What's an Advertisement?

I don't think you know what advertising is supposed to do.  That's ok.  Let's talk through this.

It seems most think that "advertising" is supposed to be about "getting your name out there".  But what's the point of getting your name out there?  That implies that you're going to advertise for just a few weeks...and then stop.  And everyone is going to remember who you are.

It doesn't work that way.  Especially since you probably have more than one competitor.  Or more than ten.

Advertising either needs to help you sell something RIGHT NOW.  Or it needs to be a consistent kind of Branding advertising.  

Those things we attain instantly...don't seem to stick around long do they? And those things we receive at the drop of a hat don't seem to be the best quality either, right?

Well, it's the same with your advertising.  Do it consistently.  But don't try to force people to buy from you NOW.  

Set a yearly advertising budget.  Yes.  Yearly.  Don't fly by the seat of your pants with advertising expenditures.

First, you'll want to figure out what to say in your advertising.  This is where you dig deep to find the messages that help you stand out from your competition.  This isn't easy if you want your advertising to pay you back plenty more than you invest in it.

How do you do that?  You call me.  It's my specialty. 

Then, figure out where you want to spend your ad budget.  If the budget is enough, I recommend Radio first.  If you can saturate a fairly good size audience with your killer advertising campaign... you'll be on your way to more growth than you thought you could have achieved.

We're branding.  We're teaching people WHY they should do business with YOU instead of your competition.  We're making friends with the public.  If they like you...they're more apt to buy from you.  And you can't get someone to like you if all you do is spout things at them in which they have little interest in.  Understand?  We're not reading a boring newspaper ad into a microphone to come up with your radio ads.  The ear is a powerful tool in the art of persuasion.  

Think about how the right song can instantly change your mood from ho-hum to cheery and optimistic.  That's through sound.  

How do we communicate best?  Through conversation, right?  That's with our tongues and our ears.  And think about some of the conversations you've had over the years. Some are not that interesting.  Others had you chatting for hours.  Some had you holding on to every word coming out of someone's mouth.  You were engaged.  And that's the key to successful advertising.  You must engage your prospect.  Talk to them about what interests THEM... and what can help THEM... not you.  

So, you see, an advertisement should not be looked at as a necessary evil that you have to do once in a while.  If you look at it that way... save your money and invest that into your employees, training, customer service, etc.  Advertising done right... will bring you dividends that you never thought advertising could deliver.

Don't just buy some ads.  Let's create a plan for growth.  Continuous growth.

Have a great day!

Local Marketing Cafe
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

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