Is Your Donkey In Danger? Sharpen Your Marketing Focus

September, 2023 * Volume III, Number 9

Dear Target Reader,

Guess what! No, you’ll never guess, so I’ll just tell you: It’s the last day of the month, and that means the latest edition of your favorite news-free newsletter, Word Play! is right here in your inbox!

In this edition, we discuss the importance of focusing like a laser on your very best customers, and of not trying to be the one-size-fits-all solution for everyone who can fog a mirror.

Joking aside, THANK YOU for reading, and for making Firewords Creative Copy your go-to source for the words that win and the funny that makes money. I am humbled by your support, and seriously grateful for your business.

Meanwhile, in this edition of Word PLAY…

Is Your Donkey In Danger?
Sharpen Your Marketing Focus

Word PLAY… Playful Monthly Commentary
On Persuasive Copy For YOUR Business

A friend recently (like, 20 minutes ago) reminded me of an old parable which illustrates the importance of focusing your marketing copy on your very-best customers and prospects, even if that’s not what the parable writer thought s/he was illustrating.

It’s the story of an old man, his young grandson, and the family donkey. The three of them were walking along a country road, when they came across a group of customers – er, I mean, people – who loudly criticized the trio.

“How can that old man make that young boy walk the soles off his shoes, when there’s a nice donkey the kid could be riding?”

So Grandpa put the boy up on the donkey, and they walked on.

Soon, they came across another group of people who, like some of your competitors, had nothing better to do. “Look at that selfish boy!” someone in the group cried out. “Making his poor old grandfather walk while he rides that donkey in comfort!”

So Grandpa climbed aboard the donkey, and let his grandson lead them along to the next group, which – you guessed it – found cause to criticize. “That poor donkey!” someone shouted. “Look how tired he is from carrying that man!”

An expert in the group, who was probably once a management consultant, told Grandpa that he and his grandson should be carrying the tired donkey themselves, rather than riding it.

This they tried to do, the two of them, until they came to a high bridge over a deep and fast-flowing river. As you can imagine, an old man and a young boy trying to carry a donkey will naturally find the task quite awkward, and it was on the bridge where the two lost control and the donkey fell off the bridge and plummeted to its certain death.

The point of the story, if any, is this:

If you try to please everyone, you may well end up losing your ass.

So don’t publish marketing copy which seeks to please everyone. You’ll find your competitors doing that – one of the major indicators is that they’re appealing to prospects on the basis of price only, and claiming their products and/or services are just the same as every other company’s.

A professional copywriter will craft text for your website, your newsletter, your brochures, etc. which focuses only on your very best customers and prospects. The people who can appreciate the difference you offer. The folks who will pay you what you’re worth.

And if that copy is at least mildly amusing, your ideal prospects will actually read it, and you’ll find that you’re attracting customers who are fun to work with.

Let Brand X have the bargain-seekers and complainers. After all, they’re marketing to everyone, and they will get just what they deserve.

And you will kick them right in the donkey.

Such Key Take-Aways!  If you can't imagine Take-Aways that could be even more Key, well, you're not alone. But stay tuned for next month's edition, and you might be surprised by the notch-up in Keyness you'll experience!

Send your answers to michael@michaelhume.net… The most creative, inspirational response will be eligible to win a PRIZE! *

(* Prize is at the sole discretion of Michael Hume, his heirs and assigns, and a select committee of donkey bearers.  This month’s top prize may or may not be an actual donkey to practice carrying over bridges, if that’s your thing.  If that’s not your thing, we’ll come up with something else.  Deadline is a concept about as preposterous as carrying a donkey over a bridge.  Offer prohibited where void.  Former management consultants need not apply.  Boring, lackluster, or unimaginative entries have no chance of winning, and may be tossed off a nearby bridge.  Nobody wants to see their entry meet such a dismal fate, so keep it pithy.  Best of luck!)

Last Month’s Grand Prize Winner: Stephan H. of Littleton, Colorado won this month’s prize with an amazingly brief entry the judges simply couldn’t resist.  Call to claim your prize!  Read on, oh reading readers… because next month’s big winner could be YOU.

I write HUME-orous marketing copy for happy clients who take their professions very seriously… but whose customers like and trust them because they don’t take themselves too seriously.  Want more info?  Get in touch…

Call me: 303‑478‑8702

Email me: michael@michaelhume.net

Investigate me: FirewordsMedia.com

Punch me in the face: 195 South Rancho Vista Drive, Pueblo West, CO  81007

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Copyright 2022 by Michael D. Hume, M.S. All rights reserved.
As far as you know, some of the finest people read Word PLAY!
FireWords Creative Copy, 195 South Rancho Vista Drive , Pueblo West, CO 81007, United States

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