Business owners know they NEED to advertise.Business owners who WANT to advertise is a completely different story.
The want goes away when confronted with the myriad of advertising options (should I put my picture on a grocery shopping cart??) and quickly turns to overwhelmed by the head-spinning merry-go-round of deal-swinging ad reps coming in and out the door.
Advertising is no longer an an exciting way to get the word out about your business but, instead, a hassle and hair-pulling fear (I think I blew my Q1 ad budget on that fold-out walking map of Asheville! But, that salesman said new customers would happily walk 30 miles out of town because 10% off caramel apples was an irresistable offer!)
I'm afraid it won't quell your fears when I tell you that 90% of advertising is done wrong. Wrong, because, yes (see above), business owners just don't know how to do it properly. But, hey...it's okay. You excel in throwing pottery, making caramel apples, selling real-estate or fixing cars. No one expected you to get a degree in marketing on the side.
Ok. Breathe. No more fold-out maps. Here we go.....
Advertising is simply this: Getting enough people to know and CARE about your business to make a difference in your bottom line.
Rest easy that this statement does not say getting ALL people to know and care about your business. This is Advertising Mistake #1: Trying to reach more people than the budget will allow. How in the world (with your budget) could you expect to get everyone to know and care about your business? But, (again, phew!) it's OKAY. You don't need to. Advertising Rule #1: Simply concentrate on reaching enough potential new customers to make a difference in your bottom line.
HOW many new customers would make a difference to your bottom line per month? 1? 10? 100? Whatever that # is is, pick a media that is suitable for that goal. If it is only 1 per month, advertising in a small print publication (or your church bulletin) might work fine. If it is 10, a small local radio station will definitely suffice. If it is 100, you will need to invest in a mass media like a large signal radio station or tv.
Ask yourself this....do I want to:
Convince 10% of the population 100% of the way?
OR
Convince 100% of the popluation only 10% of the way?
When you are trying to reach more people than the budget will allow, you go with Option B everytime.
Pay attention here: Getting those 1, 10 or 100 new customers isn't going to happen overnight. Nope, you've got more work to do. After you have made your media selection, it's time to be CONSISTENT. This leads me to Advertising Mistake #2: The desire for instant gratification. Ever made a resolution to lose weight? Did you strap on your tennis shoes, run around your block one time and expect to see a difference on the scale when you got home? Of course not. But, shockingly, this is how many business owners view advertising.
If I had a dime for everytime a business owner said to me, "Yeah, I ran an ad in newspaper, radio, magazine ads, billboards, grocery shopping carts once and got no results", I'd have enough money to pay for Budweiser's next bullfrog campaign.
One ad just aint going to cut it. Sadly, neither is two or three. Just like running around the block once, twice or three times isn't going to make a difference in your waist line, it isn't going to make a difference in your bottom line when it comes to advertising the right way. Advertising Rule #2: Consistency is the key to all succesful advertising. Pick a suitable media and stick with it!
Remember, you are trying to convince 10% of the population 100% of the way. You must take your potential customers (by the hand) over the Marketing Bridge of Unawareness, Awareness, Comprehension, Conviction, Action. This is a process that takes time.
And lastly, Advertising Mistake #3: Not stating what's in it for ME. No....not YOU. Your potential customers. You want people to know AND care about your business, right? So then why do you focus your advertising on yourself, "I've been in business one-hundred and eleventy-one years....wah, wah, wah...."! Uh-oh. Insensitivity alert. Nobody cares. Tell your potential customers what your business means to THEM. Tell them how it helps them, saves them time, makes life easier and better and you will see your advertising results get better. Advertising Rule #3: WIFM...What's in it for ME (your cutomer). Tell your potential customers what your business means to/for them and will see better advertising results.
In summary:
1.Concentrate on reaching enough potential customers to see a difference in your bottom line. Do not try to reach more than the budget will allow.
2. There is no magic dust. Good advertising takes time. Take away that desire for instant gratification.
3. Focus your advertising message on the potential customer. What's in it for them. Not for you.
And there's today's scoop! -Murphy
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