When you ask either business owners or salespeople what separates their company or product offerings from their competitors, two common responses are "quality" and "service." What are the two most ineffective words you can use in your advertising? You guessed it, "quality" and "service." Why? Because they define everything and nothing at the same time.
Let's look at quality first. In common language use, it typically refers to superior quality. But, technically, quality means a state or condition of something. So when you say you have a quality product or service, what quality are you talking about? Here are some possibilities:
Advertising
- Material or assembly that is free of defects
- Heavy or light weight, depending on which is preferred
- Durability
- Correct sizing
- Smoothness or roughness, depending on which is preferred
- Brightness or lack thereof
- Special handling or handmade
- And...
Then let's consider service. What to you mean by that?
- Delivered fast or within a specified period of time
- Inexpensive
- Number of staff attending to an order or project
- Answering of telephone on first ring
- Fully functioning self-service website
- Clean restrooms
- Convenient parking
- Order pick-up at your office
- Clean, uniformed staff
- And...
Again, what are we talking about?
A real life example: At our house, we have two vehicles of the same make, purchased from two different dealerships. So when it comes time to bring them in for warranty prescribed maintenance, I bring mine back to the dealer I purchased it from, even though it's about twice as far. Why? Because of the "service."
At my dealership, a friendly uniformed service manager greets you in the service lane, he discusses the maintenance to be done, and directs you to the waiting area where there is quiet, comfortable seating with desks available, Internet access, brand name coffee available, and restrooms that I wouldn't mind having in my home. Then, at the time the service manager specified, he comes to the waiting area to discuss what was done and lead you to the checkout.
Contrast this with the other dealership. First, you don't know if you've entered the right door for maintenance services. The parking lot is so small, two cars can barely get through one lane. Noisy, chaotic waiting area with only bar stools to sit on for two hours or more. Then, finally, they call your name so you can escape.
Both dealerships say they have excellent service, yet that "excellent service" is very different in each. The one where I bring my vehicle should probably describe their excellent service in their marketing with something to this effect, "Relax in our clean, comfortable lounge area while we work on your car. Free Internet, Wi-Fi access, and freshly brewed coffee while you wait. You'll be on your way in 90 minutes or it's on us." The other dealership, well, they better think about that one. Asking yourself what you mean by quality and service will help you in presenting that story to your customers in your advertising.
Advertising - 2 Words You Should Never Use in Ads
Heidi Thorne is the author of Business Competitive Advantage: A Handbook for Small Business Owners, Entrepreneurs and Consultants available at Amazon.com and at BusinessCompetitiveAdvantage.com. Sign up for Heidi's free Promo With Purpose Today e-newsletter on marketing and advertising with promotional products at PromoWithPurposeToday.com.