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Craig Huey’s Marketing Tip of the Month

What’s your main theme?

When I think about the common denominators of all the winning promotions I’ve created, one thing comes to mind: Virtually all of them had a specific main theme that was powerful, precise and productive.

The main theme is the “positioning” statement of the entire promotion. The focus. The direction. The “story.”

This is essential for direct mail, a marketing website, ad, TV, radio
or any other media.

Often, when I critique people’s advertising material, I notice that there is no main theme. The copy wanders all over the place, leaving prospects unsure about what is being marketed and why it’s in their best interest to buy or to respond.

On the other hand, if you can choose the right main theme, and play it up over and over, you will have a much more compelling piece. What’s more, everything will work seamlessly together, from the copy to the graphic, to the offer.

Let me give you a few examples of the importance of picking a main theme and sticking with it:

“Turn every marketing
dollar into two!”

Giltspur, the nation’s leading designer of custom trade show exhibits, had a new product, GilCor. GilCor was a revolutionary new lighter-weight material that could cut shipping and set-up costs of exhibit booths in half.

So, we came up with the main theme of “turning every marketing dollar into two.” This theme was powerfully presented in a 3-D mailing of a box with a crisp one dollar bill and a crisp two dollar bill. Any accompanying letter explained this breakthrough.

The client called this piece “fantastic,” with response more than double the objectives!

“You stand a 51% chance of being misdiagnosed at a hospital.”

Dr. Bruce West, publisher of Health Alert newsletter, reported on this fact found in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

We realized the main theme of being “misdiagnosed” in a typical medical setting was an ideal one to highlight the value of a newsletter that revealed safe, all-natural cures and remedies.

Apparently the prospects thought so too, as the promotion we created for Dr. West using this theme more than tripled his subscriber base in four months!

Do your research. Find the right main theme. Then play it up for all its worth, tying in copy, premiums, and a tone that works with that theme.

Best wishes

For more information, write to us at 21171 S. Western, Suite 260, Torrance, CA 90501. Or you may call us Monday through Friday,
8:00 a.m.– 5:00 p.m., Pacific time at 1-310-212-5727, or reach us by fax at 1-310-212-5773. We can also be reached by email at craig@cdmginc.com.

Now, for more on what Craig Huey can do for you…see the following pages:

The V.I.V.A.™ Marketing System

6 Fundamental Truths That Can Increase Your Bottom Line

The 5 Most Critical Strategies for Direct Marketing Success

Full Service Means Fewer Headaches, Better Response

A List of Distinguished Clients (and What They Say About CDMG)

A Winning Approach to Client Services