Blogs – In Between Crafted And Cranked Out

Remember the study about motorists noticing billboard ads only when they’re already in the market for that kind of product or service? Well, stuck in traffic the other day, I found myself being an exception to that rule, and, at the same time, proof of how true it is.  I noticed this billboard for the first time after having passed it every day or so for months.  It was an ad for a home building company that was on the billboard, and it contained only four words: Crafted, Not Cranked Out”.  Living proof of the rule is that I’d never noticed the sign before because I’m not in the market for a new home.  On the other hand, as a professional ghost blogger, I’m always interested in great word tidbits, and this billboard sure qualified.

We’re all used to alliteration in slogans, meaning repeated sounds.  This one used a C in crafted and cranked.  But what makes for a great word tidbit is capturing, in just a couple of words, a number of ideas and then delivering those in an impactful way. These homes, I instantly understood, were carefully and lovingly devised by skilled artisans to be different and unique, in contrast to the other guys’ homes that were just cranked out cookie-cutter style. (Remember, I’m getting all this from just four little words!)

I reflected that business blogs and word tidbits are a match made in marketing heaven.  Unlike brochures, client newsletters, E-zines (online magazines) and websites, blogs are short and concise, just whetting customers’ appetite. Blogs are more casual and conversational than other marketing pieces.  Don’t get me wrong – good blogs are devised with care (poor grammar and spelling or incorrect information would give readers a bad impression of the business), but they strike a happy medium. In fact, the best blogs aren’t either crafted or cranked out, just comfortably in between!.