Winning The Customer Through Weakness

There is a saying in my country that goes something like this: "A fisherman never says that his fish is bad!" But should he if he wants to make more sales? "Hype" has become a word that many online marketers are shying away from. Yet each person has his or her own definition of what constitutes hype. I just typed in the word "hype" at Answers.com and here are two definitions that the dictionary returned: 1. Exaggerated or extravagant claims made especially in advertising or promotional material: "It is pure hype, a gigantic PR job" 2. Something deliberately misleading; a deception: " [He] says that there isn't any energy crisis at all, that it's all a hype, to maintain outrageous profits for the oil companies" Even from those two definitions we see that one indicates exaggeration which makes up the figure of speech called a hyperbole and the other suggests deliberate deception. I think that most marketers will want to shy away from deceiving their prospects. From that perspective 'hype' will not just be wrong but unethical. But what most people see as 'hype' normally involves a high-pressure direct selling sales letter that uses many superlatives and promises much more than the product or service can deliver. For example, to make the purchaser rich overnight with little effort on their part and instant success and gratification. This style of writing has become so popular on the internet that most people have become immune to such letters. The kind of sales copy that now stands out is the one that is more down-to-earth and shows a human side. By 'human side' I mean openly admitting to the downside or faults of your wares. This of course is a counterintuitive approach. Who wants to admit that they are selling 'faulty' products? In fact, the real purpose of a sales letter is to get a sale not to drive people away. So, if logic and common sense hold true, you should show all the great benefits that your product or service offers. And be silent about the weaknesses. But a big issue especially on the internet is a matter of credibility. And when you are willing to say that your product or service is not the perfect solution then your credibility just shoots through the roof! You become believable and transparent and it shows that you have nothing to hide. In other words, it's when you are weak that you are strong. Those words are taken from the Bible story about Paul who prayed to God to take away his "thorn in the flesh" . His request wasn't granted but instead he was told that he is stronger when he is weaker. You see Paul was such a " perfect" Christian that he needed something to remind him that he was still human. There is something interesting I realize about the American public. They are willing to forgive you of the most serous blunders whether public or private