Skip to main content

Sound Advice: March 12, 2025

“If You Qualify . . . “ 

That’s one of the key phrases regularly used in commercials now heard on radio or seen on TV.  It’s neck and neck with “you deserve”, “you owe it to yourself”, and a handful of other silly word hooks intended to convince folks that there’s either an element of exclusivity involved or you are overlooking a benefit that you are entitled to.  Typically, the answer to the question about qualification depends on whether or not you are currently breathing, definitely a high bar for some people.  If you can hear the commercial, you qualify. 

Advertising specialists are always on the lookout for phrases that will tempt the public.  By suggesting that whatever they’re hawking is not available to everyone tends to deliver a stronger appeal.  That’s much the same as trying to get a reservation in a restaurant that’s hard to get into.  Not everyone can get in, so there must be something worthwhile.  Or so they would have you believe.

Commercials often use the phrase "if you qualify" to entice potential customers by suggesting that they might be eligible for special benefits, discounts or services. This strategy serves several purposes:

  1. Encourages Engagement: By implying that viewers might qualify for something exclusive, commercials encourage people to engage further, such as calling a number or visiting a website. This increases the likelihood of converting viewers into customers.
  2. Creates Hope and Interest: The phrase "if you qualify" creates a sense of possibility and hope, making viewers more interested in learning more about the offer. It can make the product or service seem more appealing by suggesting that it is exclusive or limited to those who meet certain criteria.
  3. Avoids False Promises: Using "if you qualify" allows advertisers to avoid making promises they cannot keep. It sets a condition that must be met before the benefits can be claimed, which helps protect the advertiser from potential legal issues related to false advertising.
  4. Targets Specific Audiences: The phrase can be used to target specific demographics or groups that are more likely to qualify for the advertised benefits. For example, Medicare commercials might target seniors who could qualify for certain plans or subsidies.

“If you qualify" is a marketing tactic that aims to engage listeners and viewers, create interest, and manage expectations while avoiding legal issues related to advertising claims.

N. Russell Wayne

Weston, CT  06883

203-895-8877

www.soundasset.blogspot.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sound Advice: January 3, 2025

2025 Market Forecasts: Stupidity Taken To An Extreme   If you know anything about stock market performance, you can only gag at the nonsense “esteemed forecasters” are now putting forth about the prospective path of stocks in the year ahead.   Our cousins in the UK would call this rubbish.   I would not be as kind. Leading the Ship of Fools is the forecast from the Chief Investment Strategist at Oppenheimer who is looking for a year-end 2025 level for the Standard & Poor’s Index of 7,100, a whopping 21% increase from the most recent standing.   Indeed, most of these folks are looking for double-digit gains.   Only two expect stocks to weaken. In the last 30 years, the market has risen by more than 20% only 15 times.   The exceptional span during that time was 1996-1999, which accounted for four of those jumps.   What followed in 2000 through 2002 was the polar opposite: 2000:      -9.1% 2001:     -11.9% ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sound Advice: March 10, 2021

The ABCs of Stock Picking After decades of analyzing stocks (and funds) and investing for clients, I'm happy to share in plain English what's involved, what works, and what doesn't.  Keep in mind the reality that successful stock picking is an effort to maintain a good batting average. In baseball, a batting average of .300 or better is considered quite good.  With stock picking, you need to do better than .600, which means you have many more winners than losers. No one gets it right all of the time.  It's not even close.  Wall Street shops all have their recommended lists and the financial media regularly hawk 10 stocks to buy now. Following that road usually is a direct route to disaster.  Don't be tempted. Let's begin with the big picture: The stock market goes up and down over time, but the long-term trend is up.  When there's a rally under way, everyone feels like a genius.  When the market hits an air pocket, though, with few exception...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sound Advice: June 17, 2020

Rock and a Hard Place Regardless of your age, impressions from childhood linger.  As the first days of summer approach, we all remember the feeling that accompanied the end of a school year.  Yet as much as many of us would like to believe we again have the summertime freedom to do as we wish, the reality is quite the opposite. Although months of confinement and limitations on social interaction have increased our personal discomfort and severely impacted the business community, our current situation is not analogous to the end of any school year.  It’s quite the opposite. There is every reason to continue wearing face masks, social distancing, and avoiding close contact with others.  Nothing suggests that we can modify our behavior significantly or resume patterns of daily living we enjoyed only a few months ago. There are no meaningful advances in medical treatments.  At best, there are attempts to combine different approaches...
Post a Comment
Read more