Question

Topic: Copywriting

A Box Story.....

Posted by Anonymous on 2/11/2004 at 10:21 AM ET 250 Points
A few days ago I, off the top of my head, suggested an answer to a question which involved using a box as a prop to portray the need for a USP in a presentation. I've thought about it and this is something i'd like to do at the the next networking lunch i'm going to attend.

At each table i'll have a captive audience of 8 people and i'll be able to talk for 3 minutes. I have small boxes that i'm going to place at each position before the event starts so that the members find the boxes and wonder whats going on.

I'd like advice on how to approach the pitch. I want to spark emotion. should i relate the box to marketing, (i.e. the box seems empty, like mktng you can't see it or touch it) or tell a story about the box or relate it to childhood memories of using boxes as forts and playhouses? at the end of the pitch i want to have shown the value of Mktng in a way that'll be remembered. Using the box as a prop steers away from the usual pitch that no one listens to as they are too busy waiting for their turn. Thank you in advance for any ideas on how to pitch this that get thrown my way.
To continue reading this question and the solution, sign up ... it's free!
SUBSCRIBE
Or, SIGN IN

RESPONSES

  • Posted by ReadCopy on 2/11/2004 at 2:16 PM Member
    Just put $20 or so in the box before you begin.
    Ask them not to open the box, but ask the eight people if the box has a USP! I'm sure you'll some fun answers.

    Ask someone to own the box for the 3 minutes you have and offer them $5 for the box ...

    1. They accept, you take the box, open it and pull out the $20, that was the true USP!
    2. They say no to your offer! Does that means they see or imagine a USP that means it worth more ? Maybe craft a discussion around that!

    Hope that helps
  • Posted by Blaine Wilkerson on 2/12/2004 at 7:16 AM Accepted
    I have 2 ideas:

    1. You could use the box to demostrate why marketing is necessary by asking questions like "What is on your table?" , "What does it do", "What is it's worth?:, is their anything inside?", How do you know?", "Why would you want this?". Then after a few answers, ask them if anyone in the room would pay $XXX for the box based on the purely answers.

    2. Use it a simple prop to describe where effective marketing ideas should come from..."outside the box".

    Good Idea and Good Luck
  • Posted by ReadCopy on 2/12/2004 at 11:16 AM Accepted
    OK, after some further thought on the problem how about this ?

    Get some cards printed up so that they fit in the box in front of you .

    Get eight printed up with the following USP differentiators.

    Price
    Convenience
    Location
    Product quality
    Speed
    Service

    … and any more you want to highlight:

    Then print out some question cards:

    - What client problem do you solve?
    - What would be a client’s perfect product or service in your industry?
    - List five benefits your client receives from your business solutions?
    - Look at two or three of your competitors why are you better than them ?

    The idea is for each of these point to spend a moment to brainstorm some ideas quickly (there may be too many here for your time limit, but you can cut the questions down)

    Circle the words, phases that emphasis the companies USPs

    Thank them, throw all the question cards in the box, and explain that it’s a "USP Toolbox", and leave it with them.
  • Posted by tjh on 2/14/2004 at 2:41 PM Member
    Jett's 1st suggestion above seems on point to me. I scribbled the following for myself as I thought about it.

    Everyone gets a small plain, cheap but undamaged, white box. Ask them what they can tell about the box. Push for quick, instant responses, repeat them as they call them out.

    Quickly pass out a second, more upscale, box, maybe blue or burgandy, but otherwise identical. Possibly to only one person at each table.

    Ask them what they know about that box and which would they prefer. Ask why they prefer it.

    Is it the implied promise of the look of the box? Since it's the only one at the table, and is unique, how many now want it instead?

    etc...

  • Posted on 2/15/2004 at 8:32 AM Accepted
    A former sales colleague used boxes in sales pitches.

    He put a box on the table, where it could be seen.

    Then he made his pitch.

    He never referred to the box.

    People listened - and the longer he spoke without mentioning the box, the more they listened. Everybody wanted to know about the box.

    Depending on the stage of the sale, and the audience, if they asked about the box, he might tell them it was there to keep their attention. Or he might just be evasive.

    You might do the same - and make the point (at the end) the unless it gets people's attention, no marketing will achieve anything.

    hth

    Will Rowan
  • Posted on 2/15/2004 at 3:17 PM Accepted
    Ah, the box.

    The following has been seen and done before, but I just dig it so much that I thought I would suggest it here.

    Why don't you let everyone sit down and then start distributing these boxes with big fancy satin ribbons as though they were gifts. Talk up each recipient of the boxes ("wow, you got the best one" "ooh, you get the red taffeta")...let them choose their boxes if possible.

    Then tell each recipient that the box belongs to them, but he or she can to try to resell that box to another person and therefore will have name their price.

    Have each participant write down how much they would be willing to receive for each box and observe their willingness to change positions in a negotiation.

    Moral: Emotional Value is everything. If we think we own something, we add an emotional value to it and will price it higher than its actual worth (cardboard and cloth).

    Now, will you invite me to your networking lunch? I want the blue box with the polka dot bow.
  • Posted by Blaine Wilkerson on 2/16/2004 at 1:23 AM Member
    To expand on my 1st suggestion and in collaboration with tjh's:

    In order to perhaps illustrate branding and perceived value, maybe you could place "brand names" on the boxes using the actual logos of existing companies or your own ficticious ones.

    Use the exact same box, only with different labels. Make some boxes "generic" (plain with a "Value Box" label in yellow and black lettering) . Then the others can have "premium" labels like "Elite Force" or "Elegant Expressions".

    Perhaps place one of each box on each table and ask the audience to select which one they would be more likely to buy. After they make their selection, ask them why.

    When all is said and done, ask everyone to open the boxes to see what they are actually worth (maybe put a quarter in each one or the actual cost of the box on a piece of paper).

  • Posted by Blaine Wilkerson on 2/16/2004 at 1:45 AM Member
    I just have say I LOVE the idea of just placing a box on the table and never mentioning it. I think that is a great idea!!!

    To expand on that idea....continue to evade any mentioning on the box as suggested above by saying "I'll get to that in just a sec". Then close with asking them open the box to find out what happens when your product doesn't get people's attention....and walk off stage.
  • Posted by ReadCopy on 2/18/2004 at 3:02 AM Member
    I like the idea that Ricky suggests, but most of them are starting to look at the value of what you have and its attributes!
BACK TO TOP

Post a Comment

Related Discussions

Community Info

Top 25 Experts
(Copywriting)