| With so many different programs, and reruns
and re-packaging of older programs, we can assume there are few people on the planet who
do not know about Bob Vila. Starting with the original "This Ol' House" programs
on PBS in 1979, Bob Vila and his empire, have grown into a major force in the Home
Improvement Television genre.
The professional salesperson can learn a whole lot more
from Bob Vila than how to screet concrete or put mud on the drywall.
Bob Vila is a study in brand awareness. Bob is the brand.
The challenge was getting people to recognize, and ultimately respect Bob Vila, as THE
home improvement expert. Whatever he did before that first TV program is inconsequential
as is whether or not he can saw a board of drive a nail (something he does verl little of
on his show).
Bob Vila has become a household name. Brand awareness to
the highest degree. This didn't happen by accident, but by clever design. The design
element continues today, every time you see him on the tube. How did he do it? Simple, all
he did was tell all the people on TV to call him by name, over and over. A lot like
subliminal advertising. You don't realize you are getting the message. A typical segment
of any of his programs, past or present, might go like this:
Bob: Today on our show, Fred Murtz is going to show us how
to cut a board with a handsaw. Welcome to our show Fred.
Fred: Thanks, Bob, glad to be here.
Bob: You've been cutting boards for a long time
Fred: I sure have Bob. I got my first hand saw at age
seven, from my grandpa. I brought several saws to show you, Bob.
Bob: Show us how to use that saw (pointing)
Fred: That is a crosscut saw, Bob. It is the mainstay in
most basic construction. Bob, this is the easiest of all saws to use. You hold it like
this, Bob. And when you begin the movement up and down, you put your index finger along
the side here, can you see that, Bob? That's how you cut straighter Bob, with that little
finger pointing the way. (and so on.) catching on?
Everyone Bob talks with uses his name repeatedly. If you
look at it apart from the program, you can see that people don't really talk that way.
Could all his guests be instructed to use his name in every sentence possible? Bob never
uses their name after the introduction until the end bit when he thanks the guest, by
name.
So who's name do we hear, hundreds of times in a program?
Bob Vila! It didn't take long for him to be recognized as consummate hammer and nails
guru. Better yet, he doesn't do any of the work on his shows, he just gets people to use
his name while they do it all.
How does this relate to advertising and sales you ask?
Easy, you can use the Bob Vila approach on your customers. Use their name at every
opportunity. Practice until you can use it in every third sentence. It will create an
instant rapport. The more you can use the customer's name, the more you can build trust
and confidence with that person.
Think about the many times you have watched Bob on TV and
not noticed how the guests use his name over and over. The majority of people don't see it
until someone (like me in this article) points it out. Most folks never see the hidden
meaning there, or recognize the unusual sentence structure. You can use name-infected
sentences in any conversation, to your advantage, every time. They work, beautifully. And
they never offend ("Hey, Fred, would you mind not using my name so much, I'm sorta
sensitive!").
The next time you talk with a customer, remember what Bob
Vila did and you, too, can be the most respected person in your field.
©2006 BIG Mike McDaniel, Small Business Advertising
Expert, all rights reserved. |
