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Whether category-focused, product-focused, or client-focused, all of your ads must have a focal point. Focused marketing ensures you understand your niche and the most effective way to reach them. After all, we want your business to succeed and not get trapped in the void businesses long since forgotten. Understanding focused marketing strategies, their uses, and which type best suits your niche will drastically improve your advertising game. Not sure what focused marketing strategies exist, how they differ, or what they could mean for your advertising approach? No worries. That’s why your friendly neighborhood Wizard of Ads® crew is here.

The Good and the Bad Ad

Before we sink too deep into focused marketing strategies, let’s step back and look at the meaning of advertising. Genuinely understanding the purpose of advertising is the difference between making good and bad ads. According to Roy H. Williams, “Bad ads waddle like a porcupine and make lots of little points. Good ads charge like a rhinoceros and make a single point powerfully.” Put another way, poor advertising has no end goal in mind. Poor advertising is clumsy, brushing into anything that crosses its path, but it lacks intent. It doesn’t know what it’s trying to promote or inspire your audience to do. It’s simply going along for the ride and enjoying each moment without a care in the world. On the flip side, effective advertising has a goal in mind. It aims to tell a story that promotes, persuades, and inspires your target audience to take action. Effective marketing works because it understands your customers' needs and sets your services/products as the solution to their needs. If your ad can do those three things consistently, you have an excellent ad on your hands. If your ad fails to do even one of these things, you’ve lost your intention, and the ad will fall flat. We’ll give you good and bad advertising examples to give you a more concrete idea of what works. Wait, what? We’re providing bad examples of ads? Yes, we are. Here at Wizards of AdsTM , we follow a philosophy of one bad, two good. For every two quality examples, we’ll give you one horrid example. This way, you can see both sides of the advertising coin. After all, we believe knowing what not to do is just as important as knowing what to do. Book a call with Wizard of Ads® to get started today!

3 Types of Ad Focus

We’re sure this goes without saying, but we’re going to say it anyway. Each ad type is designed to achieve a specific goal. If that goal aligns with your own goal, we highly recommend trying that approach for your next ad campaign.

Category-Focused

Category-focused ads are geared towards the category your business falls into. If you sell skincare, category-focused ads stress that you sell skincare. Put another way, if you’re a dental practice, category-focused ads emphasize your company specializes in orthodontia. If you’re a restaurant…You get it. These ads aren’t designed to help you stand out from the crowd. They’re not intended to help anyone stand out. Instead, the only goal of this technique is to highlight the category your business falls into. Off the record? This is the least effective focused marketing strategy of the three we’re covering today. Yes, you will be given a lovely example of why later in the article.

Product-Focused

Product-focused ads make your products and everything that makes them special the stars of the show. Translation: this advertising technique is great for bragging about your products. Going back to our earlier examples, let’s say you’re trying to promote your medical company. Product-focused ads allow you to stress what’s great about your products and why they’re better than the competition’s. Product-focused ads could highlight anything from the latest techniques your practice utilizes to less invasive ways to perform tests. Let’s say you’re promoting your cosmetics company. Product-focused ads could feature the ingredients used in your eyeshadow palettes or accentuate your humane makeup testing practices.

Client-Focused

Client-focused or customer-focused ads are designed specifically with your target audience, or customers, in mind. Rather than focusing on you and your business, customer-focused ads underscore how you can best serve your clients. These ads address your clients' unmet needs and then explain how your services or products relate to this need. Let’s go back to your pretend medical company. Customer-focused ads could feature customers’ fear of needles. The ad could create empathy by relating the customer’s struggles to a new, painless method developed for others like them. What about your make-believe cosmetics company? Customer-focused ads could stress customers' difficulties in finding the best products for their skin type or tone. These concerns could be followed up by empathizing with these struggles and how they inspired this product’s creation. Understanding your customer’s needs, conveying your empathy, and bridging the gap between them is critical for this strategy to work.

Category-Focused Ad Example

The oh-so-talented Roy H. Williams briefly mentioned a category-focused advertisement script in an earlier blog post. He was very vocal about his distaste for the following ad. However, he didn’t explain why he detested the ad so much. Let us rectify that oversight. The ad in question:

‍MALE: I used to hate going to the dentist, but then a friend told me about Dr. _________, ‘the gentle dentist with the healing touch.

FEMALE ONE: I love Dr. __________. I wouldn’t go anywhere else.

‍FEMALE TWO: So you recommend Dr. _____________?

‍MALE: No question about it.

‍FEMALE ONE: Absolutely! He’s ‘the gentle dentist with the healing touch.

‍FEMALE TWO: I’ve had bad experiences at the dentist's office. Dentists scare me.

‍FEMALE ONE: Not Dr. ______________! He (she) is truly concerned about his (her) patients. He (she) cares. And his (her) friendly staff will even fill out your insurance papers for you.

‍FEMALE TWO: Does he (she) charge extra for that?

‍MALE: No! It’s a free service that Dr.____________ extends to all his (her) patients.

‍FEMALE ONE: I’d be willing to pay twice as much to go to Dr. ____________ because he (she) has the healing touch, but he (she) doesn’t charge a penny more than those other dentists!

‍FEMALE TWO: I’m convinced! Do you have Dr.______________’s number handy?

‍MALE: I have an appointment card here in my wallet. [short pause] Dr. ______________’s number is XXX-XXXX.

‍FEMALE TWO: Was that XXX-XXXX?

‍MALE: Yes, XXX-XXXX.

‍ANNOUNCER: Dr. _________________ . The gentle dentist with a healing touch. Call today for your appointment. XXX-XXXX

‍FEMALE ONE: XXX-XXXX. The gentle dentist…

‍MALE:_…with the healing touch.”

So, what about this category-focused ad made Roy H. Williams cringe? Do you want my guess? Well, I’d say this advertisement used many words to tell us a whole lot of nothing. We know there’s a gentle dentist with a healing touch and how to call them. Surely, that must count for something, right? No, my young padawan. Not it does. In addition to not telling us anything, this advertisement misses the mark at a fundamental level. Remember what makes a quality advertisement? It has to promote, persuade, and inspire. Did this ad promote Dr. Gentle Dentist? If name-dropping counts as promotion, then I’ll give you that one. Did this ad persuade you to book a call with Dr. Kind Hands? After reading this ad, you were inspired to face your fear of the dentist by booking with Dr. Healing Touch? Did it, Pinocchio? Hmm? I didn’t think so.

