Yes this is a blog written by a couple guys who own a men’s grooming company. But, beyond being Grooming Guys, we also consider ourselves Marketing Guys. And… when we see something that rubs us as “sub-par marketing strategy,” we like to learn from it and even sometimes share it. This is the sharing part.
In our unique business niche over the past year, there’s a growing practice of companies marketing themselves by boasting “what they are not.” This least-common-denominator marketing usually takes the form of some collateral materials or copy saying:
- “This Isn’t Your Dad’s Barbershop”
- “We’re Not A Pretentious Lounge, Club Or Other”
- “There’s No Frilly Women’s Stuff Here.”
- “You Won’t See Any Crests On Our Walls.”
- “Haircuts Won’t Cost You $50″
- “Not The Standard Products & Services”
Such tactics just don’t seem to make sense to us — and not just because they are often attacking Grooming Lounge. The reason such outreach seems silly is that…
NO ONE PATRONIZES A BUSINESS FOR “WHAT THAT BUSINESS IS NOT.”
CONSUMERS PATRONIZE A BUSINESS FOR “WHAT THAT BUSINESS IS AND WHAT VALUE THAT BUSINESS PROVIDES THEM.”
Not totally making sense yet? Here are a few examples from our industry and beyond that should prove the point:
- Would you rather visit a restaurant where “the meatloaf isn’t as dry as the place across the street” or the joint where “the meatloaf is the best in town.”?
- Would you rather get a haircut from a place that’s “not your dad’s barbershop” or a spot that’s “the perfect hair solution for upscale men.”?
- Would you rather buy a battery that “doesn’t run out as fast as their competitor” or one “that lasts and last and lasts.”
- Would you be more inclined to see a movie touted as “not the standard Hollywood action hero flick” or the one that “keeps you on the edge of your seat with rollicking action and humor.”?
If businesses promote what they are actually good at, the results are usually positive for all involved. Spreading the word about what they don’t do or what they’re not…. naahhhhh…. NOT so much.
Greetings. We're Mike and Pirooz and we founded Grooming Lounge more than 10 years ago with the goal of providing men with the ultimate destinations for skin care products, services & advice..