After 15 Years
in Business,
Here Are 15 Things
I Know For Sure
#1
Memorability Matters
Put yourself in the shoes of the guy who just got cut off in traffic, or the spouse who is rushing to the grocery store to get dinner, or someone who lost a family member or beloved pet.
We are all on different paths and need something more than a laundry list of features to decipher when our ads come on, or when they see us on Facebook.
It takes memorability that reaches into our emotional side to truly create memorability.
#2
Local TV News & Sports Viewers Are Loyal
Chasing prime-time is expensive, and the audience is being sliced off daily by cord-cutters and paid TV subscriptions like Amazon Prime and Netflix.
People care about local news and their favorite sports teams. Two audiences, at this moment, that are still available fairly efficiently.
Most importantly, they offer the opportunity to build frequency!
#3
Frequency Sells
“Frequency led to awareness, awareness to familiarity, and familiarity to trust. And trust, almost without exception, leads to profit.”
― Seth Godin
People need to hear you enough so that your message resonates.
Plan on at least 3-5x in a week. If you’re in a competitive category like automotive or furniture you better be ready to run at the frequencies needed to drive sales. Those categories require people to hear/see your ads 9x in a week!
We can look at the market for you, and help find the right amount of frequency for your business.
#4
Create a Process That
Works for Your Business
As President Eisenhower once said - Plans are worthless, but planning is everything!
The details of a plan which was designed years in advance are often incorrect, but the planning process demands a thorough exploration of options and contingencies. The knowledge gained during this probing is crucial to the selection of appropriate actions as future events unfold.
#5
Contingency Budget
Because we know plans are worthless, we need to be adaptable!
Hold some money back for special opportunities, or for promotions that are working well.
#6
Sales & Marketing Go Together
I recently was in a local restaurant that was struggling, and the staff was begging them to advertise. They were saying "DO SOMETHING"!
It's easy to underestimate how much it means to the folks who work for you when you include them in your plans. They want to be part of your success.
Use the opportunity to educate them as to what your plan is and how they should talk about what they should discuss with customers.
#7
It's Evolution, Not Revolution
Don’t expect changes to sink in overnight.
As frustrating as it is trying to get instant gratification, it takes effort to create a marketing/advertising approach that lasts. It can take weeks, sometimes months, to have a plan to reach its full potential.
Manage your expectations, and evolve!
#8
Personality Matters
Find “true believers” in media, and work to get them on board with your business.
We've partnered with Kelly Lynch on 810 WGY for several years with Mayfair Jewelers.
Going so far as to create a ring that was from her design. Kelly's listeners loved it and it made a deeper connection with our client.
#9
Be Authentic
Say what you mean and mean what you say.
...and, ask for the business!
#10
If Something Works,
Keep Doing It Until It Doesn't
Too often, businesses pivot out of their messaging too soon.
Time is the magic ingredient!
#11
"Likes" Are Not Sales
You'll know when someone likes you when they make a purchase.
While there is valuable information to be gathered, it's easy to get caught in the metrics of digital advertising. Two dozen "likes" don’t make payroll or keep the lights on.
#12
Innovate
I've found that my best clients add new features to their business. People love something new,
and it's up to us to give them something that works in the context of our business.
A few years ago, Mark O'Callaghan the owner of Exit 9 Wine & Liquor Warehouse added
"The Wine Attic". It's a tasting station that is available throughout the day that customers can try the products that they are featuring. In most wine & liquor stores, tastings only happen sporadically
throughout the week. They happen all the time at Exit 9!
#13
Don't Be A Copycat
Don't run copycat ads!
Promote who YOU are...not what you think you should be based on what others are doing.
Be yourself!
#14
Look for Inefficiencies in the Market
It's easy to get caught up in what your competition is doing.
Everyone thinks they “want” digital advertising right now, and it’s driving up costs.
I've found that the opportunities are where your competition is not focused!
#15
Innovate
My most successful clients, and most successful businesses I've seen ALWAYS look to add new features or services that work within their brand.
What do you have that adds value to your business? What do you do that is different from your competition? Figure it out. Tell people about it. Repeat!
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