Product-Focused Ad Example

With each Fenty Skin addition comes a new product-focused ad describing what sets Rihanna’s products apart from other skincare brands. Sure, having a billionaire like Rihanna at the helm would instantly draw customers to the product. However, for product-focused ads to work, you need an exceptional product that delivers everything the ad promises. Rihanna has many exceptional products with ingredients to deliver everything her ads promise: “The Fat Water Hydrating Milky Toner Essence. You can feel that milky texture just locking all of the hydration in. You can see my skin plump up a little bit from the tamarind and hyaluronic acid. Another ingredient is niacinamide. This, over time, starts to reduce the look of dark spots. All of you who know(s) the struggle of dry skin: this is for us!” As you saw in the script, she focused on what makes her product unique: its ingredients and benefits. The product delivers as it has the ingredients needed to do everything she promised in the ad. She even dipped a toe into customer-focused advertising with her final shout-out.

Client-Focused Ad Example

Very few things scream customer-focused advertising more than having actual customers tell their stories in your ads. Jared, the Galleria of Jewelry, took this approach with their 2021 and 2022 campaigns. In the ad for the Pnina Tornai newest addition called One, we meet a woman and her husband, Chris. “Wife: Chris got me this ring, and in the back, he added that “love endures all things.” Right after we married, I got very sick, and hospitalized. He would come every day after work to help me walk again. And now I’m back. I walk, dance, and he’s still beside me. This was definitely a reminder…Chris: That love endures all. ”Do you need a tissue after reading that? It’s okay– we definitely did. This ad works because we get a glimpse of the life of an average couple. They’re no different from you, me, or a complete stranger you’d pass along the street. We don’t know Chris and his wife personally, but you definitely feel invested in them. A newlywed wife becomes devastatingly ill. Her new husband works long shifts but never misses the chance to visit and help her regain her strength. Now that she’s better, the ring reminds him of his loyalty to and love for her. No one relates to the customer better than another customer. Hearing what the item means from another customer could make other customers yearn for a similar feeling. Jared should give a raise to whoever created such a simple, yet ingenious strategy. So, with all of these focused marketing strategies, which one do you think best suits your current needs? If you’re still unsure or want to learn more about focused marketing…Book a call with Wizard of Ads® to get started today!

Your business will inevitably use advertising, whether through online channels, a TV ad, or radio. You should be smart and critical in choosing which ad writer to work with. Any advertiser should know the ropes on creating ads for all existing platforms, especially with TV ads. Ad writers come in all shapes and sizes. Some specialize in online, while others are proficient in radio or TV ads. Did you know that [TV ads are more successful than any other media source](https://onlinebusiness.umd.edu/blog/are-tv-and-radio-still-effective-for-advertising-and-marketing/#:~:text=In fact%2C TV advertising displays, as on their mobile devices.)? According to Robert H. Smith, adults watch TV between 13 to 23 times longer than PC and mobile, respectively. There's a reason why big companies still do TV advertising. The question is: How are TV commercials different from good ads on the radio? More importantly, how do you write killer TV ads? Let's dig into that here.

How Do You Write A TV Ad?

The answer to that is simple. TV ads are like any other commercial, except they're produced for television. The key to writing an excellent TV ad is understanding your target audience and what they want to see. It's typically different from one industry to another, but you'll see a pattern in what works for each category. For example, in residential home services, a comedic, funny, and entertaining TV ad usually does the trick. Why? Because when you're selling an externally triggered grudge purchase, a laugh is the only way to appease a raging crowd. You're back in good graces with a long, hearty laugh. Or a chuckle, we can work with that. The point is that your TV ads should be disruptive to help you land in your audience's procedural memory. Unless your ad writer is a comedic prodigy, your TV ad will strike out in the first few seconds. It'll be one of those commercials where families fiddle with their phones while it's on. That's what we're trying to save you from. Wizard of Ads® can make your customers lose their breath in a comedic trance if you want a killer TV ad. Book a call. However, there's more to television commercials than just that. The writing, effects, transitions, colors, etc., converge into a cohesive piece. As I revisited Roy’s old Memos, I learned an interesting story about his TV ads and radio script journey. That is: Go against the tide. I'll share a few lines regarding each below.

Split-page Approach to Writing TV Ads

During the height of the television commercial craze, almost everyone had one format for every TV ad. That's a split-page presentation. Left pane for the camera instructions. Right pane for the demo. There's nothing wrong with a TV ad of the same format. In fact, everyone did it. Roy refused to conform to the culture.

Radio Scripts in Capital Letters

As for the radio scripts, when radio people wanted the lines in CAPSLOCK, Roy went against the tide. When the fast-paced, online era began, and everyone embraced lowercase text, he went full uppercase on them. Nobody had time to press shift, they said, but Roy did. Now, some might read this and interpret it as stubbornness, but that's not really the case. To write awesome ads, you need to embrace change and uniqueness. That extends past the TV ad or radio script you're writing — you embody it. Let's face it. Bad writing results in a bad TV ad or radio script, no matter what you do. When you do things like everyone else, your TV ad becomes boring. The only way for TV commercials to stand 600 ft. above the competition is to go against the tide. In other words, a brilliant TV ad is a product of excellent writing, perfect execution, and a one-of-a-kind presentation.

Tools of Radio and TV Writers

You'll find onboarding a radio ad specialist likely if you're planning to craft the perfect TV ad for your business. However, you should know that a TV ad is not a radio ad on TV. The two are vastly different beasts. There's nothing inherently wrong with that. A TV commercial has to take into account the following:

• The number of channels and the vast amount of content available today.
• People's shorter attention spans.
• The fact that people can change the channel or fast-forward through commercials.
• The need to be visually appealing.

