Yesterday, I tuned into YouTube and was immediately hit with a commercial that started with, “If you think A, B, and C are great investments, then I’m sorry, but you could not be more wrong.”
Translation? “If you’ve been duped into believing what everyone’s been saying about investing, then you’re clueless, and luckily, I’m here to set you straight.”
I got what they were trying to convey, but instead of piquing my interest, it triggered my defenses. It felt like they were outright calling me stupid, which didn’t exactly endear me to their message.
The kicker? That same ad played before every video I tried to watch. Needless to say, I clicked away from it Every. Single. Time.
This could have been easily avoided if they’d put themselves in the viewer’s shoes. Imagine being told by a stranger that everything you believe is wrong.
A simple tweak like, “Hey, I know so-called experts have said that A, B, and C were once smart investments, but times have changed. The smartest, most profitable choice today is actually XYZ, and here’s why,” could have made all the difference.
Insulting your audience’s intelligence is a surefire way to alienate them. Instead, guide them to a new perspective with respect and understanding.
