Capture a Prospect’s Imagination

My friend Richard Terry asked me to help him with some marketing copy. He’d heard one of my presentations recently, and he thought he might benefit from my expertise.

We met earlier today, and here’s what I told him…

…Richard, you don’t need my help.

I was honored he asked. I welcome new business. I came to the meeting with an open mind.

Then he handed me a piece of paper with this…

“Accolade Kitchen and Bath, we improve the value of your home and the quality of your life…by designing and installing functional, spacious and luxurious organized living spaces. Our clients hire us to transform their houses into homes by turning their kitchens into gourmet playgrounds…(and bathrooms) into spa-like retreats.”

That’s good.

I asked him about the journey that led him to this you-don’t-need-my-help marketing copy.

“People ask me, ‘What do you do?’” he explained, “I used to reply, ‘I build kitchens and bathrooms, but…”

I’ll take it from here.

Richard builds kitchens and bathrooms, but that’s not what Richard’s customers are buying.

They’re buying a more elegant valuable house. They’re buying comfort. They’re buying luxury. They’re buying elegant meals with family and friends. They’re buying a dream.

“I build kitchens and bathrooms” doesn’t capture it.

“We improve the value of your home and the quality of your life” does — or, at least begins to.

By the way, Richard also builds closets. But that’s not how he puts it. He says he turns closets into “personal sanctuaries.” And, just in case you’re not tracking with him, he prompts you to “Imagine a peaceful, quiet place for everything:

• a place for your pants, shirts blouses.
• sport coats, suits, ties, belts or scarfs
• and imagine an entire wall, designed just for shoe storage.”

That marketing copy is bound to capture a prospect’s imagination.