Membership Matters

Word Savvy PR and Advertising
Crack Open That Thesaurus

If the Ad/PR does not grab attention, it will not be read …
If the Ad/PR is not read, it won’t result in the desired action.

Advertising and PR Copy Writing

There was an interesting article in Direct magazine, a direct marketing business publication, and I was struck by the author’s attention-grabbing language. The article was about using more stimulating words in PR copy, and his demonstration of his craft was pretty impressive.

I love words. It is amazing how I can transform a sentence from mundane to “creative” by simply swapping out a couple of the words. I can create moods, from the serious, intelligent, business mode, to the silly, fun, childish delivery. I can sculpt pictures in my readers’ mind with the words I have lovingly selected.

So, this morning, as I revved up my computer, I was inspired to write about writing.

It’s all about you.

In case you didn’t realize, I am really mostly interested in me. “I’m not all that — but I’m all that I think of!” Well, it’s the same for our target market. So, when we write copy for ads and flyers, we need to hook our reader by talking directly to her, about her.

We need to get into our prospect’s head. What will she feel? What will she enjoy? Why should she join? What are the benefits to her?

If you were in front of your prospect, after a tingling, mind-blowing rehearsal, what would you tell her? Would you say, with a straight, glum expression, “Oh, it was pretty good,”… or would you be jumping up and down, waving your arms around saying something like, “You’ve GOT to join — this the best thing that has ever happened to me — you will never feel a high like this!” If so, we need to get this enthusiasm across on paper, without the jumping and arm waving. In order to do this, we have to make the words even more powerful, because we’ve lost the visual effects. The words almost need to be over-the-top to grab our lovely reader’s attention.

Instead of, “You’ll love singing barbershop harmony,” try something like, “Singing this harmony will give you chills down your spine.”

Ask Questions

We all love talking about ourselves. Asking questions shows interest in the other person. Plus, a question really is demanding an answer. A question grabs the reader’s attention because it is asking her to respond.

We need to ask questions that would guarantee a certain answer, so that we can further the communication. For example, “Love singing? Then join in the fun … with free vocal lessons!” If your lady loves singing, she can hardly turn down an offer like that. (Editor’s Note: Many choruses promote chapter membership by offering free vocal lessons to potential members interested in singing and learning about barbershop. You will see it mentioned in this and subsequent membership recruitment articles. It’s the perfect way to attract and invite new members.)

Creative Wording

This is where the thesaurus comes in. People get used to seeing the same old words used over and over again, so much so that the common words hardly have any effect on the reader at all. But if we were to use more unusual and inventive words, the reader’s attention is likely to be awakened, at least for a short time — and that’s our chance to deliver our message.

In the thesaurus I looked up “exciting,” a word that is overused and, therefore, not very “exciting.” My thesaurus suggests I try one of the following words instead: electrifying, exhilarating, inspiring, intoxicating, moving, provocative, rip-roaring, rousing, sensational, stimulating, stirring, thrilling or titillating.

Now, with the possible exception of “titillating”(not quite sure how I’d use that one!), how much more attention-grabbing would your copy be if you used one of the other words instead? “Learn electrifying harmony — for free!”

For FREE!

All right … I’ve used it at least a couple of times already. The word FREE, even though it is used so much, is still a hook. How can anyone turn down something that really is free? It’s a no-brainer.

Offering free trials is a powerful way to hook customers, and it’s a tool that virtually all marketers use — including Sweet Adelines. Let’s not forget to tout our FREE, FREE, FREE vocal lessons. Our prospects get a “No risk trial” of our music, friendship and fun.

Testimonials

We all love a good story. The ones that produce goose bumps are the true-life stories where one can feel the emotions the reader is expressing.

Using testimonials is another potent way of hooking our prospect. This anonymous example is something I found in one of our membership surveys, “When I joined I was just looking for a place to sing. I found a place I didn’t know I’d been looking for … I’m loved, I’m appreciated, I belong, and I found me.”

Don’t know about you, but that brought a tear to my eye the first time I read it. Who wouldn’t want to be loved, appreciated, to belong and to find herself?

Personally, though, I do think quotations like this would be better if supported by a name, chapter name, town and state. I think that would make it seem more legitimate.

