Essays on the importance of a Key Chain Flashlight

Status
Not open for further replies.

Gransee

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 26, 2001
Messages
4,706
Location
Mesa, AZ. USA
I am thinking of updating our blurb on the website about the Arc-AAA with the bit below. What do you think?

Why a $30 flashlight for your key chain?

A "convenient light"

The key chain sized flashlight is probably one of the most commonly used sizes of flashlight. It is also the most likely to get you out of a jam. Larger flashlights typically require a conscious decision to carry them with you. Whereas a flashlight on your key chain can be forgotten until you suddenly need light in a dark room, on the side of the road, etc.

Sure, there are situations when only a larger and brighter light will do. But usually in those situations, you have time to plan and can select which light to take with you as part of your equipment. Key chain sized lights are for unplanned situations. Situations usually, where just a little light goes a long way.

Of course, you don't have to wear the light on your key chain. You can use a lanyard, holster, clip or just wear it loose in your pocket, etc. Because the light is so small, some people pre-place multiple units in their luggage, car, first aid kit, fuse box, etc. That is fine, but the most important place is on your person and carried in such a way you don't have to remember to always bring it with you. Then it is more likely to be there when you need it most.

There are many key chain sized flashlights to choose from. Some use light bulbs but the newer models use L.E.D.s (see below). Other types of choices are what type of battery to use (lithium, alkaline, coin cells, etc), housing choices (metal, plastic) and other features like waterproof, switch type, etc.

For obvious reasons, if you only buy the best in one type of flashlight, it should be the one you use the most. Frequent use wears flashlights out. They are dropped, dunked, scratched, run over, etc. Also, the cost of owning the flashlight over a 1-year period is a consideration. How many bulbs do you replace? How much do the batteries cost?

Another consideration; how convenient is the flashlight?

- Does it use hard to find batteries that you must drive across town to find?
- Can the batteries be replaced in the dark?
- Do you need special tools to replace the battery? (believe it or not, there are quite a few lights that require tools to change the battery)
- Same questions for the bulb: are they hard to find, easy to change, require tools?
- It the switch hard to use in the dark or with gloves?
- Is the light too big to fit on your key chain?
- If you drop it in a puddle or accidentally take it in the pool, etc, is there any reason to worry?
- How long does the battery last?

The key chain should be the most reliable light you own. This is because it gets the most abuse and it is the light you most often use.

The L.E.D.

What is and L.E.D. and how can it make a flashlight more dependable? Light Emitting Diodes (L.E.D.) are a product of the semiconductor age. Like microchips, they are continuing to get smaller, more powerful and less expensive. Just like the transistor replaced the vacuum tube, the L.E.D. will eventually replace the incandescent in most applications. The technology is just starting to ramp up, so expect to pay a premium on the initial purchase price of the flashlight at this point.

That explains what an L.E.D. is, so what are the advantages? For one, L.E.Ds don't normally burn out or break. A typical manufacturer rating on an LED emitter is 80% output at 100,000 hours. That means if you use your flashlight for 2 hours a day, the LED will still be producing 80% of factory maximum after 137 years. This means no bulb replacements for a while…

Most manufacturers overdrive their LEDs (as does Arc) for brightness. This reduces the LED life in the above example down to about 70 years at 2 hours a day (50,000 hours continuous). The Arc-AAA does not drive as hard as most manufactures and we use a heat sink to keep the LED tempurature to a minimum. Our lights are warrantied for 10 years, including the LED.

Two other advantages to L.E.Ds compared to conventional light bulbs are their resistance to mechanical shock and their efficiency. A light bulb powered flashlight can have its bulb broken by simply dropping it from chest height on the pavement. A good LED flashlight can be hurled at the pavement and suffer only a scratch. With their greater efficiency, L.E.Ds will provide more light from a battery change. This can make the difference of having enough light to see or simply being in the dark.

Battery

What type of battery is best to use? It depends on the intended use! Lithiums provide more power density (more "juice" for a given size and weight), operate better in cold weather and have a longer shelf life. The downside to lithiums is that they are hard to find at your local store and they cost more per watt/hour delivered.

