A Rose Might Be a Rose but a Desk by Any Other Name Sells Better

My wife inherited a rather large desk from a former employer many years ago when she was young enough to actually say 'yes' to taking something that big.

When I say big, I mean big. Custom made by Italian craftsmen, this thing could have sailed itself from Italy to New York. When we lived in a Brooklyn brownstone I actually had to cut a section off the end with a circular saw (ouch!) to get it up the stairs and into our apartment. Despite the desk-ectomy it was still gi-normous!

Twenty years later I am trying to sell this beast on Craig's list for what it is - an oversized desk - and there are no takers. For several weeks.

I asked myself, what would I tell one of my clients if they were trying to sell a product and no one was buying...

Time for reframing this puppy. Don't tell 'em what it is, but what it does. What can this thing [insert your product here] do for your customer?

Large Custom Desk becomes Oversized Crafts Work Table - Ideal for crafts, sewing and hobbies.

The e-mails came pouring in and the desk was snapped up by a lucky stained glass hobbyist faster than you could jump up from your pew and throw your money into the collection plate.

Same product - different name - voilà.