In the 1980s, there was a commercial campaign for a candy breath mint called Certs. Their tagline was: “Certs, with a glistening drop of Retsyn.” The unique selling point was that Certs, one of many candy breath mints on the market, was superior to all other mints because of this “Retsyn.” We didn’t know what Retsyn was, the makers of Certs didn’t tell us what Retsyn was, nor what exactly it did. But we wanted it. Why?
Marketing is storytelling, and “Retsyn” is a story in a single word.
“Red Bull gives you wings.” “Snickers satisfies.” “Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.” You, the consumer, not only tell yourself a story about that brand, you also feel like you can be part of the story.
Today’s consumers are savvy and voracious. For a century we have feasted on print and billboard ads, spat out pop-up-ads, and we are now all at-home chefs preparing the potluck marketing dishes of social media.
Our websites, Tweets, blog posts, and even our everyday emails, each tell a story that builds our brands. The same goes for print ads, brochures, and newsletters. No matter what your profession, product, or service is, your story should make prospects and customers feel that you are special enough that they want to be a part of your story. That intangible specialness is your Retsyn.
What is your story? With the customer experience in mind, start by asking yourself what is your “who, what, when, where, why, and how.” Then ask a mentor and trusted colleagues to answer the same questions about you and your product or service. Your story will emerge, and everything you write should tell that story.
Find and tell your story. Make them want your Retsyn.
By:Terra Osterling
Terra Osterling is a member of Rochester Women’s Network and principal at Sudden Write Turn Freelance Writing. www.suddenwriteturn.com.