Alkaline offer a better bang for the buck and are easy to find. Furthermore, in a pinch you can scavenge an alkaline out of other equipment to get your flashlight working again. Two of the most common cell sizes are AA and AAA. Typically, those 2 types of cells are more likely to be already in use by equipment around you than any other type of battery.

As for cold weather performance, this is less of an issue for a key chain size flashlight. It is more likely to be in your pocket or other warm area and ready for use. Lithium would be good for a light that you stuff in your glove box and forget for several years until you need it.

Although rechargeables typically run the light at a slightly dimmer level compared to alkaline (the cell voltage is different), they offer the best value. Remember that the shelf life on rechargeables is less. They tend to self-discharge in a matter of months so they require recharging after a while even if they are not used.

The Arc-AAA is the only key chain sized LED flashlight in the world that uses a common AAA cell. All other LED key chain sized flashlights use harder to find and more expensive coin or cylindrical cells. We call those coin cell lights "disposable" because they look great in the package but not as convenient to own for prolonged periods of time.

The nature of a key chain sized flashlight dictates that you will be constantly using the light. This fact in itself is a force multiplier. As a result of constant use, you are more aware of the health of the flashlight. You are less likely to go to use the light and find that the batteries are dead, the inside is corroded, the switch is broken or someone borrowed it and did not put it back. True, you end up using the light more and changing the battery more often, but because it uses an easy to find AAA cell, battery changes are less of an event than they could be.

We have found that a common AAA alkaline will last several months in the Arc-AAA with typical use (about 5 minutes a day). If used continuously, a common AAA cell will last about 5 hours at more than 50% brightness.

Housing

With housings you basically have two choices, plastic or metal. Plastic is lightweight and inexpensive. It also can be molded in to more interesting shapes. Metal is more rugged and is more likely to last a long time. Plastic flashlights will shatter under the same loads that metal flashlights can easily shrug off. Plastic can also be corroded by brake fluid or other common corrosives.

Most metal flashlights save money by using either a painted surface or a "type II" anodize finish. Notice how shiny the once black metal gets after sitting in your pocket with the keys? That is the result of a cheap finish. The best anodize finish is what is called a "Type III" or "HA" finish. It is about 55 on the HRC hardness scale. You can see how a hard finish is especially important for a key chain flashlight because it lives next to other metal objects, which constantly scratch it.

A corrosion resistant coating called, "chemkote" or sometimes called, "clear alodine" can also be applied to the interior of the flashlight. This coat improves electrical conduction to the battery and reduces corrosion caused by humidity, water and most importantly: batteries.

Waterproofing is also important in a key chain light. Probably more so than the light you keep in the house or in the car. Key chain lights get dropped in puddles, commodes, streams, pools, etc. They also are used in rain, washed in the sink, etc.

Regulated versus Un-regulated

What is the advantage to a "regulated" flashlight? Power regulation maintains a more consistent brightness over the life of the battery. Notice how a regular flashlight gradually dims as the battery dies? This is irritating when you need all the light you can get. Most of the battery life in a typical flashlight is spent at noticeably less than maximum brightness.

The Arc-AAA is the first key chain sized flashlight to use a regulator. It is also one of the few flashlights in any size to use a regulator. It is not a perfect regulator, the light will dim somewhat as the battery discharges, but it is definitely an improvement. Side by side comparisons with the Arc-AAA and other popular key chain flashlights shows the Arc maintains a much more consistent and noticeable brightness over the lifetime of the battery.

For example, take a name brand, Lithium powered key chain flashlight. Run it and the Arc for 5 minutes (a typical task length). Notice that even after a minute the lithium light is noticeably dimmer than the Arc-AAA light. As time progresses, the lithium gets dimmer and dimmer while the Arc-AAA maintains almost its full brightness.

Testing by an independent lab showed the Arc-AAA to maintain 80% of its original brightness with a battery that had only 40% remaining capacity (0.9 volts)!

Converter

The Arc-AAA also contains a miniature "DC-DC converter". It is one of a very few number of flashlight designs in the world (of any size) that has a converter circuit. Basically, the converter boosts the battery voltage to help the regulator do its job. As the battery voltage drops, it eventually gets too low for the regulator to do anything with it. The converter allows the circuit to drain the cell almost completely dead.