These are extra details that radio ad writers may not consider when formulating an ad for the screens. With that in mind, here are three things radio turned TV ad writers should keep in mind:

1. Bad TV Ads Are… Well, Bad. That seems like a no-brainer. However, you'd be surprised how many TV ads are poorly written, executed, and/or produced.
2. Boring TV Ads Are… Just That, Boring. A lot of TV ads are simply dull and uninteresting. Some of them pack really great offers too. Sadly, they don't grab viewers' attention and pique their interest long enough to make them want to watch.
3. Brilliant TV Ads Are… Well, Brilliant. They're well-written, well-produced, and grab the viewer's attention. They're also engaging and entertaining and make you invested.

Now then, why do successful radio scriptwriters often miserably fail when creating TV commercials? More importantly, how can you ensure your TV ads are one of the latter? The secret lies in knowing, mastering, and wielding the tools available to you. For radio script writers, you have five tools in your toolbox:

• Choice of words implemented.
• Vocal intonation.
• Vocal inflection.
• Background music.
• Special sound effects.

For TV ads specialists, you get the same sets of tools as radio ads but get additional more like:

• Visual appeal (This includes the characters, their facial expressions, gestures, and body language).
• Screen text.
• Special visual effects.

The problem with hiring radio ads gurus to write your TV advertisement is this. They don't utilize the full suite of tools available to them. It often leads to TV ads that appear amateurish or, worse, unintentionally funny. That’s not something you can afford or risk for your business.

Predictable Mistakes Made by Radio People Writing TV Ads

Roy H. Williams shared some of the most predictable mistakes that radio writers turned TV ads creators commit. According to him, there are four common errors:

1. They cram 30 seconds' worth of words into a 30-second clip. They overlook the fact that visual appeal adds more layers of information than words ever could. That is one of the most common mistakes, and it's easy to understand why.
2. They describe things they could easily have shown onscreen. We've all seen TV ads where the voiceover is describing what's happening onscreen. That is a colossal mistake, possibly done by radio ad writers. The whole point of TV advertising is to show, not tell. If your clip isn't telling enough, it will not be successful.
3. They forget screen text is available. Radio ads require words uttered at 1.25 times the speed to cover the entire script. That's not the case for TV. Screen texts reinforce the visual appeal already displayed in the TV commercial.
4. They use an omniscient narrator. Radios are known for using an omniscient voice-over in every ad they publish. That's because it falls on listeners to imagine a commercial's plot, setting, and narrative.

However, this strategy doesn’t work in TV advertising because viewers don't interpret information. They just accept it. TV ads use tools like visual appeal, effects, and screen text to spoon-feed things customers need to know. However, there's a caveat to all of this. You cannot mask bad writing whether or not you produce radio ads or TV commercials. Bad writing will always yield bad ads, no matter what tools you make available.

How to Turn A Great Radio Ad into A Brilliant TV Ad?

Naturally, transforming a bad or boring TV ad into a brilliant one requires the inverse of all errors indicated. Correct the most predictable errors, and you eliminate the blockades from making your TV ad brilliant. Here are the ways:

1. Maximize visual appeal. That means omitting all unnecessary words if your actors or video could convey the information. There's no need to create a description for every action. If needed, you could send clips of yourself performing the role so your director can deliver your vision.
2. Show viewers who are talking. Don't describe the things you could easily show on the screen. Facial expressions, hand gestures, and body language are all instrumental ingredients in inciting emotions from viewers. Not only does this make TV ads more straightforward, but it also saves time.
3. Utilize screen texts. There's no need to reiterate every necessary detail in your ad, like your contact information. That's what screen texts are for.
4. Use special visual and sound effects when necessary. Overuse of special effects can make your TV ads look amateurish. The key is inserting them sparingly and only when necessary if it will make your ads more memorable.

Your TV ads can work well when you establish these things, even when you're working with a radio specialist. It begins with maximizing the tools made available to you. However, there's a caveat to all of this. You cannot mask bad writing whether or not you produce radio ads or TV commercials. Bad writing will always yield bad ads, no matter what tools you make available.

Bad, Boring, Brilliant TV Ad

Producing brilliant TV ads comes has always boiled down to good writing. The best TV ads come down to three things – bad, boring, and brilliant. Understanding what not to do and what works well effectively increases the value of your TV commercials. That will better equip you and your business to get your message across. Just remember that radio ad specialists aren't miracle workers. If they have bad writing, no amount of creative direction will save your TV commercials. With that in mind, ensure your TV ad scripts are on point before anything else. If you want a no-headache, conversion-driven TV ad, Wizard of Ads® can make that for you. All you have to do is book a call and let’s talk about how we’ll get your name out.

What do “I’m Loving It” and “Just Do It” have in common?

People can easily identify the brands behind them without actively squeezing their brains for information. I’m certain you’re not thinking of McDonald’s and Nike in your every waking moment, right? Still, they’ve managed to hit the spot in your brain that activates brand recall on command.

That’s called procedural memory.

If your business advertising doesn’t work, it’s possibly because your target audience doesn’t remember you well enough. In other words, you have no foothold in their procedural memory to make them recollect your business on cue.

As a business owner, your goal is to have your advertising speak to your customer’s procedural memory. After all, the only way you get sales is when people actually think of you when they face a problem. Otherwise, you can spend thousands on advertising and get crickets in return.

So, how do you infuse procedural drama in your ads? That’s what we’ll find dig into in this article. Keep reading.

What is Procedural Memory?

The procedural memory is a concept coined by one of modern psychology’s greatest minds, Dr. Alan Baddeley. If you dissect his scientific research and link them to advertising, you’ll see that there are 4 types of memory. Procedural memory is one of them, and we’ll cover the rest later.

Procedural memory is a kind of long-term memory because it deals with subconsciously recalling how to do things. For example, activities like riding a bike, tying shoelaces, and cooking your favorite dish. Once you’ve learned them, possibly through repeated practice, they become embedded in your system.

Even when not consciously thinking about the activity, you know how it works and do the task on the spot. More often than not, even after a long hiatus, there’s no heavy refresher required to accomplish the said activity.

However, what people often overlook is that procedural memory deals with remembering other things aside from motor skills. This classification of memory is also relevant in involuntarily remembering concepts like:

• Verbal qualities
• Visual images
• Emotional cues

Going back to the example earlier, hearing “I’m loving it” automatically triggers a verbal memory that reminds us of McDonald’s. A short glance at their golden arches also reminds people of them. Everyone knows how emotionally satisfying it is to get a quick whiff of their cheeseburger.

