04 Aug GETTING STARTED: What is “The Betty Factor?”
The Betty Factor?
(Betty Mann, circa 1955)
For more than 20 years I have defined “The Betty Factor” as any marketing communications message, tactic or campaign that is easily understood by an average consumer, such as Betty Mann, my former mother-in-law who passed away in December 2009 (a.k.a., Grandma Betty).
Since the 1940s, advertising agencies have been using the term Unique Selling Proposition to describe that one thing/point/message that uniquely defines the benefits of a product or service. Although similar in concept to Unique Selling Propositions, the purpose behind The Betty Factor is more direct: simplify, simplify, simplify.
The multi-step process behind The Betty Factor first forces marketers and marketing communications professionals to answer such questions as
- What is this product (or technology or service)?
- How (and why) does it work?
- How is it different/better than competing products?
- Who will benefit the most from this product?
- Why should a prospective customer care about this product?
“Through The Betty Factor I strive to produce and deliver the simplest and most direct marketing message(s) possible.”
With such knowledge in hand, a devotee of The Betty Factor approach will then strive to produce and deliver the simplest and most direct marketing message(s) possible that can then be delivered via targeted vehicles and campaign to prospective
- Partners,
- Customers,
- Investors, and
- Employees, as well as
Potential Influencers, including
- Analysts/Researchers (Equity and Non-Equity),
- Journalists,
- Bloggers,
- Elected Officials,
- Appointed Officials,
- Celebrities, and
- Others.
And yes, it’s really that simple.
Hence, a disciple of The Betty Factor principle might initially describe a PFO Closure System as “a small medical device used to close a heart defect” before going into greater detail and definition. [DISCLOSURE: The Coherex PFO Closure System™ was developed by Coherex Medical, a former Politis client.]
Similarly, a Bluetooth headset might be described as “an earphone/speaker combination wirelessly connected to a phone.”
At the end of the day, Betty Factor-directed communications keep the average consumer in mind and do so without condescending or “speaking down” to such prospective customers, partners, investors or employees.
The David Politis Company | Granny Branding: Does Your Grandma Understand What You Do?
Posted at 01:44h, 03 May[…] This event not only served as a learning experience for Betty, but it also became a seminal moment for me in how I would approach Public Relations, Investor Relations, Advertising, Messaging and all aspects of Marketing on a go-forward basis. And for over 20 years I immortalized this moment by calling it The Betty Factor. […]