit it – is what surprises and impresses the customer.

How to Avoid “AdSpeak” in Your Ads.

1. Limit self-reference. Reduce the number of times you refer to your company or your product in your ads. (New York Times bestselling authors Jeffrey and Bryan Eisenberg offer a free, online analysis of ad copy at FutureNowInc.com. Their “We-We Calculator” scores ad copy instantly. Just copy and paste your ad into the text-block and the software does the rest.

2. Don’t say it. Lead the customer to say it. Instead of saying, “We’re honest,” say something that only an honest person would say. Let the customer respond, “Wow. That’s honest.”

3. Admit the downside. It makes the upside easier to believe. Imagine the impact of a jeweler saying, “A diamond is just a symbol. The important thing is not to forget what it symbolizes.”

A behavioral scientist named Desmond Morris wondered why some couples stayed together for a lifetime while other couples divorced. What he found was that couples who stayed together had usually followed similar progressions of intimacy, allowing sufficient time before advancing to the next stage. His theory was that this allowed the couple to more deeply bond during the courtship phase of the relationship. Couples who rushed through these "stages of intimacy" usually didn't form as strong a bond and were far more likely to divorce.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS:
Customer courtship should begin long before your customer is in the market for what you sell. The customer won “quick and easy” will be lost just as quickly and easily.

Let’s look at the 12 Stages of Intimacy
as they relate to business:

1. Eye to Body - general awareness.
In Business: Name Recognition.

2. Eye to Eye - each person knows the other has seen them.
In Business: Targeted advertising is purchased to reach the customer.

3. Voice to Voice - conversation. Can be one sided, or a dialogue.
In Business: Your ads are read or heard by the customer.

4. Hand to Hand - holding hands. Acknowledgement of possible relationship.
In Business: the customer considers visiting your place of business.

5. Arm to Shoulder - closer contact than holding hands.
In Business: contact is made in person or by phone.

6. Arm to Waist - indicates a growing familiarity and comfort level in the relationship.
In Business: second contact, a repeat visit

7. Mouth to Mouth - Kissing.
In Business: a purchase is made

8. Hand to Head - Touching a person’s head is highly intimate, a sign of deepening trust.
In Business: contact through social media – MySpace, Facebook, Youtube, Blogs

9. Hand to Body - This is the stage where intimate touch begins.
In Business: a repeat purchase. This person is becoming a real customer.

10. Mouth to Bosom - Intimate touch continues, obviously.
In Business: the customer begins to tell their friends about you. Referrals.

11. Hand to Erogenous Zones
In Business: the customer repeatedly sends business to you.

12. Consumation
In Business: the customer becomes an insider, a trusted ally.

The progression of courtship through these stages must be voluntary by both parties. Push too far, too fast, and you’re guilty of assault.

A single stage may occasionally be skipped, but not more than one.  You may go directly from stage 4 to 6, but not directly from 4 to 7. You might move from stage 7 directly to 9, but not from stage 7 to 10.

If more than a single step is skipped, the recipient of your affection will feel rushed, hustled and pushed.

Knock, knock. A salesman stands on the doorstep of your home, uninvited. He has skipped 4 stages and gone directly to stage 5. How rude!

You’ve made your first purchase from a store (stage 7.) Now they’re leaping past 3 stages to offer you a reward for sending in your friends (stages 10-11.) How forward!

The natural progression of human intimacy is well documented and easily observed. It is hardwired into our cultural DNA. Remember, the strongest relationships are those that allow sufficient time for each stage. The customer who moves quickly from first contact to first purchase is not likely to become a loyal customer.

Old school advertising was “assault, subdue and conquer” through AdSpeak. “We are the best. We won’t be undersold. We have been voted the number one…” It was the language of a competitor, a warrior.

The new language of advertising requires a wooer, not a warrior. Intimacy is patient and considerate, never pressing more on the customer than the customer desires. It's the language of seduction.

In your ads, will you remain a fighter? Or will you become a lover?

Have a great week unless you choose otherwise.

Drago

PS - We have created a series of new ads for one of the largest Dodge dealerships in Canada, Sherwood Park Dodge. The ads were done in a manner to reflect the dealerships simple approach of doing business. You can view them at AdamAdGroup.com our favorite is the Ad Guru spot, go figure.

PPS - When the developers of Auguston, a unique residential building project in the Sumas Mountains approached us, they were clear that while they wanted the "features" of the project to be presented, they did not want the same old pretty picture type advertising that is common in the industry. Understanding that consumers need to find a way to place themselves in the environment, we proposed a blend of the traditional style of brochure type video, with POV, or point of view cinematography.

Auguston was filmed with RedCam, the best "cost effective" Ultra High Definition technology currently available today. Click here and enjoy! 

PPPS - Do you want to take your performance and business to a new level? Attend our complimentary The Star Within Workshop on Jan 28th, see below for details.

We also wanted to say Thank You for allowing us to meet with you every Monday Morning. The MMM has experienced incredible growth with a subscriber base of 16,466  people. We are truly grateful and humbled by the positive comments we receive weekly. If you enjoy the MMM please pass it along and let others know about it. To see our newsletter archives Click Here

A Special Invitation

Discover your Star Whithin.

Kevin MacDonald, Shelley MacDougall & The Adam Advertising Group would like to offer you a gift to start 2009 off "extraordinarily".
 
They will be presenting their three-hour "The Star Within You!" program on Wed, January 28th at Mayfair Lakes Golf and Country Club in Richmond, BC.
 
You may attend from 1 to 4 pm or from 7 to 10 pm. This is our complimentary offering to you and your staff! To register please email Laura Morrison at claritysuccess@shaw.ca

In this workshop we examine the essential elements of being a star:

S - See what is needed
T - Tenacious with standards
A - Accountable for their attitude
R - Relentless about reaching results

 
Participants will engage in an interactive session designed to increase personal awareness, enhance accountability, and create a step-by-step action plan. Through real-life examples, small group exercises, and personal exploration, those who attend will leave inspired with the tools to reflect on who they are, where they are going, and how to lead others more effectively.

Participants take with them a comprehensive "star" workbook to better enable them to transfer their workshop experience into reality.
 

If you would like to attend this complimentary workshop, please email Laura Morrison at claritysuccess@shaw.ca with your name, preferred time slot, company name,  phone number and how many guests you would like to bring. If you know of someone you think would be interested please pass on the invitation.

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 604 937 -8886 or 1 866 923 - 6477

PS : We wanted to say Thank You for sharing your Monday Mornings with us. The MMM started three years ago with 35 subscribers, today's issue is going out to over
16,466 Weekly Subscribers.

Click Here for our newsletter archive.