That’s the power of effective advertising and branding. They tap into people’s procedural memory that makes them impossible to forget. While your business may not attain the same popularity as household brands, you can also achieve a powerful brand recall. All it takes is advertising that targets your market’s procedural memory.

Wizard of Ads® can make that happen. All it takes is a quick call, and your business becomes the frontrunner in everyone’s mind. Book a call.

4 Types of Memory

Humans are forgetful creatures. We often take for granted how easily we can recall information. Whether it’s a long-lost friend’s phone number or the words to our favorite song. Though have you ever wondered how we’re able to remember things?

The science of memory is complex, but understanding the basics can help you create better advertising.

Why?

Because whenever you release an ad, you need to consider which memory channel it might fall into. This will encourage you to develop better ads that will engrave your business into a prospect’s psyche– procedural memory.

There are four general types of memory and we’ll explore each of them below:

Working Memory

Working memory is one of the brain’s primary executive functions. This is the type of memory that allows us to remember things for a short period– usually around 30 seconds. It’s also often referred to as our active memory because it’s the information we’re actively thinking about. The best way to think of working memory is like a cognitive sticky note that then gets lost in oblivion.

Working memory is important in advertising because it allows people to process or imagine new information. Ads that are attention-grabbing and incorporate story-telling make people experience the content. However, viewers will likely forget it soon enough.

Semantic Declarative Memory

This type of memory is all about meaning and understanding concepts. It helps us recall facts and general knowledge. However, you don’t remember when, where or how you learned the information stored in your brain.

For example, you might use semantic declarative memory when you remember that the capital of France is Paris. However, where did you acquire that info? The school? The news? Scrolling through social media?

Episodic Declarative Memory

Like the previous point, this memory channel is also about acquiring and understanding facts. Although in this example, you remember when, where or how you learned the information.

One way you achieve this in advertising is when you publish an ad with a moving story. It’s so vivid that it sticks out to your audience and they remember every detail, including your brand.

Procedural Memory

As discussed earlier, procedural memory is involuntary and applies in the long term. It is beyond difficult to achieve in advertising, but when done right, the most powerful out of all four.

This is because procedural memory lasts a lifetime. It doesn’t matter if they see your ad once or 100 times. As long as you make an impact and carve your brand into their procedural memory, they’ll never forget you.

The Law of Repetition

The thing is, procedural memory-hitting ads don’t just happen. They’re often a product of repetition. Repeatedly exposing your market to the exact branding, messaging, value, and culture is the key to accessing procedural memory.

Roy H. Williams had the perfect equation to describe this:

Procedural memory = Salience (impact or relevance) x Repetition

Keep in mind that repeated exposure in itself won’t cut it. Show your audience mediocre and forgettable ads and it won’t get you anywhere. Your ads require salience or messaging that’s impactful enough to remember in order to be relevant.

Here’s the rub. If your messaging packs a solid impact, lesser repetition is needed before it carves into their brain. That’s what you want because repetition costs money. Can you imagine running the same mediocre ad campaign on Facebook and getting little to no engagement?

The goal is to create a message that’s powerful, impactful, and moving enough to be easily remembered by your audience.

Short-Term Goal of the Direct Response Ad Writer

Direct-response ad writers look for one thing: conversions.

That’s good, right? Well, we can’t really say conversions are bad but there’s more to business than just quick wins.

When you’re a direct response copywriter, you’re after immediate actions from your customers. You write ads that speak to their working memory because you’re not after being remembered, you’re after conversions.

When you speak directly to their felt needs (money, energy and time), you get the sale. If your product soothes an eminent pain point or satisfies an immediate pain point, you get the sale.

Basically, you’re reaching out to people for a quick sale.

Short-Term Goal of the ‘Future Needs’ Ad Writer

Future needs ad writers, on the other hand, are investors. They invest in creating tasteful, moving, and powerful ads today so they can be remembered when future needs arise.

What does this mean?

It means ads must not only target working memory but remain long enough for storage in episodic declarative memory. The goal for the short-term of future needs ad writers is to disrupt the audience’s system of belief. If your prospects are devoted to another brand, you need to shatter that devotion and pull them to you.

The only way you could achieve this is by triggering their emotional states through advertisement. You need to make the readers, listeners, or viewers feel all sorts of things like:

• Smile
• Laugh
• Cry
• Nostalgia
• Fear
• Mad

Why? Because…

Emotion Triggers Adrenaline

Emotions make your business easier to recall. Since we’re dealing with the short-term, you don’t have much wiggle room to build rapport. All you can do is tug their emotional triggers and facilitate adrenaline production.

Adrenaline is a hormone that causes your heart to beat faster, lungs to breathe deeper, and brain more alert and receptive. They act as a biochemical adhesive that helps the brain acquire pieces of information more effectively than normal. This helps store vivid memories in long-term memory a.k.a. episodic declarative memory.

There’s just one problem: It’s still not as good as procedural memory.

The Long-Term Goal of the ‘Future Needs’ Ad Writer

A long-term future needs ad writer thinks of tomorrow more than a short-term future needs ad writer. They have more room to build rapport and relationships so they’re willing to play the long game. While adrenaline enhances the memory process, there’s no guarantee that information remains for a long time.

That’s where long-term future needs for ad writers come in. They specialize in creating memorable, and digestible ads that are repeatedly bombarded to customers until they sink in. The more salient and consistent the message behind every advertisement, the stronger its hold in the procedural memory.

Consider Morris-Jenkins’ Bobby and Mr. Jenkins commercials. There was no sense of urgency. You won’t find any hard-hitting CTAs. Just a 30-second ad of Bobby being a bubbly, curious tech and Mr. Jenkins portraying a wise old sage.

However, this type of advertising got them to 4.9 stars and almost 17k Google reviews and counting. I bet you if anyone’s HVAC or plumbing breaks down in Charlotte, they’d call no one else but them.

That’s the power of creating ads that speak to procedural memory.

Procedural memory is like muscle memory. It’s unconscious and effortless, something that’s done without thinking about it.

Procedural ads are all around us. They’re the ads that make us want to buy something specifically from someone, sometimes without even knowing why. Procedural ads are designed to create an emotional response associated with your brand, inviting people to choose you over others.