Remember, conventional flashlights leave you no choice but to throw away "dead" cells that still have 30-40% capacity remaining because their light bulb simply cannot produce any more light from that battery voltage (you get what is called a "death spiral").

Regular L.E.D. flashlights can usually drain the battery as low as our converter can also. But since it is un-regulated, it dims faster than the battery voltage drops. Some slick manufactures have capitalized on this effect by claiming "100 hours", etc of run time for their LED flashlight. Yes, their flashlight will produce 100 hours of light, but the bulk of that run time is at a dim level. For example one "100hr" coin cell model is less than ¼ of the original brightness after only 1 hour. Will the average consumer use their batteries up to the 100th hour? Unlikely- you bought this fancy light for it's brightness so, in the trash the batteries go as soon as they get too dim! More batteries with remaining capacity in the landfills!

A conventional flashlight with a light bulb has even more problems with low voltage. For example, drain an AAA battery down to 0.9 volts in a popular aluminum key chain flashlight (name brand seen everywhere). The flashlight will now only have a faint red glow or none at all. Take the same battery out and place it in the Arc-AAA. You will get enough white light to see your way through a building, read a book, setup your tent, etc. This is a vivid example of the Arc-AAA's converter at work, which you can try on your own.

Summary

There are many manufactures of Key chain flashlights. It is a very popular (and increasing) segment of the flashlight market.

Flashlights come in all different sizes from key chain sized to lantern sized and prices from a few dollars to well over $2500 (HIDs typically). The key chain size light is the most likely to be used on a daily basis and the most likely to get you out of a jam. As a result, more attention should be paid to the selection of which key chain sized light you will carry.

The Arc-AAA:

· No bulb to burn out- uses a rugged LED
· Simple operation- Twist head to turn on or reverse to change battery
· Single AAA cell – no expensive lithium batteries required
· Knurled body for use with gloves
· Fits on key chain, lanyard or in pocket
· 9 LED Colors Available!
· Rated to 10 feet water resistance (independently tested to 50 feet for 10 minutes)
· Type III HA Aluminum in black or natural finish
· Battery management system prevents rattle, high impact related damage, reverse polarity and partial connection
· Chemkoted interior for extra corrosion resistance
· O-ring is oil/gas resistant (free lifetime replacements available)
· 5 hour run time on ordinary alkaline cell
· 10 Year warranty/30-day satisfaction guarantee
· 2.7 inches long by 0.5 inches in diameter
· Weighs 0.75 ounce w/battery
· 20 candela typical output power (white)
· Retail ready blister pack with Duracell AAA, Warranty and UPC included
· Made in USA!
· $28.95 list (all colors except UV, which is $44.95)


Arc Flashlight
2162 W. Osage Ave
Mesa, AZ. 85202
www.arcflashlight.com
[email protected]
(480) 752-8554
(480) 775-1457 (fax)
 

Silviron

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 24, 2001
Messages
2,477
Location
New Mexico, USA
Wow! Peter-

That about covers it all!

Something this long definitely belongs in the FAQs or something though, not on the introductory page.

On the first page, I'd go for something more succinct. LIKE:

Initially as bright as a Photon.
After 4 hours it is brighter than a Photon is after 4 minutes.
Reliable and easy to use.
Uses inexpensive, easy to find battery.
10 Year Guarantee.
"World's Greatest" customer service.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL DETAILS

Or something like that- This is just "off the top of my head".
 

hotfoot

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 2, 2002
Messages
1,164
Location
Can you say, \"Durian\"?
Peter,

In short, I like.....
smile.gif


You certainly made my work easier! May I use this text immediately on my website? Lotsa folks just lose it when they hear the price of an Arc-AAA over here
shocked.gif
tongue.gif


Thanks! This will aid the education process of the great unwashed in general
grin.gif
grin.gif
 

BuddTX

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 27, 2001
Messages
2,521
Location
Houston, TX
Peter,

My thoughts:

I am a flashaholic, and read postings here everyday, but even I skipped reading your ad about 2/3rds of the way down.

I DO think you should keep all of your posting. Don't change a word! After people do decide to consider your light, they are going to want to read and research all about why your light is better than other aaa lights that they might see at Wal-mart for 5.99.

