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First of all, say hello to Stock Hero Man in our featured image. (Not to be confused with Stock Hero Guy :))
All right, now to our regularly scheduled program (or as this blog may prove these last months, a little irregular.)
Every time we create an ad campaign, a new social post, or something to entice a customer to check our products or services, we’re creating a story for them, a journey. And our set up, the way we position the journey, creates expectations that need to be met, questions that need to be answered, just like in books we read. The first part of any book is the setup – setting the stage, the world, and introducing questions you have to know the answers to.
A good ad funnel weaves a story, from setup to resolution, where your customer can put themselves as the hero.
When you have a product to introduce to new audiences, one of the many things to consider are the roadblocks your audience might encounter along the way in completing that journey. What stops them? What questions will they ask before they Add to Cart? What is your end goal? Is it just one purchase? Is it a new belief? A new understanding?
I thought one of the ads I was served on Twitter a while back from Julian Bakery™ could help illustrate the story of how building the story you set up for your customers from the ad is imperative to success.
Here is the opening scene of my journey with Julian Bakery:
Now I don’t know about you, but that looks pretty yummy. 🍪 That’s one heck of a hook, I think. And as a Type 1 diabetic, I’m always on the hunt for things that are high protein and high flavor but low sugar.
So here’s what I like about this ad:
First : It looks ridiculously delicious. It LOOKS like cookie dough. The product photography is excellent here.
And second, right up front, they give you some info to entice people who wouldn’t buy into this otherwise:
Chocolate Chunk : Cookie Dough : Protein Bar w/20g Egg White Protein, 186 Cal, 1g Sugar (Paleo/Gluten Free/Keto)
So what’s the likely questions you think potential customers might ask next?
Here were the first two I asked:
Does it taste as good as it looks?
How can I get a sample?
When I click on the link, I’m hoping that the landing page will increase my “mmm, yummy, want” reaction and give me an easy way to try the product. The landing page goes right to the product page:
The health benefits are there which is a must for this audience. But the only option here is to purchase 12 bars for $30.00 plus shipping, most likely.
That’s a pretty high ask from someone (in this case, moi), who has never tried the products or the brand before and has no bar set for taste or quality yet. It LOOKS yummy, but I’ve been down that road before. Fool me once and all…
Set My Expectations…and then Give Me a Way to Meet them
There are other senses that need to be involved before I’m going to make that big of an investment. I need to get some measure of this will taste, feel, smell… those are the compelling arguments that are needed to win me over.
But it’s health food, Jeannie.
Hmm. Yes But…. It’s health food made to look like chocolate chip cookie dough and the ad is SHOWING me how tasty this is supposed to be. (And besides. Cookie Dough. Hello. So there.) The journey this product has created from this hook (the original post & image) is : cookie dough taste you (again, moi) can eat.
The ad set the tone. The ad started my path and set expectations for the story that would need to be resolved along the way. The customer funnel is about finishing that journey in the right way. And throughout that funnel, you have to look at what roadblocks your customer might hit and address them.
The landing page should take people to the next step of the journey. The goal here is obviously to order this box of 12. That’s a big ask.
So there are two options at this point:
Find a way to let me sample the goods or
Help me believe I’m going to love them and not regret the purchase.
I’d love to see an option where you can order a sample or request a sample or win a sample, whatever — get me an individual bar to try first, especially at this price point. I’ve tried other protein bars from unknown brands in the store and paid up to $10 for 6. But that’s a more palatable dollar amount to throw away if I don’t like them. At the minimum, the page should list stores where the brand is sold so customers are reminded to look for this brand the next time they go shopping.
Or,
Stir the Senses
If there is no way to help someone know where to find the bar so they can buy just one and try it, then this product page needs some way to bring that taste sense to life if they want to convince a sale to previous non-customers. Perhaps a video that shows people trying it – and talking about how it tastes. We’ll need to taste ourselves or see some social proof that someone else thinks it’s good. With only 9 reviews, there’s not a lot to guide a new prospect to buy.
Taste is a sense that cannot be overlooked or undersold here. Smell — stir the senses to help your customers take that journey from your online ad.
And in the video on the page, the only shot of someone eating it doesn’t show their face:
Really? That seems a little suspicious to me. When TASTE is a sense I definitely need an answer on, I need to see people enjoying it.
I went to look at the comments on Twitter, as well, and it would seem some have the same questions I did:
Only the top handful of replies had comments, and they are mostly one or two word simple replies:
(These are not inspiring human connections, but that’s for another post.)
These replies wouldn’t endear the company to me…and shortly after this one, they stop altogether. Overall, this doesn’t create a journey that builds trust…and if I’m going to trust enough to try a brand new product that I’m not sure will taste great, I need to trust the company at least a little — or feel like they care, like there is a person behind the ad.
How would you fix it?
If this were my ad, I’d build in some sensory options, starting with videos and pictures of people trying the product. Show their faces, show smiles, show real responses. Build in that social proof. Perhaps run a contest that gives away samples, create a reason for people to share enjoying these items on social, maybe have some fun with a scratch and sniff game… there are lots of options to think about, throw out and brainstorm around.
Mostly, when you’re paying money to advertise a product, you want to give that spend the best options for success. This journey has a ways to go.
The health benefits are there which is a must for this audience. 
But the only option here is to purchase 12 bars for $30.00 plus shipping, most likely.
That’s a pretty high ask from someone (in this case, moi), who has never tried the products or the brand before and has no bar set for taste or quality yet. It LOOKS yummy, but I’ve been down that road before. Fool me once and all…
I’d love to see an option where you can order a sample or request a sample or win a sample, whatever — get me an individual bar to try first, especially at this price point. I’ve tried other protein bars from unknown brands in the store and paid up to $10 for 6. But that’s a more palatable dollar amount to throw away if I don’t like them. At the minimum, the page should list stores where the brand is sold so customers are reminded to look for this brand the next time they go shopping.
Or,
Really? That seems a little suspicious to me. When TASTE is a sense I definitely need an answer on, I need to see people enjoying it.
I went to look at the comments on Twitter, as well, and it would seem some have the same questions I did:
Only the top handful of replies had comments, and they are mostly one or two word simple replies:
(These are not inspiring human connections, but that’s for another post.)
These replies wouldn’t endear the company to me…and shortly after this one, they stop altogether. Overall, this doesn’t create a journey that builds trust…and if I’m going to trust enough to try a brand new product that I’m not sure will taste great, I need to trust the company at least a little — or feel like they care, like there is a person behind the ad.
How would you fix it?
If this were my ad, I’d build in some sensory options, starting with videos and pictures of people trying the product. Show their faces, show smiles, show real responses. Build in that social proof. Perhaps run a contest that gives away samples, create a reason for people to share enjoying these items on social, maybe have some fun with a scratch and sniff game… there are lots of options to think about, throw out and brainstorm around.
Mostly, when you’re paying money to advertise a product, you want to give that spend the best options for success. This journey has a ways to go.