If you don’t have procedural advertising in your business yet, you need one and I can give you that. Book a call.

What is inductive reasoning vs. deductive reasoning? In marketing and advertising, some of the best minds use inductive reasoning to create incredible campaigns. Looking at successful campaigns, they can analyze what made them work so well and apply those principles to new projects. This reasoning has led to some of the most creative and effective advertising ever crafted. While deductive reasoning relies on facts and figures, the inductive reasoning definition uses patterns and trends to generate creative solutions. That makes it an essential tool for anyone in the advertising industry. By understanding how inductive works, you can learn to come up with better ideas for your next campaign.

What are Deductive and Inductive Reasoning?

You, me, and your customer claim we use deductive reasoning, but it simply isn't true. The basis of the deductive reasoning scientific method requires us to work diligently to disprove what we believe. Does anyone do that? Not usually. Instead of using deductive reasoning, we use inductive. We seek out information that confirms our values, beliefs, instincts, and preferences have been correct. Our confirmation bias kicks in, assuring us that contradictory information is not correct when confronted with it. We dismiss it with a mental finger-flick. For example, let's flick away this contradictory information. I am an ad writer: confirmation bias, inductive reasoning, and magical thinking sparkle at my fingertips. My job is to speak to what is already within you. You have more than enough information. Let me agree with what you already believe. Google and Facebook's algorithms will show us content that only reaffirms our existing opinions instead of expanding our horizons. We deem disagreeable people to be imbeciles, and anyone who disagrees is either uninformed or misinformed.

The Nonexperts

"Hoare writes with the license of the nonexpert; you can feel the delight he takes in being unbound by anything but his enthusiasms." — John Williams

In this quote, John Williams describes Philip Hoare. Yet Williams could have been describing me. I am a nonexpert; I can come to my own conclusions. You are a nonexpert, too. So is your customer. The people we're trying to influence are, by and large, nonexperts. They haven't been trained in the nuances of our product or service. They don't have the years of experience that gives them a deep understanding of the things we take for granted. We have to speak the customers' language, not ours. We have to make it easy for them to understand what we're offering and why it's valuable. That is why, when we're trying to sell them something, we must remember that they don't know what we know. Need help in your quest? We've got it in the can. Book a call with Ryan Chute of Wizard of Ads®.

Inductive vs. Deductive Reasoning

The vast majority of people reason inductively. They arrive at their conclusions using their experiences, world views, and observations to generalize. Deductive reasoning is different. When you use deductive reasoning, you start with a generalization. You then use that generalization to come to a particular conclusion. The difference between inductive and deductive reasoning is pretty simple when you think about it in those terms. With deductive reasoning, you go from broad to specific. In other words, with inductive, you go from the particular to general. Here are examples of inductive and deductive reasoning: Inductive Thinking: All of the dogs I have seen are friendly. Therefore, all dogs must be friendly. Deductive Reasoning: All dogs are animals. Animals are breathing creatures. Thus, all dogs are breathing creatures. Inductive vs. Deductive Reasoning: Which is better?

‍Inductive reasoning is the way to go if you want to come to a conclusion based on perceived evidence. Deductive reasoning can only conclude if your premises are true. As you can see, both types of reasoning start with a premise (or multiple premises). But deductive reasoning arrives at its conclusion using logic, while inductive does not. It relies on observation and experience instead. Most people use both types of reasoning but tend to favor one over the other. You can see this in the way that people argue. Some people will start with a specific example and then try to generalize from that example. Other people will begin with a generalization and then try to apply it to a particular situation. The difference between these two reasoning styles is critical, but it's also crucial to remember that they aren’t mutually exclusive. Deductive reasoning is used to arrive at a specific conclusion, and inductive is used to generalize.

So, what does all of this have to do with advertising? Well, the best advertisers use both types of reasoning. They don't just rely on one or the other. They use deductive reasoning to develop a specific message they want to communicate. They use inductive reasoning to create a general strategy that will resonate with their target audience. The best ads are those that can strike a balance between these deductive vs. inductive reasoning. They can take a specific message and make it resonate with a broad audience. They can do this by using the fingertips of an ad genius. Ad geniuses are those who can think distictively. They devise creative solutions to problems others have never even considered. They do this by using inductive reasoning. Ad geniuses use inductive reasoning to come up with their best ads. They start with a specific message that they want to communicate. Then they use inductive reasoning to figure out how to make that message resonate with a broad audience. The best ads are the ones that make us think, "Why didn't I think of that?" Usually, the answer is that the person who came up with the ad was using inductive reasoning. So, next time you're stuck on how to communicate a message, try using inductive reasoning. It might help you devise a solution that others have never even considered.

Deductive Logical Arguments Examples

Here are a couple of deductive reasoning examples:

• "All spiders have eight legs. A tarantula is a spider. Therefore, tarantulas have eight legs." For your deductive reasoning to be logical, your premise must be right. You assume that the statements "All spiders have eight legs" and "a tarantula is a spider" are true. Therefore, your reasoning is objective and true. In deductive reasoning, if something is true in a general class of things, it is also true for all class members.
• "All dogs like to chase cats. My dog is a dog. Therefore, my dog likes to chase cats." That is another sound argument using deductive logic. The hypothesis is true (all dogs like chasing cats), and the given information is true (my dog is a dog). Therefore, it stands to reason that the conclusion is also true (my dog likes to chase cats).

Inductive Logical Arguments Examples

Here are a couple of inductive reasoning examples:

• You have a coin bag. You pull three coins from it, each one being a penny. Your inductive logic proposes that all of the coins in the bag are pennies. Initially, you observe each coin taken from the bag was a penny. Your observation is right. However, your inductive reasoning does not mean what you’ve decided will be true.
• Penguins are birds. Penguins can't fly. Therefore, all birds can't fly. If you believe this, your reasoning is not logical in this case.

The Sparkle at the Fingertips of Every Evil Genius

At the fingertips of every evil genius sparkles confirmation bias, inductive reasoning, and magical thinking. Please do not think of me as an evil genius, for I am the genius that agrees with you. Explaining magical thinking can get kind of messy. Kurt Andersen does his best to below:

"Americans have always been magical thinkers and passionate believers in the untrue."

