…relearned.
No blog post yesterday, largely because I lost internet access.
OK, it was partly my fault. I tried updating some drivers and that somehow trashed my modem connection.
Now, as a freelance copywriter and internet marketer, not being connected is a bad thing!
A call to my ISP help desk failed to fix the problem…
…and I was offered the “Premium Support” option.
That is to say, someone would come out to fix the problem.
The good news was that they would be here at 9am today (Monday).
The bad news? There would be a charge of $149.
Now, I’m not completely clueless when it comes to computers and technical issues.
However, while I guessed there was a problem with a driver, the solution wasn’t obvious to me and I didn’t have time to waste.
So, I had no hesitation in booking the call and forking out the $149 (even though part of me said “Ouch”).
This morning the dude turns up on time…
…and the problem is fixed in about 15 minutes.
Yes, it was a driver problem and Gary (the service technician) knew a simple tweak that reconnected my modem almost instantly.
The marketing lesson?
If someone is in “pain” or has a big problem, price is not usually an issue!
One simple copywriting “formula” is…
Problem – Aggravate – Solution
Pain is a big motivator to take action. If it’s bad enough, people will just simply want it fixed…now.
So, if that’s applicable to your market, don’t shrink from using this approach. It works!
Couple of other points to note…
1. The service company (“Gizmo”) provided a guarantee. No fix, no fee. That was definitely reassuring to me.
2. I had to pay up front with my credit card when I booked the call. Of course, up front is when I was “in pain” and more receptive to paying.
3. The solution was straightforward, but it was a “secret” that I didn’t know about. That “secret” meant the company could charge $149 for what was a 30 minute call.
You know, I’ve learned from painful experience that if I’ve got a problem and the solution is not obvious, then it’s cheaper (and quicker) to call in a professional and get the problem fixed.
It might be more satisfying in some ways to “do it yourself”. But that approach has usually resulted in me wasting time and money and then still having to get somebody in.
If it’s anything to do with plumbing, locks or electrical fittings… I don’t usually give it a second thought.
So thanks to Gary and “Gizmo” for fixing the problem. And I got a $149 lesson about computer drivers that may come in handy some time!
(Yeah, I know it would have been cheaper to read one of those computer books in my bookcase and learn about drivers before…that hindsight thing again…)
[…] yesterday’s post “A Painful Marketing Lesson…” I touched on the topic of the knowledge that specialists have that outsiders do […]