You’re probably familiar with the Geico tagline – “Fifteen minutes can save you 15 percent or more on car insurance” commercial. Have you ever thought of why it’s so effective?
Erik Peterson and Tim Riesterer, in Conversations that Win the Complex Sale, make an interesting observation about it:
- It talks to you, not at you.
- It first addresses your emotional need – minimum time commitment – to increase acceptability
- It focuses on your objective need – people know that insurance is a necessary evil, so why overpay, as you probably would if there’s a middleman who has to spend more time
- It uses specific numbers (e.g., 15) which are more believable than generalizations
- By using the number 15, twice, it increases memorability.
- It simultaneously addresses two needs, not just one: the ability to make your life better (save money) and less stressful (15 minutes)
Think about some of the commercial company taglines – what makes them powerful? Share it with us.