— Kurt Andersen

Andersen explains America's origins, dating back to when the Puritans in New England wanted to create a Christian utopia. They waited for what they believed was the imminent second coming of Christ and the End of Days. People were convinced in the south that this place they had never been, Virginia, was full of gold. They believed they could pluck it from the dirt there. For 20 years, the Puritans stayed there, looking and hoping for gold before finally facing the facts. They finally accepted they weren't going to get rich overnight. After that, Andersen says, there were centuries of "buyer beware" charlatanism and medical quackery. There was also an increase in exotic, extravagant, and implausible cults and religions. Blend and amp up all those things together to get the 1960s. That was a time when people were entitled to their own truth and reality. The next generation welcomed the internet. Whether true, nutty, or magical, the internet gave those realities their own kind of media infrastructure.

The Basis of all Successful Advertising

"A wonderful story is dazzling and attractive, regardless of whether or not it is true. This is the basis of all successful advertising." — Roy H. Williams

John Williams' book review column is titled "Books of the Times." That's the column where he left the quote below as a recommendation of Philip Hoare's new book. Williams is the book reviewer for The New York Times. So, when he recommends a book, you can take it to the bank that it's worth reading. The book's title is "Albert and the Whale: Albrecht Dürer and How Art Imagines Our World." It is about the life and work of Albrecht Dürer, one of the most influential artists of the Northern Renaissance. Dürer was born in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1471. He died in 1528. During his lifetime, Dürer traveled to Italy, where he was greatly influenced by the art he saw there. He also made several trips to the Holy Land. These experiences helped him to develop a unique style that combined elements of both Italian and German art. His prints were trendy in his day and continue to be highly prized by collectors today. Many of his paintings are also highly regarded, although few of them have survived. Dürer was a master of various media, including woodcuts, etchings, and watercolors. Perhaps he is best known for his woodcuts, which are used to illustrate books and other publications. He also created several famous portraits, including one of Martin Luther. His art is notable for its realism and use of light and shadow to create a sense of depth. His work often depicted religious subjects, but he also did many secular works. Dürer was an extremely talented artist, and his work profoundly impacted the development of art in Europe. His legacy continues to be felt today, as his work is still highly respected by artists and art lovers.

Perhaps more important than the book's content was the review Williams left of its author: "Hoare writes with the license of the nonexpert; you can feel the delight he takes in being unbound by anything but his enthusiasms." — John Williams

In other words, Hoare was not an academic. Still, he had a profound love for the subject matter and could communicate that passion in his writing. That is something that all great writers share, regardless of their field of expertise. The lesson here is that you don't need to be an expert to write compelling content. You just need to have a genuine passion for your topic and the ability to communicate that passion to readers. Who knows? Your work could have a significant impact on the way people think about your chosen topic. If you're passionate about something, don't let a lack of formal training stop you from sharing what you know. Are you in the home services industry? Do you need help with your marketing strategy? Book a call with Ryan Chute of Wizard of Ads® today.

Different people have different definitions of culture. To some, culture is about the arts or belonging to a particular ethnic group. Others see the definition of culture as a set of shared beliefs and values. Either way, culture shapes how we see the world and our place in it. No matter your definition of culture, you will find some common themes in all cultures. These include a shared language, religion (beliefs), food, music, dance, art, etc. Culture is also about how we interact with each other. It dictates how we dress, greet each other, and behave in social situations. When you think about it, culture is everything around us. It's the way we live our lives, and it's something that we all have in common. The definition of culture is such a vital part of our lives. Still, it's also something that can be very difficult to define. That is because the agreed-upon definition of culture is constantly changing. What was considered part of culture 10 years ago might not be considered part of that culture today. That can make it difficult to really pin down what culture is. However, we can make some generalizations about culture.

Mainly, your organization's culture is the values, beliefs, and behaviors shared by the people working there. Knowing how to improve organizational culture is something that can be very difficult. That is because it's based on the shared values and beliefs of the people who work there at the time they were defined. As people come and go, grow and expand, so does your culture. If you want to change your organization's culture, you must first change how the people in your organization think about culture. You must also change how they feel about it. It can be challenging, but it's important to remember that culture constantly evolves (and devolves). Something considered part of your organization's culture 10 years ago won’t necessarily still be considered part of that culture today. It's essential to keep this in mind as you work to cultivate your definition of culture. Culture is constantly changing, and it's up to the leaders to help shape it, nudge it, and influence it in the direction you want it to go.

Assessing Your Organization's Culture

Here are some questions for you to begin assessing your organization's culture:

• Is the leadership team working as a cohesive unit to achieve common goals? Or are they a group of individuals working alone in the same department?
• Do teams effectively celebrate success and work to improve as the company grows?
• Do employees and managers understand and accept responsibility for the value they create together?
• Do employees understand how their role's growth and development occur in the organization?
• Do employees believe they have the support, autonomy, and opportunity to take care of customers?
• Are actions and behaviors acknowledged, recognized, and rewarded?
• Do employees communicate and support one another openly and willingly?

Answering these questions will give you a good indication of whether your organization has a culture that is conducive to innovation. If not, don't despair – there are always ways to improve organizational culture. Need help with creating the ideal culture for your company? Book a call with Wizard of Ads®. We are marketing strategists who help businesses in the home services industry.

A Happy and Healthy Corporate Culture

"I've noticed the easiest companies to skyrocket are those with a healthy and happy corporate culture." — Roy H. Williams

What comes to mind when you hear the term "corporate culture?" Do you think of an employee group passionate about work and enjoy coming into the office daily? Or, do you think of a group of employees who are stressed out and dread going to work each day? If you want your company to be successful, it's crucial to have a corporate culture that is healthy and happy. It only makes sense. Having researched culture for over a decade now, I would add two things to this. When a culture is operating with a thriving mindset, there is a greater sense of confidence. They resonate a positive energy that is both attractive and persuasive. Furthermore, a culture is shaped by what the leaders tolerates. If you hope to have a successful culture, you need to be prepared as leaders to protect and defend the happy, healthy, wealthy culture with your life.