I do think you should have bullets or a summary first, then elaborate. I am writing this at work so I am going to spend about three minutes writing an example of the first lines of your ad:

What I did was equate the necessity of a pocket knife with a pocket flashlight. This would get the attention of a "non-flashoholic", but someone who would use a keychain light. There are a lot of guys that carry pocket knives and you want that market. Notice that I did not single out guys here, but the pocket knife does target itself to the male marketplace (not that women don't carry pocketknives, but it is mostly guys). Now you would also want to key into a female concern also, again without mentioning women. I do not have a specific suggestion for you here, but maybe something like searching for something in the dark, safety, or being prepared for an emergency.

I would often leave my buck knife in my other pants, or shorts or whatever, and when I would go to work, and reach for my knife, I would cuss myself for leaving my knife in my other pants. About 4 or 5 years ago, my Dad gave me a swiss army knife that fit on my keychain, and ever since then, I have never been without my knife. Sure my Buck is stronger and sharper and nicer looking than my Swiss army knife, but I am never without my knife.

OK, another thing, 30$ is not a lot to pay for a pocket knife, so you get people thinking the pocketknife / flashlight companion, the "horror" or purchasing a $30 dollar keychain light goes away. I know that Buck is not the "ultimate" in knife collecting, but for me, for daily use, I really like my Buck, and If I had to replace it, I might look around a little, but would probably get the same make and model, as I really like my Buck.

OK, here is my suggestion:

========================
Why a $30 flashlight for your key chain?

Just like a pocket knife, most people that start carring a pocket sized flashlight use it far more often then they thought they would. And just like a pocket knife, you won't want to be without your "pocket flashlight".

There are other AAA sized lights that sell for less, and there are other LED keychain lights that are available, so why consider this one?

Quite simply because me and my staff took every element of this tiny light (and there are more elements than you might imagine), and perfected it. You will continually be amazed, that, when in total darkness, how much useable, white light this little light produces.

Benifits:
-Very Bright - Brightest light for it's size and power around
-Very White Light - not yellow!
-Even, pure, light - No shadows, or rings, or hot spots
-Constant light - light stays the same brightness (no fading) from begining of battery until the end, where it suddenly drops down into low power mode and gives you time to change the battery
-inexpensive power source - No expensive watch or camera batteries to use, just 1 AAA.
-easy to find batteries - Any store that sells batteries sells AAA batteries!
-Very reliable part 1 - LED bulb will last over 11 years if it were on all the time!
-Very reliable part 2 - Hard Anadozided level 3 aluminum casing, built like a tank!
-Very light - Less than one ounce!

Now you can expand on all the wonderful details.

Quote each "bullet" before your details, so that if someone is satified that the "bulb" won't burn out for 100,000 hours, they can skip to the next part, without haveing to read more about something that they are already sold on.

This is just my opinion. You do what you think is best.

Thanks for asking for our opinion, I hope it helps!
 
D

**DONOTDELETE**

Guest
Pretty informative copy ,Peter.But I think it could be summed up in a nice tidy slogan like:

Arc flashlights rock!!!!

tongue.gif


troy
 

Darell

Flashaholic
Joined
Nov 14, 2001
Messages
18,644
Location
LOCO is more like it.
I don't know about the rest of you guys, but after reading that, I think I'm finally going to buy one of those Arc lights. They sound keen!

It is a good blurb Peter. Not sure where you plan to put it, but it would be best to have it accessible, but hidden, if you know what I mean (don't scare 'em away from the front page!).

There are a couple of simple typos, and I'd make a grammatical change or two, but it is quite good (and thorough!)

I had to read this sentence twice to figure out what you were saying. I think it might just be backwards to how I think:

"For obvious reasons, if you only buy the best in one type of flashlight, it should be the one you use the most"

I think that the light I use the most should be the "best" of its type. The way you've written it says the same thing, but comes from the other direction - the best light of a type should be the one you use most. Just a nit-pick... but anything that makes me re-read the line usually means an improvement could be made.
 

hawkins1965

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Feb 9, 2002
Messages
29
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Silviron:

That about covers it all!

