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Craig Huey's Marketing Tip of the Month

What's Your Main Theme?

When I think about the common denominators of all of the winning promotions I’ve created, one thing comes to mind: Virtually all of them had a specific, Main Theme that was powerful, precise and productive.

The Main Theme is the “positioning” statement of the entire promotion. The focus. The direction. The “story.”

This essential for direct mail, a marketing web site, ad, TV, radio,
or any media.

Often, when I critique people’s advertising material, I notice that there is no Main Theme. The copy wanders all over the place, leaving prospects unsure about what is being marketing and why it’s in their best interest to buy or to respond.

On the other hand, if you can choose the right Main Theme, and play it up over and over, you will have a much more compelling piece. What’s more, everything will work seamlessly together: from the copy to the graphic to the offer.

Let me give you a few examples of the importance of picking a Main Theme and sticking with it:

“Turn every marketing
dollar into two!”

Giltspur, the nation’s leading designer of custom trade show exhibits, had a new product, GilCor. GilCor was a revolutionary new, lighter-weight material that could cut shipping and set up costs of exhibits booths in half.

So, we came up with the Main Theme of “turning every marketing dollar into two.” This theme was powerfully presented in a 3-D mailing of a box with a crisp one dollar bill and a crisp two dollar bill. Any accompanying letter explained this breakthrough.

The client called this piece, “fantastic,” with response more than double the objectives!

“You stand a 51% chance of being misdiagnosed at a hospital.”

Dr. Bruce West, publisher of Health Alert newsletter, reported on this fact found in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

We realized the Main Theme of being “misdiagnosed” in a typical medical setting was an ideal one to highlight the value of a newsletter that revealed safe, all-natural cure and remedies.

Apparently, the prospects thought so, too, as the promotion we created for Dr. West using this theme more than tripled his subscriber base in four months!

Do your research. Find the right Main Theme. Then play it up for all it’s worth, tying in copy, premiums, and a tone that works with that theme.

For more information, write to us at 21171 S. Western Ave., Suite 260, Torrance, CA 90501. Or you may call us Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm, Pacific time 1-310-212-5727 or reach us by fax 1-310-212-5773. We can also be reached by email at inquire@directmarketingcenter.com.

Now, for more on what Craig Huey can do for you…see the following pages:

The V.I.V.A.™ Marketing System

6 Fundamental Truths That Can Increase Your Bottom Line

The 5 Most Critical Strategies for Direct Marketing Success

Full Service Means Less Headaches, Better Response

A List of Distinguished Clients (and What They Say About CDMG)

A Winning Approach to Client Services