(article written February 2005)
I realise that Christmas is probably a long forgotten memory for most of us – in fact everyone I talk to is already looking forward to their summer holidays. But any of you with children (or nieces and nephews as I have) will probably recognise the phase ‘I would like one of those’ as an accompaniment to all the TV adverts for kids’ toys, which bombard us from around October until December It seems all the toy manufacturers know just what to do to create a frenzy of desire for their products.  But what can you learn from this?

 

Maybe you don’t sell products for children – in fact most of you probably have the far more difficult task of selling to businesses – who are certainly more discerning than most 2-15 year olds when it comes to buying decisions.

 

However I think there are some key points all businesses can take from the toy manufacturer and their indoctrination (oh sorry – I mean sales strategy) with children,

 

 

As we all know the TV advertising for Christmas products starts well before we are ready to contemplate the festive season. But that does mean that by the end of November all youngsters exposed to commercial TV, store front displays or even the web will have seen the product they want, will be familiar with what it does, and the older ones will even have established how much it costs and how to go about asking for it.

 

In business there’s a lot to be said for communication activity that makes your target audience aware of your product or service, or indeed your company – even before they are ready to buy.

 

So that might mean advertising in your relevant trade press, it might mean attending networking events where potential clients will gather, or writing comment articles on relevant websites.

 

Having a consistent basic message – your business USP or key benefits – will help with the repetition effect. So that might mean all your literature or adverts carrying the same slogan or strap line, the same colour or design elements being repeated on your website and other materials or even in your elevator/networking speech.

 

And then timing is critical to help you decide when to make your ultimate/ best offer to the prospect base you’ve been communicating with.

 

Secondly – being memorable.

 

It never ceases to amaze me how kids pick up tunes, catch phrases and design. It’s a rare occasion to find a three year old in the UK who doesn’t recognise the big yellow Macdonald’s ‘M’. And believe it or not as adults we are just as susceptible. We might be more conscious about our recognition – and bring with it some views formed by our experience of a product or news reporting about the organisation. But we still respond to recognisable and memorable images, sounds and words.

 

So - make your communications memorable for your target audience. Of course that does mean you need to have a clear idea of what interests them and what will ‘turn them on’. Finally and linked to the memorability factor is getting people to talk about it. In the case of kids it’s great to sit and listen to them talk to each other as they watch or listen to the TV ads for toys. My 4 year old nephew is obsessed (no I don’t think that is too strong a word) with Spiderman and Power Rangers. His ears immediately prick up if he hears a theme tune or music accompanying an ad for these products. He stops what he is doing and gives the TV his full attention and starts to engage in a dialogue with anyone who’s around about what he already has or wants in the Spiderman collection. But then he invites his friend or his 2-year old sister to look and points out things they might be interested in – the pink Power Ranger for example (apparently that’s a girl!)

 

Isn’t this what you want? An advocate for your product – who will sell on your behalf?

 

This needn’t be a pipe dream. A client satisfied with your product and whom you’ve asked to will nearly always recommend you to other people they know, But the critical thing here – is to remember to ask then if they will recommend you. Your clients may need a bit more of a push than a 4-year old but if you get it right you can get them saying ‘I would like on of those’ about whatever it is that you are trying to sell and becoming an advocate for you too.

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