“The CORE Purpose of all outrageously successful leaders is that they protect and defend a happy, healthy, wealthy culture with their lives.” — Ryan Chute

Different Definitions of Culture

Let's talk about culture. What is it? The Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of culture is "the customary beliefs and social forms of a racial, religious or social group. It’s also the material traits of said group." But, culture means different things to different people. For some, culture is about the music they listen to, food, or the language they speak. For others, culture is about their values and traditions. And still, for others, culture is about how they dress or behave in certain situations. So, when we're talking about culture, what exactly are we talking about?

Definition #1

The first definition of culture starts in biology. A petri dish is an apparatus used to study bacteria, other microorganisms, and tissue cells. It can be either transparent or translucent. In biology, a culture is a population of cells or multicellular organisms in which members of the same species maintain close physical association and cooperate in various ways. Do you want to create a culture of success? Follow these steps. Step One: Environment To cultivate bacteria, you need the right environment. That means providing the correct temperature, humidity, and type of airflow. You also need to ensure the surface on which you are growing the culture is clean and free of contaminants. Step Two: Nutrients Bacteria need food to grow. This food is called "culture media." There are many different types of culture media, each designed for producing different types of bacteria. The most common type of cultural media is agar, a gelatinous substance that bacteria can feed on. Step Three: Time Bacteria proliferate, so you don't need to wait long for a culture to develop. However, different types of bacteria have different growth rates. For example, some bacteria double in as little as 20 minutes, while others may take several hours.

Definition #2

The second definition of culture is all about the arts. A cultured person has a deep appreciation for the arts and humanities. They are knowledgeable in many fields, have a great sense of refinement, and engage in intelligent conversations about various topics. Cultivating a culture or an appreciation for the arts can be done in many different ways. One way is to make a concerted effort to visit art galleries, museums, and historical sites. Another way is to seek opportunities to attend live performances, such as concerts, theatre productions and dance recitals. Reading books, watching films, and listening to music are excellent ways to learn more about the arts. You can also expand your cultural horizons.

No matter how it is pursued, cultivating a love for the arts is a rewarding endeavor. It can enrich your life in many different ways. People knowledgeable about the arts tend to be more well-rounded and open-minded. They also often have a greater appreciation for the beauty of the world around them. In addition, those who appreciate the arts are typically more creative and expressive individuals. Pursuing an interest in the arts can also help people to better understand and connect with other cultures. Imagine you're attending a local art show or listening to a new album by a foreign artist. Remember that you're engaging in an activity that has the power to change your perspective and improve your life. Embrace the arts and let them enrich your world.

Definition #3

As one of Roy's friends, Susan Ryan, said, "Culture eats strategy for lunch." That explains the third definition of culture pretty clearly. She means that culture is more important than any strategic plan or goal. Organizations must first understand their culture before they can change it. Culture To change its culture, an organization must first understand the definition of culture. Only then can it begin cultivating a culture in the workplace. It must also be willing to embrace change.

Definition #4

Your company's culture is expressed as the spirit of the group. If you want a strong culture, you need strong values. You also need to reward and celebrate employee practices and behaviors. Otherwise, you're simply putting on a show or perpetuating a farce. As you can see, culture means different things to different people. There is no right or wrong answer. The important thing is taking the time to understand the definition of culture and how each applies to your organization. Only then can you begin to change your culture for the better.

"Anyone can copy your strategy, but no one can copy your culture."

— Roy H. Williams

Branding and Culture

"Branding is nothing more than corporate culture made known." — Roy H. Williams

A company's culture and values are the foundation of its brand. The definition of culture describes how the company does business. It's also how it treats its employees and customers and what kind of products or services it produces. A company's values are reflected in its brand promise, which is the essence of what the company stands for. A company's culture should align with its brand promise; otherwise, the brand will be perceived as inauthentic. To build a strong brand, you must first know how to cultivate a culture or how to improve our culture. If you need help pursuing strong, ideal company culture, book a call with Ryan Chute of Wizard of Ads®. We help businesses in the home services industry with their marketing strategy.

“Culture doesn’t eat strategy for lunch. Culture IS the strategy.” – Ryan Chute

"Ask the wrong question, and you will get the wrong answer." — Roy H. Williams

As a business, one of the most important questions you can ask yourself is, "Who is my customer?" Knowing the answer to, “who is your customer”, is essential to understanding how to sell them your product or service. There are a few different ways to define your customer. The first step is to define your target market. You can do it by looking at age, gender, location, and interests. Once you have a general idea of your target market, start narrowing down your search for who the customer is. One way you can do this is to bring in buyer personas. Buyer personas are based on actual research and data and are fictional figurines of your ideal customers. Use buyer personas to determine your customers’ wants and to help you understand them better. Who is your customer? Look at your competition. See who they target and what kind of clients and customers they attract. That can give you some insights into who your customers might be. Finally, you can also use surveys and customer feedback to get a better understanding of who is your customer. Ask them questions about their needs and wants and see what they say. This information can be invaluable in helping you determine who is your customer. Remember, understanding who is your customer and knowing your customer is essential to selling them your product or service. Take time to do the research, and you'll be able to target your marketing efforts better and attract possible clients. If you can do this, you'll be well on your way to building a successful customer intelligence strategy.

Definition of Customer

Your main customer is the person that buys your product or service. When defining your customer, this one is pretty straightforward and one that most businesses use. However, you need to go beyond this simple definition to craft a top-notch customer intelligence strategy. You must understand what motivates your customers or clients and what they want from a product or service. Clients are motivated by their underlying felt needs. People are further motivated to remove pain and pursue pleasure. These are known as pain and pleasure points. Knowing what motivates your customers can help you create a customer intelligence strategy that resonates with them profoundly. It can also help you identify opportunities to improve your product or service. Understand what motivates your customers and what they're looking for deep down. Then you can start creating products and services that appeal to them. That will help you increase your sales and grow your business. Read that again. What is that? That is Wizard of Ads®. Ryan Chute is a marketing strategist in the home services industry. When you're ready to talk business, book a call.