Something this long definitely belongs in the FAQs or something though, not on the introductory page.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I agree on the long part strongly. All the info is important but it may need to be condensed a little.
 

this_is_nascar

Flashaholic
Joined
Mar 29, 2002
Messages
8,330
Location
Gloucester, New Jersey
Peter,

The entire article should definately be posted somewhere on the website, but I'm not neccasarily certain it should be the first thing seen. I think many will not get to the end of it. Take the bullet items and focus on them, then have a "detail" link that a person to go to that has the whole detailed information.
 

flashfan

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
1,301
Location
USA
Just a few thoughts, without actually giving a lot of time to the matter, so for whatever it's worth... I would start with the features listed at the bottom of your narrative, and for each item, add an underlined "more" or "detail," which when clicked, would take the customer to additional information about that specific feature.


"Why Arc AAA?"

(A short testimonial/real life event to "grab" attention.)

"· No bulb to burn out- uses a rugged LED ("more" or "detail" underlined)
· Simple operation- Twist head to turn on or reverse to change battery ("more" or "detail" underlined)
· Single AAA cell – no expensive lithium batteries required ("more" or "detail" underlined), etc. etc.
· Knurled body for use with gloves
· Fits on key chain, lanyard or in pocket
· 9 LED Colors Available!
· Rated to 10 feet water resistance (independently tested to 50 feet for 10 minutes)
· Type III HA Aluminum in black or natural finish
· Battery management system prevents rattle, high impact related damage, reverse polarity and partial connection
· Chemkoted interior for extra corrosion resistance
· O-ring is oil/gas resistant (free lifetime replacements available)
· 5 hour run time on ordinary alkaline cell
· 10 Year warranty/30-day satisfaction guarantee
· 2.7 inches long by 0.5 inches in diameter
· Weighs 0.75 ounce w/battery
· 20 candela typical output power (white)
· Retail ready blister pack with Duracell AAA, Warranty and UPC included
· Made in USA!
· $28.95 list (all colors except UV, which is $44.95)"

The narrative would begin here, with each paragraph titled, so that those interested could read the entire text, or simply "jump" to those areas of interest to them.

Also, don't forget that "a picture is worth a thousand words." To appeal to women, perhaps a "fashion" approach--a pic of the Arc attached to a purse handle or used as a zipper pull, etc. (Especially handy to search through a cavernous bag for that elusive lipstick or car keys, perhaps?) A "safety/security" angle might also be important.

Just off the top of my head...(or off with my head???)
rolleyes.gif
 

BigHonu

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 1, 2002
Messages
1,242
Location
Honolulu, HI
Mr. Gransee,

Good idea to post that narrative somewhere on your site. It helps to reassure the consumer that your product is worth the money.

Maybe posting some pics of ARC AAA vs. Infinity vs. Mag Solitaire?

Aloha
 

Andrew

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Feb 20, 2002
Messages
36
Location
Sunnyvale, CA
I also think that you should have more pictures of the Arc-AAA on the site, for those folks who don't want to visit all of those great LED flashlight review pages.

Your writing does great justice to the Arc-AAA!
 

Luff

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 20, 2001
Messages
313
Location
Oklahoma City
What a great product! Folks here have given you some excellent suggestions. Here's my feeble attempt:

I just have to ask who you are trying to market to? If you are trying to reach flashlight afficiandos like CPF'ers, then your copy is pretty darned good.

If you are trying to broaden your reach into the consumer market (which would be my guess or why else tackle the price point so directly), you might want to consider some tactical and strategic changes to your approach.

If I come off as sounding like a 'know-it-all' or 'full of it' ... well, sorry. I'm hoping there's something in what follows that will help you out and heck, it's free advice (and yeah, I'm probably giving exactly what you're paying for here ... although that's not my intent)!

Advertising 101:

1. Use a photograph to grab the viewer's interest.
2. Use a headline to stimulate the reader's curiosity & make them want to read about the product.
3. Stress the product's benefits to further entice the reader into the copy.
4. Use your copy to explain in detail how the product's features benefit the user and satisfies their needs. A first-person account is often successful (aka Sharper Image approach).
5. Test the concept

Peter, yours is a masterful piece of copy and satisfies #4 very well. Many of the suggestions other's have posted about it are valid and I know you'll give them due consideration.