So, why not get some quotes from some of your current members (especially after a spine-tingling rehearsal or performance), and use the best ones in your advertising and PR material.

Tag

Watch out for more hints and observations in this column … and please — get out that thesaurus!

It’s All in the Name!

Collecting Names

Did you know? Over 80 percent of members join Sweet Adelines because they saw a live performance or they know someone in a chorus! People rarely join because they got a piece of paper or saw an advertisement. They have to experience the magic of barbershop harmony before they can know if they are interested or not. We have to get people through the door and talk to them, one-on-one.

Here is a marketing strategy to help you get people through the door.

The Concept

When you hand out a flyer or place an advertisement, are you maximizing that opportunity? Do you clearly tell your reader what action to take? Do you collect names?

If you don’t collect names you are losing out on a massive opportunity; your prospect is likely to walk away. She may be interested at the time she receives your information, but she is likely to forget or just not get around to taking any action. Life gets in the way of many good plans.

Collecting names and personal details from interested parties is one of the most valuable things you could possibly do to promote and expand membership of your chorus, as well as demonstrating your musical product. Building a database of names is one of the major strategies successful companies use to increase their business. Such a database is an invaluable marketing tool. And you should have one too.

This is how you do it …
FREE! FREE! FREE!

Think of something you can give away that is low cost or no cost to you. You could offer free vocal lessons, free tickets to your next performance, free information packet, free demo tape/CD of your chorus performing, and you could ask your chorus members to get donations from companies they work for and offer those goods for free. The item you offer should cost little to you, but may well have a much higher perceived value to your target audience. The cost of a vocal lesson to you is nothing — the perceived value could be ten, twenty or thirty dollars.

Tear-Off Slip

Brochures and flyers (even advertisements) should have a tear-off slip along the bottom. The tear-off slip requests an action of the reader for which they are given a reward (your “freebie”). This slip asks for information that you would like to collect, for example you would ask for name, address, telephone number and e-mail address. If you ask for personal information, such as age group and ethnic background, make sure you state that these questions are answered voluntarily. You could include some check boxes asking for areas of interest, hobbies, membership of other organizations such as local charities, information you think you could use in the future. If you find many interested parties are members of your local Rotary Club, you might start performing for their meetings in order to promote yourselves.

Business Cards

Even business cards could be used to the same effect (obviously, without the tear-off slip). On the reverse of your card, say something like: FREE Vocal Lessons — call or e-mail for details.

Action Requested

The completed tear-off slip is either placed in a collection box at your performance, or is mailed in. You send out a voucher for a singing lesson, free ticket to your next performance, or voucher for donated items.

The ticket to your next performance and voucher for a singing lesson is going to get your prospect through your door. That is your goal!
The voucher for the free goods will ask the recipient to come to your next rehearsal (for example) to collect.

The information packet or demo tape could be mailed out with an invitation to come as a guest to one of your rehearsals.

Build a Database

One of your chorus members is bound to know how to use a database, and you should keep all your names and contact details in one. Every time you have a performance coming up, or another event, you should mail everyone in your database. Mail them regularly. Mail them for any reason you can possibly conceive — holiday performances, Mother’s and Father’s Day performances, etc. You could mail press releases that you are sending out to the media. You could even create a regular newsletter (perhaps quarterly), with news on your chorus. If you collect e-mail addresses, your postage and printing costs will be less. In any correspondence, make sure you extend an invitation to come to a rehearsal or get involved in some way.

If anyone asks to be removed from your database because they do not wish to be contacted anymore, make sure you do that. We must respect an individual’s rights.

Get People Involved

Marketing people know that getting a prospect to experience a product is one step towards ownership. In the case of your musical product, getting a prospect to experience your singing and getting them involved with the rehearsal, letting them experience the joy, friendship and laughter, is one great step towards getting them to join or commit.

What you are actually doing is hand-holding, as you take your prospect from initial contact (flyer, etc.) to committing to membership of your chorus. The jump from reading about your chorus on paper to actually joining is gargantuan. But broken down into little steps, which gradually get your prospect involved with the chapter, it is so much easier and less daunting.

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