I want to thank Nick and Jack for helping me make my dreams a reality. I came to them seeking advice for growing my business. Other people in the past have told me that my ideas and dreams for my business were unattainable. Jack and Nick teamed up with me to brand myself and have opened doors that, in the past, were closed. They have opened my mind to see all of the different ways to make my business successful and to take it to the next level. Thanks to them, today, I am in a position to achieve my business goals and am creating financial freedom for my family and my business partners. 
Jack & Nick have brought about more expansion in our business in the past three months than we thought possible. They got us to see the big picture while explaining everything along the way. Jack and Nick took the time to understand our business goals and tailored their approach to us. We wouldn’t trust our company with anyone else!Do your clients think you would wash their kids in your kitchen sink?
What do all of these images have in common? Keep reading and I’ll tell you!
As I was driving into my neighborhood a couple of weeks ago (before I moved into our new house, which is tiring to even think about, and why I didn’t get a chance to send you this sooner!) I saw a sign taped to a stop sign that read:
College Babysitter
555-555-1212*
*(actual number withheld to spare the poor kid)
Now, it doesn’t take more than about 4 seconds to find your own punchline, but if you’re like me, the first thing your mind conjures up, is probably something like one of the above pictures, or this:
No one gave this “well-educated” college kid the first lesson in marketing! You’ve got to make your message CLEAR and it’s a huge mistake for you to leave room in your message for the consumer to come up with their own objections in their mind, before you even get a chance to sell them on your product or service and why you’re the best for the job.
So, while I’m sure it took a lot of effort for this college kid to write out these words without any text messaging abbreviations (like Nd BBsttr? Txt Me), it would have helped to take a few more minutes to type out a message that might actually get someone to call you that is looking for a babysitter instead of a dogsitter. Here would be my suggestion:
Responsible College Student with 3.99 GPA NOW interviewing for babysitting opportunities for the summer.
555-555-1212
Call today, before my schedule fills up for the entire summer!
*Resume and References Available on Request
Isn’t that a little better? It’s not as much copy as I usually like to write (and I didn’t even make the prospects call a recorded hotline to see if they could follow directions!) but it at least makes it a bit more appealing for parents to call the number to check out the opportunity. Once you get them live on the phone, then it’s much easier to get the job.
The lesson here is don’t take shortcuts when trying to get your message out there. Sure, there are times when you only have a few lines of text, but don’t be lazy, analyze every word to see what needs to be there, what gives the wrong impression, and what doesn’t give the prospect enough information to qualify themselves. If you follow these simple steps, you’ll be ahead of 99% of your competition.
September 26th, 2008 at 6:53 am
Good point Nick! Especially in these times of reduced sales opportunities. As the saying goes; “You only get one chance to make a good first impression”. So don’t cut corners and shoot yourself in the foot.
Jeff Lutcza
www.aemortgagenj.com
September 26th, 2008 at 7:02 am
Great use of hysterical pictures to get readers attention. Now I know why you are so great at what you do. Brevity is the soul of wit, according to William Shakespeare and you certainly manage to pack punch into a few words on your babysitter’s ad.
Joanne Quinn-Smith
Dreamweaver Marketing Associates
a.k.a. Techno Granny
September 26th, 2008 at 7:06 am
You had me with your email “do your clients think you would wash their kids in your kitchen sink?” The pictures here are way too funny! Your point is very well taken also. Now I have a question. What drew my attention was the headline of your email. Do you think WAHM in a bio is an issue? Will clients shy away because they think I’ll be washing the baby in the sink while working? (moms are amazing multitaskers though!)
I have 4 daughters and babysitters in the making. I’ll make sure they read this before they put out their signs!
Thanks!
@bestreflections
@newoldmom
September 26th, 2008 at 11:07 am
Tina, like everything else, if you take the time to build the story, and you don’t just say “Work at Home Mom” then you’ll be fine.
if you use it as a way to show that you are grounded, have great values, know how to work hard 24 hours a day :), and are dedicated to nurturing your clients, then I think is a strongsuit!
September 26th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Great point! Great Delivery!
September 27th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
In today’s climate, effective marketing is more important than ever. Brilliant display of poor marketing in the simple babysitter ad (similar to those cheap signs stuck in the ground at every major intersection you read and never call) and how to really grab attention.
Great pictures, Nick. Is the cute tattooed kid “The Don’s” baby boy? He has the signature Trump hair!