Here's a little more about each of the 4 points above:

PHOTOGRAPHY:
- To get immediate attention, show your product in action (perhaps a pretty woman, holding a baby, standing next to her mate who's using it to light up a door lock as he inserts a key ... or come up with another pictoral scenario that satisfies your marketing goals better & shows the product in a beneficial light (searching under car seat at night, shining on lug bolts while a tire's being changed in the rain, man in pj's shuffling into the bathroom ... well, ah, maybe not the last one).

- When appropriate within the body copy, use smaller beauty shots of your product in extreme close-up to illustrate the product's features. Your's is a good-looking product ... use it to your advantage.

BULLET POINTS:
- Don't use too many benefits as bullet points ... pick your most important 5. Address additional benefits in the copy.
- Use as few words as possible for each benefit summary

HEADLINE
I'm concerned about the pretext the copy is operating under ... it seems to take on a defensive, or at the very least passive posture when asking the reader "Why a $30 flashlight for your keychain?" Every flashaholic on CPF immediately understands the need to answer that question.

My worry is that an average consumer's first reaction will be "$30 for a flashlight ... no way!" and then simply move on and not get beyond the headline. Even if they do get past the headline, you put yourself in a position where you have to convince them the product is worth the expense.

While I think you do a really good job of supporting your product in your copy, why start off on that footing? It's so much better to let your copy build on the momentum your headline creates.

So, since it is much more effective to start off with a positive statement, maybe you could use something like: "Why you deserve a $30 flashlight on your keychain!" Get the reader involved (you). Involve their self-interest (deserve). You still address the price point up front (which while pre-qualifing the consumer, also suggests there are really good reasons for them to spend that much to have the product).

BuddTX uses a good set of transitional tools in his suggested text that you could build on. A first-person, active voice approach is very effective to sell someone an advanced product that requires explanation. Following that text, you could provide links to your more detailed copy, a complete list of benefits and features, product comparisions (Arc vs. the perceived competition - Photon-like units, Infinity and MiniMag), and testimonials (which, if you asked CPF'ers for, you could probably choose from a few hundred humorous, serious or anecdotal ones).

TESTING
To test ad copy (website or print), you'll be better off finding people who somewhat represent the consumer you are trying to appeal to. Run two, three, or four different layouts by them and get their reaction. Don't use friends or employees because their opinions are biased ... as are ours here in CPF-land. If you have a college in your area, some sociology, marketing or advertising professor can probably help out with some simple testing. You might also want to check with your local mall business office and see if they offer in-mall surveys. Regardless, the idea would be to grab a few folks that fit your consumer profile, get 'em to spend 30 minutes to an hour reviewing the ads and making comments/suggestions and give 'em a flashlight when they're done as their reward/payment.

Good luck. Sorry this became SOOOO long. Phew!
 

prn

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Mar 21, 2002
Messages
36
Location
Muncie, Indiana USA
I have to say that I like the write-up. I think your (Peter's) logic is absolutely impeccable. It really explains exactly why someone like me (to pick an example at random
grin.gif
) would carry an Arc rather than one of the "other" lights in his/her pocket every day.

OTOH, I have to agree with most of the other posters that, while it's perfect for us flashaholics, it is not likely, by itself, to get very far with the sort of people who might actually ask the question at the beginning.

As Mark said, free advice is usually not worth any more than you paid for it, but I think his points are very well taken. You really need to determine just exactly who you are targetting and tailor the copy to them. I think this copy ought to remain intact somewhere, if only because it is very well put together for those of us who might need to answer the question, but as Mark said, your main ad copy might be a lot better aimed in a more positive light (pun intended). Rather than "Why a $30 flashlight" I might push more for "Why you need a good flashlight on your keychain" or something of that sort. Somewhere further into the text, you can point out that $30 is less than $.10 per day over even a single year and that over 10 years (not at all an unreasonable expectation for a light as well built as this one) it is less than a penny a day. Obviously battery cost must be added in, but the Arc uses cheap batteries, so that cost is minimal compared to virtually anything else, even a Mag Solitaire which uses the same batteries. Cost of ownership is actually less for an Arc AAA than for the "competition."

