By Leading Motion – Strategic Marketing & Growth Consultancy
Recently, an unsolicited sales email landed in my inbox offering an advertising opportunity at a local leisure venue.
The package included a large, full-colour outdoor banner, delivery and installation, sector exclusivity and two years of advertising for a fixed price. An optional artwork service was also available.
On the face of it, there was nothing wrong with the offer. In fact, it may have represented very good value for the right business.
But the email immediately jumped out at me as an example of how not to communicate a marketing opportunity.
Why?
Because it sold me the sausage but it didn’t sell me the sizzle.
It told me what I would receive, how large it would be and how much it would cost. What it didn’t tell me was why any of those things should matter to my business.
That distinction is enormously important. Whether you are selling advertising, professional services, a new website or a physical product, your prospective customer is rarely excited by the feature itself. They are interested in what that feature could help them achieve.
What's the difference between the sausage and the sizzle?
The sausage is the product, service or feature:
A 100cm x 100cm outdoor banner
Free installation
Sector exclusivity
Two years of advertising
Optional artwork design
The sizzle is the value those features could create for the customer:
Greater visibility among a relevant local audience
Repeated opportunities for people to notice and remember the business
No competing company from the same sector advertising alongside it
A long-term presence for the equivalent of a relatively modest monthly investment
A simple, hassle-free campaign with the design and installation taken care of
Features answer the question, “What do I get?”
Benefits answer the much more important question, “Why should I care?”
The original email expected the recipient to make that translation for themselves. That is a risky assumption, particularly when the email is unsolicited and has only a few seconds to earn someone’s attention.
Where the original email lost the opportunity
The opening line explained that a limited number of spaces were available. That introduced some urgency, but it didn’t establish why the recipient might want one.
It then listed the contents of the package: the banner dimensions, delivery, installation and exclusivity. These are all useful facts, but they were presented without context.
For example, sector exclusivity is potentially one of the strongest parts of the offer. It could mean that the advertiser is the only accountant, estate agent, solicitor, web designer or trades business from its category being promoted at the venue.
That is far more interesting than simply reading the words “sector exclusivity”. Yet the benefit was left unexplained.
The same was true of the price. A cost of £400 plus VAT may initially feel like another business expense. Presented as approximately £16.67 per month plus VAT over two years, it becomes easier to evaluate as a long-term marketing investment.
The email also mentioned free delivery and installation without communicating the real advantage: the advertiser doesn’t need to manage production, delivery or fitting. The practical details are handled for them.
None of the original information was wrong. It simply made the reader work too hard to understand the value.
Your audience should not have to complete your marketing message
Business owners are busy. Their inboxes are crowded, and they are constantly being asked to buy, book, download, subscribe or arrange a meeting.
If your message leads with specifications and leaves the reader to work out the benefits, there is a good chance they will move on before making the connection.
Strong marketing begins with an understanding of the audience:
What are they trying to achieve?
What problems or frustrations are they experiencing?
What might prevent them from responding?
What evidence would make the opportunity feel credible?
What would make taking the next step feel easy?
In this example, a local business is unlikely to be dreaming about owning a one-metre-square waterproof banner. It may, however, want to become better known locally, reach potential customers, build familiarity and generate more enquiries.
That is where the message should begin.
How the email could have been written
Here is an anonymised version of the same email, rewritten to focus on the value to the recipient.
Subject: Would you like to put your business in front of a local audience?
Hello,
Would you like to increase awareness of your business among members and visitors at a popular local leisure venue?
We currently have a small number of outdoor advertising spaces available, giving selected local businesses the opportunity to build their visibility in a relaxed and trusted community setting.
Your business would be promoted on a large, full-colour outdoor banner, helping your name, message and branding stand out to people using the venue.
We’ll arrange the production, delivery and installation for you, so you can benefit from the advertising without having to organise any of the practical details.
You’ll also receive sector exclusivity. This means we won’t place another business offering the same services alongside you, helping your company stand out without direct competitor advertising at the venue.
The advertising space costs £400 plus VAT for two years nequivalent to approximately £16.67 per month plus VAT. Payment options are also available to help make the investment more manageable.
Don’t already have suitable artwork? That’s no problem. We can create a professional banner design for an additional fee, giving you a complete campaign that’s ready to display.
Spaces are limited, and availability will depend on whether another business from your sector has already reserved a position.
Would you like me to send you details of the available locations and explain how the advertising could work for your business?
Simply reply “Yes, please”, and I’ll send the information over without obligation.
Kind regards,
[Name]
[Job title]
[Company]
[Contact details]
Why is the second email more engaging?
The rewritten version contains essentially the same offer, but it presents the information from the customer’s point of view.
It opens with a possible business outcome: increasing awareness among a local audience. It then connects every feature to a practical benefit.
The banner becomes a way to help the business stand out. Installation becomes a hassle-free service. Exclusivity becomes protection from competing advertisers. The two-year price becomes an understandable monthly equivalent. The artwork option removes another potential obstacle.
The call to action is also easier. Instead of a vague invitation to “get in touch”, the reader is asked to reply with two simple words to receive more information without obligation.
This reduces the amount of thought and commitment required to take the next step.
Credibility would make it even stronger
There is still an important ingredient missing: evidence.
Before paying for advertising, a prospective customer is likely to want to know more about the audience and the location. Useful, verified information could include:
The number of members and visitors
Typical monthly or annual footfall
The audience profile
Where the banner will be positioned
How frequently it is likely to be seen
Photographs of the available locations
Examples or results from existing advertisers
These details shouldn’t be invented or exaggerated. However, if credible information is available, it can make the opportunity much easier to understand and evaluate.
Selling the sizzle does not mean using hype. It means connecting genuine features to relevant customer benefits and supporting them with evidence wherever possible.
Does your marketing explain why people should choose you?
Take a look at your own website, emails, leaflets and social media posts.
Are you describing what you sell, or are you explaining why it matters?
You might provide “monthly reporting”, but does your customer understand that this gives them greater visibility and confidence?
You might offer “local support”, but have you explained that this means speaking to someone who understands their area, market and business?
You might have “20 years of experience”, but have you connected that experience to better advice, fewer mistakes or a more dependable service?
The features still matter. People need to understand exactly what they are buying. But features become far more persuasive when they are connected to the problems, priorities and ambitions of the audience.
So, the next time you write a sales email or marketing message, ask yourself one simple question:
Am I selling the sausage, or the sizzle?
Need help understanding your audience??
If you need help understanding your audience, what matters to them and why they would engage with your business, give me a call.
I’m always happy to jump on a friendly Zoom call to review your marketing message, explore what may be missing and help you communicate the value of what you do more effectively.
Contact Leading Motion to arrange a marketing conversation.
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