An Imaginary Customer

Ask any businessperson, "Who is your customer? "They often believe, usually with great clarity, a singular customer profile they've conjured up. It is the person they think about when making business decisions. Often, this person resembles the business owner with shocking similarity. "He’s a 50 year old homeowner with a stay at home wife looking to spend as little money as possible on stuff they don’t want to have to pay for. "The problem with this line of thinking is that it leads to all kinds of weak business choices. It teaches you to think about your products and services in terms of how they appeal to one specific customer. Instead, they should be thinking of how their products and services benefit the broadest range of people possible. We don’t ask business owners, "Who is your customer”? The question should focus on the plural of "customer." It doesn't, though. That's because you're not asking the right question. Ask the businessperson, "Who are your customers?" and you start to get to the right answers. Now the business owner is forced to think about their entire customer base. They must think of them as a group of individuals with specific wants and needs. And that's how it should be! Your customers are not all the same. They have different desires, different budgets, and different levels of knowledge about your product or service. It's your job to determine how to appeal to all of them.

The Average Customer

Now I'm sure you're about to tell me that that 25-year-old single mother is just the average customer. That's not true, either. Your average customer is the composite of all your different customers. In other words, she's an imaginary person who represents your customer base's characteristics.

Dr. Neil Postman

New York University's Dr. Neil Postman wrote this paraphrased piece on the existing biases relating to the questions we ask. "We must keep in mind the story of the statistician. He drowned while trying to wade across a river with an average depth of four feet. That is to say; our culture reveres statistics. And we can never be sure what nonsense will lodge in people's heads. Even the most straightforward question, the question is not, and never can be unbiased. The structure of any question is as devoid of neutrality as its content. The form of a question may ease our way or pose obstacles. Or, when even slightly altered, it may generate antithetical answers. That was in the case of the two priests. Being unsure if it was permissible to smoke and pray simultaneously, they wrote to the Pope for a definitive answer. One priest asked, 'Is it permissible to smoke while praying?' He was told it is not since prayer should focus one's full attention. The other priest asked if it was permissible to pray while smoking. And he was told that it is since it is always proper to pray. "What Dr. Postman means is that the way we frame our questions will determine the answers we get. The message: be careful how you phrase your questions, because that will determine the outcome. When it comes to marketing research, one of the most important questions you can ask is not, "Who is your customer"? Rather, it is, “who are your customers”? It may seem like a subtle difference, but the answer will be fundamentally different. Depending on the response, it will lead to either more of the wrong customers or not enough customers in general. Did you define your customer too narrowly? Then you may be missing out on potential customers who could benefit from your stuff. For example, you sell plumbing repairs to older homeowners. You miss out on younger buyers that live in apartments who will eventually own a home. Did you define your customer too broadly? While this can become an issue with expensive digital marketing, it isn’t a thing with mass media marketing.

“I’ve never met a business owner whose advertising failed because they were reaching the wrong people.” — Roy H. Williams

The best thing you can do when you define your customer is to target them with brilliant copy. Start with universal truths speaking to their underlying felt needs, then narrow it down by speaking to their pain and pleasure points. For example, if you sell lawn care products, a good starting point would be to market to all homeowners in your city. From there, you can narrow it down further. Target homeowners with your copy by speaking about how you save them money, energy, and time. Then speak to them about how their lawn will be admired by all, allowing them to win best lawn in the HOA annual content. Then tell them how you remove the shame of an unkempt lawn, and the guilt of an ever growing honey-do list. The more specific you can be when defining your customer, the easier it will be to market to them.

Loftus & Palmer Experiment

In his 1999 book, "Essentials of Human Memory", Dr. Alan Baddeley reports the Loftus & Palmer experiment. In the experiment, two groups watch two cars collide in a video. Group one was asked, "How fast were the cars going when they smashed into each other?" The answers averaged 40.8 miles per hour (MPH), and the viewers also said they saw broken glass. Group two was asked, "How fast were the cars going when they made contact?" The answers for this group averaged 31.8 MPH, and they did not remember the broken glass.

"Control the question, and you control the mental image it conjures."

— Roy H. Williams

Fishing with a Hook vs. Fishing with a Net

"Proponents of hyper-targeting are quick to say, 'You're using the shotgun approach. I believe in putting the customer in the crosshairs of a rifle.'

But we're not hunting just one customer, are we? Hyper-targeters believe in fishing with a hook. But for best results, I suggest you find a net."

— Roy H. Williams

When putting together your marketing strategy, it's important to consider who your customer is. It seems like a simple concept, but it's one that often gets overcooked. If you don't know who your customer is, you won't be able to market to them effectively. There are two main approaches to marketing: hyper-targeting and mass marketing. Hyper-targeting is when you focus on a particular group of people. You might target people based on age, gender, location, interests or other factors. The idea is by targeting a specific group, you'll be able to reach them more efficiently with your marketing message. On the other hand, mass marketing is trying to reach as many people as you’re able to with your message. It is done through advertising channels such as TV, radio, and billboards. Even if only a tiny percentage of people are interested in what you're selling, it's still far more efficient with the right frequency and message. So which approach should you take? The research tells us that 60% to 70% of your marketing should be focused on telling a compelling story to as many people as you can afford to reach at the right frequency. The remaining 30% to 40% should be spent on sales activation lead generation in the places the majority of your customers are looking for your services. If you are looking for long-term growth and exponential profitable growth, stirring emotions and engaging them when they are not interested in your services is essential. The fundamental dynamics of emotion are built into our emotion, and hyper-targeting simply doesn’t reach the volume of people you need to grow your business. The most important thing is to ensure you're reaching out to your target customer in the most effective way possible. This means you need to get your frequency correct with a powerful message. By understanding who your customer is and tailoring your marketing approach accordingly, you'll be well on your way to exponential success.

Target Customers According to Buying Motives

So, do you really want your business to grow? Then don't target age, education, income, or gender. This is the magic trick, the big reveal: Look at buying motives. Stop asking, "Who is my customer"? Start asking, "Why does my customer buy my product? What do we do for them emotionally"? You could flip a coin or take Roy's advice: "I suggest you find a net." That's the secret sauce to writing awesome ad copy for customers. That's the question that lands the wide net you've been casting. Chances are you're in the home services industry and need help with your brand-building marketing strategy. Great. You're in the right place. Book a call with Ryan Chute of Wizard of Ads® today.

“A brand without trust is just a product.” — David Ogilvy

And products always become commoditized that are easily replaced.