Go for the positive. We who carry Arcs will still have to answer the "why did you spend so much on a flashlight?" question, but your main ad copy should start out with its focus on benefits rather than on defending against the (inaccurate) accusation that "it costs too much."

I'm much too long-winded too, but I hope my comments are worth $0.02.

Paul
 

Gransee

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 26, 2001
Messages
4,706
Location
Mesa, AZ. USA
OK, Here's another one I typed up. I also changed the forum subject line to "essays" because that is what these basically are at this point. Eventually this will be distilled into different marketing vehicles.

Essay #2:


Why you should carry a flashlight on your key chain.


There is a class of flashlights that are the most important flashlight you will own. Because of their size and the way they are carried they are more convenient to use and therefore, more likely to be there when you need them the most.

If the flashlight is sitting at home, it won't do you much good when you are on the side road with a flat, in a building with the power out, looking under or behind equipment, looking for an item dropped on the dark ground, in a darkened bathroom, car trouble or any kind of emergency use.

One idea is to buy a bunch of lights and stage them in areas you normally are- like your car, your garage, work, the bedroom, in your camping gear, etc. But some lights may not be used for a while, and when you do use them, someone may have borrowed it and not put it back or the batteries are dead, or it is just simply lost. Even so, staging can work somewhat if you put a little time and effort into maintaining the system.

A person can also choose to carry any light everywhere they go. Most lights fit in the pocket so it seems a good idea to find the brightest light possible that can be carried with you. This is usually called a, "EDC" or "everyday carry". It is a light that requires a conscious decision to carry it with you everyday. This is another possibility, but it still requires a commitment to a system to make it work.

But just because a light fits in the pocket doesn't make it the most convenient light possible. Placing it in the pocket every morning still requires a conscious thought. Sometimes you may forget or sometimes you will choose to not carry it because you are, "only taking a short trip to the store". Invariably, the one time you forget to bring it, you need it the most.

The most convenient lights are those you don't have to think about bringing with you. That very fact can make all the difference in an emergency. Attaching the light to something else that you normally carry is the key to, "constant availability". Instead of remembering to carry two things, you only have to remember one.

The item most carried outside of the house is your keys. Why is this? Because if you go to far, you usually want to lock the house and take the car. Or at least lock the house and walk. So why you are work, at the store, in the car, at the movies, etc, you usually have your keys with you. There are other items that people carry, but the keys are the most popular.

In order for a light to fit well on a key chain, there is a limit to how big it can be. Too big, and it won't fit in the pocket comfortably, or it gets too heavy or it interferes with the use of the keys, etc. In order for it to work, it has to be convenient, almost invisible in your daily routine. Sure, you can always carry a brighter light than your key chain light, but a dim key chain light is much brighter in an emergency than a 100cp light accidentally left at home!

Of course you do not want to just put any small light on your key chain. The light has to be dependable and easy to service in the field. Life on a key chain is harder for a flashlight than just sitting in a toolbox at home, so here are some questions to ask when selecting a light:

<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>Does it use bulbs that can easily break, are hard to change in the dark or hard to find replacements for?
<LI>Can the battery be replaced in the dark?
<LI>Is it waterproof enough to be ok if you forget about it and jump in the pool? Remember, if it is going to be truly convenient you should not have to baby it. It needs to be tough and take care of itself except for occasional attention.
<LI>If it falls on the pavement and accidentally gets rolled over by your car, will it still work? Or will it be in a million pieces?
<LI>Are your keys going to scratch it up?
<LI>Is the switch reliable?
<LI>Can you find a spare battery in a pinch? Can you use batteries from your pager, PDA, remote control, etc? Can you go to a nearby store and easily find batteries? Again, it shouldn't be a "priss" when it comes to batteries.
[/list]

A well selected key chain flashlight can save your life. It is the most important flashlight purchase that most people will make. Good luck!

