It Better Work!

I am in media sales. I know. I could tell you I sell “certain ruin” and evoke warmer feelings. Advertising, in general, has a bad reputation. This is because most people, in general, don't like the feeling of "disappointment". Believe it or not, there are media reps who do not set client expectations correctly. It is easy to make a sale when you promise that what you are selling will work. I can’t promise you that. I can promise that if you follow my recommendation of frequency, consistency and a strong message, what I’m selling has a good chance to work. And, that it will work a lot better if you do it than if you don’t. Any media rep who tells you otherwise, is just trying to…well…sell you something.

I sell radio (insert sound of business owners running and screaming away here). I know. Sadly, radio is a misunderstood (and often misused) medium. It reaches hundreds of thousands of people every day when other mediums just can’t: in the car, at work, during leisure time. It has amazing powers of implantation. Sound (how you learned your ABC’s or know that boloney is spelled B-O-L-O-G-N-A) is the most powerful tool you can use to teach potential customers about your business and to remember your name. But, because it is often used incorrectly, many businesses say “it doesn’t work” or, even that “It better work”...because they just don't understand HOW it does.

But. If I told you it always did…I would just be trying to…well…sell you something.

Please repeat after me: No matter how many it reaches, no advertising medium will make people buy or need your product or service. You heard me. Any media rep who tells you differently, is...you guessed it. There is no ad in the world that will make people come into your store, call you or go to your website.…unless they need to. Triggering events make people come into your store, call you or go to your website. I’m pretty good, but, I can not make someone buy a car, a house or life insurance from you. If I could, I would be very rich and would probably no longer need to be in media sales.

Again, with the repeat after me. Here we go. The goal of advertising is: To put a compelling message into the market in the hopes that your prospective customer remembers you and can find you when they need what you sell.

If I had a nickel for every time I heard: “We are going to conduct a poll, use a different website, call to action or offer in each of our media to see which one is working best”, I would, yep, no longer need to be in media sales. Please forgive me…but, that is, and how do I say this nicely? Redonkulous. There’s no such word as redonkulous? There’s also no such thing as a customer who remembers HOW they heard about you. Unless you are only advertising in ONE place. If you are advertising in multiple media, you are going to confuse the hoozle out of your prospective clients. No one consumes just ONE medium. Do not put conflicting messages and/or offers into the marketplace. You want to make sales, don’t you?

Keep in mind that your customers are bombarded (yes, bombarded!) with over 5,000 ad messages per day. Not to mention the emails, text message, phone calls that they have to remember. How the freakin-frutter can they remember if they heard about you on a billboard, a radio ad or a saw your name on a pen at the bank? I know you want to know the money you are spending on your advertising is not wasted. But, instead of spending precious resources figuring out which medium is working (which, by the way, every medium has an audience or it would not exist), spend time crafting a strong message and advertise with frequency and consistency in the ones you choose.

Do you know each medium you use serves a different purpose and that certain mediums actually get the credit for the heavy lifting of others? Here is a scenario to demonstrate that:

You sell houses (a high dollar item with a long product cycle). You have invested in: radio ads, print ads, a website and street signage.

Suzy Homemaker is not in the market for a house but hears about your company on her favorite radio station every day. She hears a compelling emotional message about "community" and “views that go for miles”. Suzy has no idea that your message impacts her because she is not currently in the market for your product. Still, you speak to Suzy every single day for 2 years. One day, Suzy and her husband get a divorce (TRIGGERING EVENT!). Suzy needs a new home. Not only does Suzy need a home, she needs one that makes her feel comfortable and safe…in a community. She could also use some sweeping mountain views to lift her spirits. One day, at her favorite deli for lunch, Suzy picks up a Homes and Land magazine and pages through it while munching a pickle. She sees your company’s listing. For reasons she doesn’t quite understand, she feels good about your company. She dog ears the page. Once she gets back to the office, however, she forgets about the magazine, and your ad, and it eventually goes in the trash. Late one night, a few weeks later, Suzy Googles “new homes in Asheville”. She scrolls through a few listings, clicks on your link and spends a few minutes browsing. That weekend, Suzy goes for a drive and comes across your directional billboard. Again, for reasons she does not understand, she feels good about your business and decides to follow the sign. When she comes to your road sign (which says: “Community Living and Sweeping Mountain Views”), she is convicted and makes the final decision to turn in. She meets with an agent who shows her the home of her dreams and…then shoves a comment card in her face and says “So! HOW did you hear about us”??

Let’s break it down. Radio and TV (both intrusive media) work by implanting your name and creating a relationship in your prospective customer’s brains before they need you. With a strong message, frequency and consistency, you can use these mediums to “tether” to the public, every day. Print (passive media) works by targeting people in the “bullseye” for your product. Suzy did not pick up Homes and Land until she needed a new house. Internet (passive media) works much the same way. Suzy did not search new homes or go to your website until she needed you and knew who you were. Billboards (passive media) work best for directional advertising. Suzy followed your billboard when she was ready. Lastly, your road signage (passive media) gave Suzy the final push she needed to turn in.

It all works together. No one lives in a “radio bubble” or a “tv bubble” or a “newspaper bubble”. How can you ask Suzy to pick just one? It’s not fair to your advertising efforts…or to your “comment card stats”….or to Suzy….or to your bottom line. Would you cut the linebacker because the quarter back scores all the touchdowns?

Choose at least one intrusive and one passive media and stay dominant and consistent in those for as long as you plan to stay in business and your advertising will work…eventually. For the intrusive medium, craft a strong, emotionally compelling message. For the passive, use strong images and give clear information about your product and direct information on how to find you. This is your simple, easy “10-year marketing plan”.

Lastly, whatever you do, never say, “This better work” or “We want to say which one is working”. For, from now on you know, that is just…well....redonkulous.