Issue 004: The “S.C.A.R.F.” Method for Creating Better Ads
October 09, 2024 | #004 | Free Version
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The "S.C.A.R.F." Method for Creating Better Ads
Nigel Thomas and his team at Alpha Inbound have developed a 5-step research method called ‘S.C.A.R.F.’ Here’s how to use it to create better ads:
S = Social
C = Competitors
For more insights, read Nigel Thomas’s original post here.
Organically Sell More on Instagram with the "H.O.P." Framework
H = Humble Brags
Share achievements or successes that inspire your audience. It’ll also establish your credibility and authority. Examples of humble brags include:
- Celebrating a business milestone
- Showcasing a successful project
- Highlighting testimonials from satisfied customers
Rotate your humble brags. Don’t post similar stuff all the time.
O = Origin Stories
Talk about your origin. Focus on where you started and how you got to where you are today. Show your audience the progression of your journey and how it relates to what you offer.
Some key things to keep in mind:
- Focus on the parts of your story most relevant to your business and audience
- Discuss challenges or obstacles you overcame
- Show the transformation that took place and how it relates to the transformation you can help your audience achieve
P = Promote your Product or Service
This is where you showcase what you offer and encourage your audience to act. However, avoid hard selling or being overly promotional.
- Share tips, tricks, or insights related to your product or service
- Provide a behind-the-scenes look at your process
- Offer a free resource or tool to help your audience achieve a specific goal
After offering value, add a clear call to action in your caption to guide your audience on how to learn more about your product or service.
For more details, read this article from Social Media Examiner about the H.O.P. framework.
Create a Unique Personal Brand by Combining Your Interests
- It should be specific.
- It should involve topics you are already interested in.
Once you’ve identified a couple of specific interests you’re passionate about, assess their scope. Consider how broad or niche each interest is. The key to a standout personal brand is merging two or more topics to create something unique.
By blending your interests, you’ll create a personal brand that’s not only authentic to you but also sets you apart in your industry.
Book of the Week: Hug Your Haters by Jay Baer
This week, I want to spotlight Hug Your Haters: How to Embrace Complaints and Keep Your Customers by Jay Baer.
In this book, Jay Baer explains how to handle complaints and negative reviews using well-researched case studies from businesses of all types and sizes from around the world.
One thing Baer stresses is the importance of not ignoring complaints on social media.
“As author and consultant Dave Kerpen says, “If a customer calls you on the phone to complain, surely you wouldn’t hang up on them. And not responding in social media is akin to hanging up on them, only worse, because there are actually other people watching and listening.”
“Imagine that every time you called a business, a few dozen other customers were allowed to listen in on the call. Would customer service be different? The concept seems far-fetched, but that’s precisely how public, online interactions in social media and other onstage venues are. Everything online is amplified. Your interaction with customers is amplified. If you choose to not interact, that silence is amplified, too.”
When responding to negative complaints, it’s crucial to respond publicly:
“Remember, online customer service is a spectator sport. Sure, you want to make the hater happy, but the opinions of the onlookers are the bigger prize. Whether you’re in apology mode or responding to a positive comment, if your customer is choosing to interact with you in public, respond in the same way, at least at first. If you respond in private, you are squandering the trust capital gained by being open and transparent in how you handle customer feedback.”
Thanks for reading, until next week!
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