Targeted advertising influences consumer spending. It’s a fact. The following decades-old poem strikes the simplicity of how this works:
An Advertising Poem: Why Is it?
A man wakes up after sleeping
under an advertised blanket,
on an advertised mattress,
pulls off advertised pajamas,
bathes in an advertised shower,
shaves with an advertised razor,
brushes his teeth with advertised toothpaste,
washes with an advertised soap,
puts on advertised clothes,
drinks a cup of advertised coffee,
drives to work in an advertised car,
and then refuses to advertise, believing it doesn’t pay.
Later, when business is poor, he advertises it for sale.
Lesson learned? It’s clear that not advertising certainly was a contributor to the demise of his small business.
When I first became an ad account executive at an ABC-affiliated television station, getting new businesses to advertise was a struggle. They would say it was a waste of money, or they had enough business, or everyone knew who they were, or they couldn’t afford it, or they had already advertised in other media, and on and on. So many excuses! The simple fact is that the ones who incorporated targeted advertising grew their business exponentially.
The poem above hits the heart of how many small business owners don’t understand why advertising is so important.
We are bombarded daily with thousands of messages, many subliminal. It’s everywhere when you drive: along the highway on billboards, on the radio, on the bumper sticker of the car in front of you, and on every store sign. In the grocery store, every box and can has a logo; you may even recall a brand commercial that encourages you to buy. A logo is on almost every product you use at home or work: the handle of that kitchen knife or pan, on the pen you’re holding, your coffee mug, or the back of your phone or laptop.
You get the idea.
Researchers long ago discovered that advertising influences consumer spending. Studies show that we are faced with advertising in some form every day over 5,000 times. You read that right. Our brains cannot handle that massive amount of information and will ignore anything that doesn’t have meaning for us. Those same studies show we can to recall only a tiny portion of those 5,000 messages. At best, we remember about 20 and can actively identify possibly three.
So how do we break through the clutter of the information highway? How do we influence consumer spending as a small business?
Targeted advertising must be meaningful to be memorable.
It must convey a story or evoke an emotion; funny, sad, horrified … anything to grab attention and get someone and listen, read, or watch. The age-old psychology of advertising is that your brand must be seen at least seven times before it is even noticed. Repetition enforces recall. Your brand is only necessary to those with a need. For example, if you don’t need a new car, you will likely ignore any car advertising. However, when you are ready to buy a car, you become very aware of every car ad and even notice what cars are on the road as you drive.
Remember that “the mind will not go where the heart has not been.” Does your advertising tell a story? Will it engage your audience? Does it instill a smile? A tear? Is it thought-provoking? Does it feel good?
Does your story help the consumer?
84% of consumers expect your brand to create targeted advertising that builds trust and credibility. What’s your story?
It is also critical to place your marketing in the correct places. Your customer is not “everyone”, much like you would like to believe. Be smart about where you spend your advertising investment. If you are unsure, ask a professional. When you need one, ask us.
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