Written With USA Quality
The term “Made in the USA” suggests better craftsmanship, superior products, and supporting American workers.
Victorian philosopher John Ruskin observed; “There is scarcely anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse, and sell a little more cheaply. The person who buys on price alone is this man's lawful prey.”
Imported goods typically offer lower prices. This strategy of low prices first, quality second, has helped build many third world economies.
This all jumped to mind while reviewing an LA Times ad for Kraus Stairlifts. Stairlifts are mechanized chairs that run on a track up your stairwell. They’re for folks unable to easily negotiate stairs without help.
I usually take stairs two at a time, and typically skip these advertisements. Plus Kraus’ business card-sized ad and non-descript photo wasn’t very compelling. Without a website address, a consumer’s choices were calling or turning the page.
Though tempted to move on, the line “Made in USA Quality” caught my eye and made me ask “What does that really mean?”
My first thought was their products are made overseas. A foreign manufacturer implying they manufacture to American standards would, while technically true, be a weaselly way to appeal to “Buy American” shoppers.
As I greatly respect my bride’s opinion, I asked her thoughts about the ad. Her response: “It’s made somewhere else.”
So much for my being too cynical!
I finally called Kraus’ switchboard to ask where their products are made, only to learn everything’s manufactured in Wisconsin and Florida.
My next question: Why the odd tagline? Why not just say Made in the USA?
All efforts to find me someone to speak with resulted in a disconnected phone line, so we may never know.
My guess is the Kraus marketing folks didn’t follow the KISS axiom (“Keep It Simple, Stupid”). This failure generated unnecessary questions and suspicion where none needed to exist.
This is a lesson worth remembering as you create your own marketing materials in the coming days. Remember that customers are watching everything you do, and that one errant word could be enough to make someone skeptical.
Don’t make your marketing counterproductive. Getting too fancy building the right messaging might make things more complicated than they need to be, and lose you sales in the process.
With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing.
-------------------
Get a free marketing newsletter. www.marketbuilding.com.
