Try This: Hammacher Schlemmer – "The" Voice of Authority

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Hammacher Schlemmer has perfected the art of sounding like an authority. Here’s how to use their techniques in your wellness business:

Let’s look at how they create the impression that they’ve searched every corner of the world to bring you a carefully curated selection of the finest tools and gadgets.

1) First, every product is described as “THE” best of its kind.

THE  Healthiest Deep Fat Fryer. THE VHS to DVD Converter. THE iPhone Photo printer. Most copywriters would just say “VHS to DVD” or “Healthy Deep Fat Fryer” or “iPhone Photo Printer. But describing each product as “THE” suggests that it’s the only one available – or at least, the only one worth thinking about.

2) Most Hammecher-Schlemmer product descriptions begin with the phrase “This is the…”

Notice here that “This is the device that automatically chops vegetables and simmers broth…”

Oh, THAT device!

(And notice Tip #1 in action again – every product suggestion at the bottom of  the individual product page is “the” best of its kind.)

3) Finally, they completely reposition products so you see them through fresh eyes

That product above looks a lot like a blender, doesn’t it?

But “blender” is ordinary, with commonplace abilities – it makes smoothies, maybe a milkshake. You certainly wouldn’t expect it to be able to chop veggies and make hot soup right in the container – no extra dirty dishes or dirty knives or cutting boards.

They overcome the problem of preconceptions by simply not calling it a blender – and giving it a new product name that completely repositions the ordinary blender!

I see plenty of opportunity for wellness businesses to use the same strategies:

“This is the weight management program that’s based on…”

Or perhaps:

“The 30-Minute Reenergize Workout” instead of “30-minute circuit training workout.”