The Pink Bra Dilemma – turning off potential customers

The Pink Bra Dilema
The Pink Bra Dilemma

Turning Off Potential Customers

After all, you invest lots of time and effort in creating and marketing products to potential customers. You even have a sales track record proving customers do want what you have to offer.

But, when you look at your analytics, there are more log-on clicks than buy button sales.

Maybe you think they are not your intended audience or ready to be members of your tribe. Or, maybe they’re potential customers you’re unintentionally turning off.

So, how do you get their finger closer to the buy button?

#1 Marketing Copy

Marketing copy is more than an eye-catching title, persuasive language patterns, a list of compelling benefits and glowing testimonials.  

The best of the best copywriters will tell you that the essence of good copywriting includes coherence and authenticity.

Coherence brings clarity and persuasion by consistently connecting particular words, phrases, and images to key ideas.

Authenticity is that inherent honest, persuasive voice that conveys belief, passion, and enthusiasm.

#2 Marketing Strategy

Coherence and authenticity need to be present in the marketing copy, throughout the sales funnel, and in the final product.

If at any point a potential customer suspects there’s a mismatch to coherence or authenticity, it becomes a lot easier to just click “delete.

The Pink Bra Dilemma and Potential Customers

Like you, I get more than my fair share of emails after signing up for a free webinar. Some time ago, I was enticed by a free 300-page e-book by respected marketer Ben Angel.

However, the title, Sleeping Your Way to the Top in Business – the ultimate guide to attracting and seducing more customers, was an unexpected turn-off. Frankly, I wasn’t expecting marketing info to be packaged in such a titillating manner.

Before I go further, I want to clarify that Ben is a highly respected marketer, and I recommend checking out his Amazonfeatured books Click – the new science of influence and Flee 9 to 5 Get 6-7 Figures and Do What You Love

His free offer with a title and cover image sends a confusing message to potential customers, like me.

We all know that sex sells.

Sleeping Your Way to the Top in Business is a clever eye-catching title reinforced by an image of a pink bra in flight on a contrasting black background.

However, when marketing to potential customers, titles and images can have unintended consequences. It’s what I call The Pink Bra Dilemma.

Some potential customers may see it as sexism, others may think it’s an out-dated (so old school Playboy) ploy and still, others may be confused and find themselves asking …

Have I mistakenly fallen into the men’s only marketing arena?

Is this for women marketers where they’ll find secret, updated persuasion techniques gleaned from Hollywood casting couches or corporate hide-away beds?

Or, does the cover image of a pink bra in flight infer a marketing manual for the lingerie trade?

Despite the fact that this e-book contains good marketing information, there’s an obvious dilemma. 

First, there’s a coherence disconnect between content and provocative title and image.

Second, there’s an authenticity disconnect when your Amazon profile reads “…Australia’s leading personal branding, lifestyle, and marketing authority.” How many potential customers are lost by the messaging?

In today's market, every potential customer counts. Click To Tweet

Potential customers have lots of options, and they want to be able to like and trust you on a deeper level. They’re looking for your product to be coherent and authentic. If they don’t find, they’re free to move on and click someone else’s buy button.

Recommendation For Avoiding The Pink Bra Dilemma

  1. Make coherence and authenticity key elements in everything you do online
  2. Recheck your marketing strategy and materials for coherence and authenticity
  3. Make sure words, phrases and images don’t send unintended meanings
  4. Take the time to find your own authentic voice as a marketer and leverage its use

Have you been turned off by the way a product offer has been made? Please share your story so we all can learn and become better marketers.

Note: This post was originally published in 2015. I’ve updated it by editing for greater clarity. I thought it would be a good idea to revisit this topic in light of current events and changing attitudes. I like to believe we have become more sensitive to media messages but the vast network of social media still leaves a lot open to interpretation. While this may be an extreme example, it’s intended to raise awareness of what can turn potential customers off. 

Photo Credit: annhang99 LB 122-Pink, Creative Commons 2.0