Marketing Proof is in the Results, Not the Promises By Scott Lindsay At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

One of the most difficult marketing tactics for consumers to accept are truths that are cleverly worded to infer promises that aren’t actually stated.

You know the kind of advertising that uses words like can, may or likely. These and many other words are used to infer actual results, but actually promise nothing.

It could happen – but it might not.

It may be possible – but don’t expect it.

It’s likely – but probably less than 50%.

Consumers don’t often catch on to these vague and inferred promises they simply see the idea as perhaps the next sure thing.

The marketer has technically participated in truth in advertising and can’t be held responsible if consumers came to wrong conclusions.

It’s a bit like those pharmaceutical commercials that tell you about the product in 15 seconds and then spend the remaining 15 seconds explaining all the circumstances in which the medicine should not be used or how it might negatively affect the user.

Advertising, by its very nature, is designed to appeal. That being said when consumers catch on to the fact that your service or product does not live up to the inferred expectations they will defect en mass. They won’t stop there either. These “Motivated Frustrated” will pass along their bitter taste to others.

While you can adopt this marketing tactic at any time it may ultimately not be in your best interest. This is especially true if you want repeat customers.

Some marketers are only after the initial sale. Sometimes this is true because the product doesn’t lend itself to more than one purchase (such as an ebook) or they plan to abandon the idea soon and move on to the next ‘big thing’.

If you want your business to be around long term you might want to do your best to creatively explain actual benefits, provide timely content that helps consumers visualize how the product or service would be of value to them, and explain in detail who you are and why you are behind the idea you present.

The development of trust will enhance the value of the product much more than an implied promise.

Implied promises often come across as close cousins to political rhetoric. Lots of promises can be made, but the proof is often lost on actual results. When consumers see this on all levels they become suspicious of those who use those marketing terms “may, could, likely, or results are not typical’.

A friend told me about an online shoe company he recently dealt with. The shoes were the wrong width and he had been wearing them for a couple of weeks. He purchased the shoes at the advice of a physical therapist for some problems he’d been having. When the physical therapist finally inspected the shoe it was discovered the incorrect size resulting in a lack of proper support.

The company listened to the man and voluntarily suggested he return the worn shoes (pre-paid shipping included) and they would send him the right size. The company can no longer resell those shoes as new, they had to pay shipping both ways, but they did earn a customer that believed in their service, believes in their product and believes their marketing.

No can, may of likely about it.

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