How to Use Consumer Reports To Write Advertisements

Image above by Markus Spiske at Unsplash.

You may believe that an advertisement needs “hooks” and a call to action. They do, but there has to be more than that. You may also believe that particular software is going to help you sell a product.

However, what your product advertisement really needs to do is outline the the needs of the customer. Then you simply tell the truth about what the product does.

Consumer Reports

A good way to remind yourself what customers want in a product is to read consumer reports on that particular line of products.

For instance, if we look at Consumer Reports magazine reviews on refrigerators, we can see that customers want the following things from a a refrigerator:

1. Energy efficient operation. Sometimes revealed through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star label (which depends on whether the company actually follows the guidelines).

2. Storage. Does the refrigerator conceal or make it more easy to find food?

3. Measurements. Does the company have a model size that fits a broad range of kitchens?

4. Design. Does the refrigerator come in different colors, like white or stainless steel?

5. Features. Some people care about features, while others believe that too many features are undesirable. For decades, one of the most popular features on a regrigerator has been the ice-making machine. People like refrigerators that automatically make ice cubes. One common complaint is that ice cubes have an odor. Does the refrigerator have a dual evaporator? If so, then this can be emphasized as a benefit, that the ice cubes will not have an unpleasant taste. And remember, more features sometimes make the appliance to be less eco friendly, and energy efficient, meaning higher energy bills.

6. Ease of use. Is the appliance ready to plug in and use, or does it require registration and WiFi connectivity? Despite what happens with technology, people always want appliances that are easy to use out of the package. Remember that they are buying a refrigerator and not a mobile phone. They don’t want to go through setup menus on an LCD screen. They want to plug it in and have a new place for their food.

See, we use this idea of refrigerators to learn that you can apply this understanding to virtually any advertisement for any product, and not merely refrigerators.

Buyers want the following things from products and services:

1. Benefits. Obviously, there needs to be a reason to buy the product. Benefits are things that improve the life of the buyer. Does the product make things easier, and does it do what it is supposed to do? Does it perform in ways that are better or differently from other competitors.

2. Honesty. Tell the truth about the product or service, and what it does. Remember that people want desirable traits in products and services. Does the product have longevity, or is it something that people will have to replace a month later? Does the product or service really respect and encourage privacy of the buyer? Does it fulfill the promise of the advertisement? Is it eco friendly? What do the reviews say? If the product or service doesn’t match up with what the people want, maybe it isn’t time to write an ad. Maybe it’s time to go back to the product development and refine the features.

3. Social Proof. Any positive reviews can be used to sell the product, and should be used if they are in alignment with the truth conditions on the facts of the product.

Key Points

First, you have to remember the following things:

1. Consumer reports can be a great way to understand the product and what people want using reviews, and reports.

2. The consumer reports can be a way to compare products with competitors to see what other competitors have that is better or lacking.

3. The positive information, like benefits and features about your product should be truthful.

4. Look at the features and understand whether all the features are necessarily desirable for buyers. Emphasize the features that are the most important first.