I’ve noticed a couple of times a recent mini infomercial that, to me as a viewer, is completely over-hyped and goes beyond my level of believability.

It’s for a vacuum cleaner called the GaleForce.

At the start of the presentation, they show a user holding a full dust collection bag from another vacuum cleaner. This user is furiously “pumping” the bag to make the dust fly out (something you’d NEVER do yourself!) in an attempt to provide “proof” that a bag-system is an inferior option.

This scene is shot in “sepia” color tone to attempt to associate that dust bag technology with the olden days… so you don’t perceive it as real and alive and part of your normal environment. It’s an NLP method to assist you, subliminally, in not associating experiences to your current environment.

The company then attempts to prove how good their product is by vacuuming things light materials like pet hair out of a drinking glass! What a joke — since when would any vacuum not cope with such a challenge? They also vacuum smarties/M&M’s off a hard surface — again, hardly a challenge and, to me, proof their vacuum is not worth buying.

They then show their “bagless” system is so good by having to completely empty the dust/direct contents of a large container into a kitchen bin — but before the contents start transferring to the bin, they cut off the scene so you can’t see the dust go everywhere!

On a bag-system, the opening in the bag is only as big as the suction tube — and it usually has a small closing flap so you can quickly shut off the opening and prevent dust from escaping.

On the GaleForce, you enjoy no such feature — a gaping huge opening, as big as the vacuum’s main body, which you’d struggle to then contain dust from escaping when it comes time to empty the vac.

Would you prefer dust being held in with just a small opening a few inches wide, or a huge gaping open cylinder that’s probably five times the width?

So, one of the main “features” of the vac is, to me, completely false and in fact a negative — having that bagless option would cause all sorts of dust and mess!

As for the demonstrations of power that are shown, I reckon the cheapest vac could have performed the same job of getting the materials out of the drinking glasses and the loose objects off the hard surface. Neither were a challenge. Perhaps their only upside was the suction power generated against the bowling ball/lounge table — but I’m not convinced other systems couldn’t do that anyway.

So — two of the three main selling points have been shot down in flames.

And the vac is so good… you get a second vac for free. Bonus? Or Burden?

What kind of viewer believes the demonstrations during the informercial? They’re easily picked apart with very little thought — so the “proof” of the product’s power is disintegrated.

Credibility can help persuade a buyer to respond to your message … but it has to be believable. Seeing as the ad keeps on running, there must be a big enough crowd of hungry buyers to keep up the sales.

I don’t expect to ever have this product on my shopping list! I don’t gather I’ll ever be sent a demo model either!

Here’s one thing to keep in mind when you’re devising your multi-step email campaigns.

Timezones.

One of the best ways to learn about effective and current techniques for marketing is to be on the lists of the top marketers! Sign up for their online email lists and even their offline lists if you can. Watch, learn and adapt for your own needs.

Best of all, it’s virtually a free marketing education.

One thing that I have noticed from a couple of recent campaigns is how timezones can affect the impact of your message.

Case in point: just today I’ve had a product offer close with a time-specific deadline — 5pm Eastern Standard Time in the USA.

(That’s a great “urgency” tactic — cutting off an offer at a very specific time, and sticking to your plan, not leaving the offer open!).

But… at 5pm EST it is 7am AEST in Australia — Australian Eastern Standard Time. Speaking for myself, that’s not generally a time of day that I’m online.

So… in this email campaign, there were two “last minute” email reminders… one sent out 8 hours before the deadline, and another 4 hours (“240 minutes”) before the deadline.

For me, the emails arrived at 11:32pm and 3:12am. Both arrived well after I was in bed asleep (around 10:30pm). By the time I saw them, it was 8:25am this morning — nearly 90 minutes after the offer had closed!

In this case, the Australian and New Zealand time zones are probably at the worst point on the clock compared to US EST.

Now that’s not to say that these 2 emails were the only 2 messages I received: I also received a “Only 2 days left” reminder and also the launch email 5 days ago — this was only a 5-day offer.

That means, in this 4-step email sequence, I missed seeing half of the sequence at a suitable time to act on the info as I was tucked away in bed sleeping.

The important issue here is sending out your emails when the majority of your audience will be seeing them. For this case, the number of Australian and New Zealand readers would be far smaller than the number of US readers… although I’d guess there’s still enough of us to be a reasonable market.

Because of the quality and expertise of the marketer involved (copywriting expert Clayton Makepeace), I’m certain he would always be testing that kind of offer, and would actually reach the majority of his list at a suitable time.

How well do you know your list? Are you creating deadlines that make sense to the majority of your list members? What if you knew where your list members lived and could personalise the offer and closing time based on that information?

The only real way to find out would be to ASK them, as even email addresses don’t necessarily reflect where you live. For my mailing lists, I use a gmail.com address — so it doesn’t readily give away that I live in “.au”. And friends of mine in Melbourne use yahoo.co.uk free addresses — and they’re 10 hours ahead of London time.

So, if you want to get that information… a short online survey (and maybe an incentive)… and suddenly you might have more of your list seeing your offer at a time of day when they can respond!

What cannot be commoditized for gift purchase these days?

Yes, plastic surgery via gift card. Need a new nose, mum? Here’s the card you’ll want for Christmas…

I noticed this PR Web press release tonight when surfing online — Rodeo Drive Plastic Surgery in Beverly Hills (the only plastic surgery center on world-famous Rodeo Drive) has unveiled its plastic surgery gift card.

If you read the article you’ll see some excellent writing and persuasion skills in action. Try this sentence:

“While the center has a discreet back entrance for Hollywood celebrities, it also provides procedures to people who never graced a magazine cover.”

Notice Cialdini’s social proof principle in action? Yes, this is the place Hollywood celebrities go to … how’s that for a powerful association. There are plenty of other sentences that also draw on the fact that plastic surgery is mainstream, luxurious, affordable and convenient.

According to the release, “The electronic gift card works for everything from consultations to nonsurgical rejuvenation with Botox and skin fillers to the center’s signature procedures such as tummy tuck, breast augmentation, and Beverly Hills liposculpture. It even can be used to give mom the renowned Rodeo Drive Mommy Makeover as a Mother’s Day gift. Gift card recipients are examined thoroughly to confirm their suitability for procedures.”

I still don’t think this tops Victoria’s Secret’s US$6.5 million diamond encrusted (800 carats) bra (Hearts on Fire Diamond Fantasty Bra) unvieled last Christmas!

Each week I receive the Springwise newsletter, chock full of “new business ideas for entrepreneurial minds.”

One interesting new business idea in this week’s edition is ultra premium organic fruit and veggie juice, available in Singapore from Wild Bunch and Co.

This pic is from the Springwise article, showing the 100% organic juice in rather appealing, sexy bottles.

According to the article:

For SGD 300 (USD 195 / EUR 145) per month, customers get one 250 ml serving per day, made to order and delivered to their home or office, with bottles picked up for recycling.

Wild Bunch is also actively targeting bars, restaurants, event planners and spas. Restaurants are given suggested food pairings: “Try serving our range of green juices such as Iron Maiden and Cabbage Savage with sushi or better still sashimi.” And spas and resorts can offer their customers a One Day Detox Menu by Wild Bunch, a selection of six juices aimed at flushing out toxins and boosting immunity.

That US$195 cost per month, equates to $6.50 per day on a 30-day month, for one 250ml serving. That makes it $26 per litre — nice juice, and nicer juice profits! Great concept!