Peter Gransee
Arc Flashlight
 

Gransee

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 26, 2001
Messages
4,706
Location
Mesa, AZ. USA
I guess you could say that this light should be the, "key" light in your collection... (tm)

smile.gif


Peter Gransee
 

ledlurker

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 11, 2002
Messages
387
Location
Victoria, Texas -- USA
Essay #2 hits on the right points for advertising purposes. Some people may still balk at the $30 dollar price. How many people here remember when mini-mags were first introduced (late 70's). I can remember the first flashlight I bought was a mini-mag in 1985 and I paid over $20 for then. Now you can get them in the $6 to $10 dollar range with a holster and batteries included. In time, when Gransee can get his supplier/vendor and manufacturing processes streamlined and manufacturing volume increased, the Arc AAA led light could possibly be avaialable on common brick and mortar stores in the $12-$15 range.

Hard anodizing is a difficult process to master. You can have the same mil-spec aluminum but from a different lot and get a completely different color and tinting with the same anodize process.

Peter, I have read in various post over several weeks with your problems with the anodized QC issues. It seems the majority of the problem are on the LS model.

here is my opinion on a possible fix. My assumtion is that you are using standard available round stock aluminum. I also assume that you use 2 different bar stock sizes. One for the flashlight head and one for the battery packs.

Suggestions:
1. try to get both of your bar-stock sizes from the same foundry and/or heat treat lot

2. review you manufacturing process on each pack and head. Could you be doing some machining to fast that could heat the aluminum up to a hight enough temeperature to cause a chemical or grain structure change and affect your anodizing?

3. cleaning, cleaning, cleaning - any possible contaiminates including oils from hand and fingers can screw up your anodizing and alodine processes

4. batch processing - hard to eliminate variations in tinting. that is why many users try to keep all the parts together to be processed at the same time.

I apolize if I sound like I am preaching process control 101. I am pretty sure that you have already might have considered some of these points. I have seen so many companies that preach they are the experts in a certain process, but never train their employees in basic housekeeping rules like cleanliness and process control.
 

ledlurker

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 11, 2002
Messages
387
Location
Victoria, Texas -- USA
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by kogatana:
Maglite mini-mags were introduced in 1984.
smile.gif
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


I stand corrected, again I ASSuMEd that they were introduced at the same time as the D size models.

That is why i wear chocolate covered shoes. So, when I stick my foot in my mouth, it at least taste good.
rolleyes.gif
 

cave dave

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 15, 2001
Messages
3,763
Location
VA
Damn!

I've been carrying a Photon on my keychain and a Arc on a lanyard only when I think I'll need it.
Now Gransee has convinced me it should be on my keychain. I hate having stuff on my keychain! I don't even carry the car lock remote.
 

Roy

Farewell our Curmudgeon Administrator
Joined
Apr 14, 2002
Messages
4,465
Location
Granbury, Tx USA
Essay #2 is great! After reading it I moved my AAA from my left pocket to my keychain! You come across as seeming to not care if a person buys an AAA but that they buy a light for their keychain! Create the need and they will buy!
wink.gif
 

Luff

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 20, 2001
Messages
313
Location
Oklahoma City
The essays might help provide a final rationale for someone who is teetering on the edge of a buying decision, but you really need to use them as support material. The essays don't, by themselves, motivate someone to buy. Make both articles available from links on a main page. You should consider editing them so they aren't so long ... or breaking them up into separate sections so they can be read in 'bites' instead of huge swallows.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>I am thinking of updating our blurb on the website about the Arc-AAA ...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

- You have 9 to 15 words to use in a headline to get a reader's attention.
- You can use up to 5 benefit points as bullets ... more becomes a laundry list that gets skimmed (at best).
- You have one introductory paragraph of approximately 30 words to get your reader interested enough to read more, or you've lost 'em.
- Your initial copy block (including the 1st paragraph) needs to be about 300 words. Less is better; more reduces effectiveness.
- Ask the reader to buy your product now!
- Use tantalizing text lines as links to other pages where you explain in detail the wonderful benefits your product offers (stuff from your essays). Those links can be in a sidebar or as subheads below your text.
- If your readers aren't interested by the time they reach those tantalizing links, they've already moved on anyway. However, if they are a little interested at that point, they will likely read every word you've written and your probability of converting them into a buyer is much better.

I know, Peter, writing these suggestions about how to do it is easy. Actually writing the copy as I've outlined is hard ... and that's why those advertising people who are good at it can make a decent living.

Not much else to tell you, except that I wish you the best.

--Mark
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top