Reframe Flaws to Features (feat. The Beetles)

The Damaging Admission #

“Conceal, don’t feel. Don’t let them know. But now they know…”

The damaging admission, if you will. Where the flaws of an offer are confessed. Especially the flaws which cannot be concealed for long.

Not everyone is gullible enough to believe you’ve never messed up.

Stop trying to hide your faults from the world. Rather, admit them. Learn thy weaknesses. Expose thy flaws. Admit thy limitations.

It feels more human. It builds customer trust.

But don’t stop there. A “blemished offer” has a “reason why” or a “but.” Include it, always.

“Ugly is only skin deep” #

When Volkswagen admitted the Beetle was ugly, they also convinced their audience about not caring about such aesthetics and focused on functionality.

Reframe. Reframe. Reframe. #

Make them see the picture from another angle.

• It’s not a 2-page ebook you’re giving but an all-juice report, no fluff.

• It’s not an incomplete course. It’s a lifetime access course that evolves with you and the network of like-minded people you’d be in.

• The podcast won’t be studio quality because it’s a recorded conference call with the leading experts.

• I’m not a seasoned pro at strategy, only 8 years. I had a fair share of missteps and I’m sharing them here so you don’t repeat the same mistakes.

Reframe the flaws to get to the full feature picture.

Owning the narrative #

It is best to expose your flaws yourself before your customers unearth them and shove them in your face. Or worse, your competition.

P&G’s Scope mouthwash declared war on the leading Listerine with two words: ‘Medicine breath.’ Listerine used this blemish as a weapon with the super successful ‘the taste you hate, twice a day.’

Claiming the unpleasant as your own puts you in charge of the narrative.

It also makes your brand likable.

Exhibiting your brand’s weakness does not make your brand look weak. It makes it confident. It makes it relatable. Marketers should be confident enough in their products and services to use flaws to their advantage.