Re: Back to Advertising Basics
 

The whole trick is making the prospect not only see the ad the first time, but be impressed by it, remember it - and maybe even buy the product now if he likes needs it.

The bigger the impact you make with your ad, the better your chances of prospect buying your product after the first time.

But creating "impact" is not an exact science. And thats because an ad that had a strong impact on me could have none on you. It differs from person to person.

Your job as a promoter is to find "triggers" that create strong impact in the highest number of people it possibly can.

It's very helpful to refresh your mind with copywriting 101. The AIDA principle.

A = Attention
I = Interest
D = Desire
A = Action

(GJA has a few more alphabets... but I'll keep it simple here.)

All ads should try to have all 4 of these AIDA factors in it. And take people from noticing you to buying from you now.

Ok - so how do you win people's attention?

By being unusual or outrageous. By doing something people don't expect.
By "associating" yourself with a celebrity.
Or maybe by creating a "friends-help-friends" campaign - a viral campaign. When a friend talks to me recommending something, he has my full attention (most of the times.)
By using props.
By using smell, sound, lighting effectively.
By faking your sales pitch as an important news item or a story.

How do you make people interested? And build their desires?

By making sure you pinpoint the problem they have. And provide a solution.
By creating barriers to exclusivity.
By comparisons.
By providing people with testimonials and case studies.
By showing best-case-scenarios to people.

And how do you make people act?

There are 2 types of action you want people to take - depending on their situation.

i. buy now if they need your product
ii. remember and recall you for when they need your product

You use scarcity and bonuses to get people to buy now. You "build" your offer to become irresistible. You show them what they will miss by procrastinating.

You add "anchors" to your ads so that its easy for people to remember you.

All this AIDA is relatively easier to do in long sales letters. It is much harder to do in 10-15 second spots.

And usually - these stories about getting people to see your ad 20 times before they buy originate from radio and TV - where salesmen make more money by selling on frequency. And where very few people create very strong impactful 10-15 second ads.

But - you can incorporate the entire AIDA in 10 seconds too. Spend some time on it. Learn from the masters. And you'll save a lot of money in reducing the frequency of your ads.

Re: What some people forget in Advertising
 

You are so right. Especially when you test it and test it for yourself what works.

Yes, I The AIDA principle, It is probably as old as the article I wrote up on the forum from the 1800's. I don't know. But that has worked a long time too.

I have no problem with FREE it is the paying that is hard. I wrote an editorial that my home town paper printed for bars with my office phone. I had it ring off the hook for several days. But because I had no desire to create a product for bars I made no money. That probably was my fault. I gave them a free report from information I got from forums about bars and a study about bars. I probaby could have gave them part of the forums stuff then sold the study. But I did not want to bother it was close to tax season when I did that. And that where I make most of my money so far.:)

Re: What some people forget in Advertising
 

While 12 exposures may be required to motivate some buyers to pick up the phone or stop by the store, in many cases it won't be cost effective using mass media.

That is where promotional advertising can beat the CPI (cost per impression) rates used by ad agencies and mass media.

If it takes a person hearing your radio commercial 12 times in a month, you have to either pay for a targeted ad that hits them twice a day with the placement reaching the target audience, or triple the number of spots with run or play.

The same holds true for newspaper. How do you know the target clients and/or prospects will see the ad in a specific section if you run it daily or twice a week. It may takes several weeks of insertions to expose the prospect to that ad 7 to 12 times.

And there are a lot more options for putting you ad in the market today than in the 1800s. No radio, TV, bench stop or highway billboards in those days. And no computers, internet, or cell phone instant messaging.

And there weren't 3 to 6 phone books, as well as two or more shoppers (those smaller classified ad papers - Thrifty Nickel, Quik Quarter, GreenSheets, etc. to compete for the market.

Then consider whether the advertisement is received by the prospect in passive mode or active mode. The client sitting in front of the TV, may be on the phone or in conversation with others during YOUR commercial. The listener to your radio spot may be at work, not focused on the radio music and commercials in the background.

Many people pass the same billboards during their commute for a month, yet can't recalled the product or company named in the ad. Again, they are actively engaged in driving, and possibly on the phone only seeing the billboard subconsciously.

At the same time, the mass media is targeting everyone who listens to their station, picks up their newspaper or magazine, or passes their billboard. That is the reason why virtually every company on the Fortune 500 list, as well as Mom & Pop businesses invest a portion of their Advertising and Marketing budget into the one media that guarantees their ad reaches specific companies or individuals - Promotional Advertising.

Yep, I'm biased and I admit it, but I have seen results gained by my clients, some who have been ordering from me for 15 to 22 years. With targeted distribution, they can know that their ad will be in their client's/prospect's home or office for extended periods, with multiple exposures per person.

It works for me. I believe in my products, and sample them extensively, giving out thousands of ink pens, calendars, coffee or travel mugs, and lots of specialty products every year.

My next order will be for USB memory sticks (flash drives, thumb drives, or whatever name you prefer). With 256MB of capacity, I don't expect too many recipients will toss my ad into a drawer, never to be seen again.

Just my view on advertising in the 21st Century.

Dennis

Re: What some people forget in Advertising
 

Dennis Thank you for you input. It seems yours works because you tested and tested. That is the real key. I know sometimes it is not cost effective to put it in only once. That is hard on the person with no money. You have to have 3 or more impressions at the very least no matter what it is. :)








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Re: What some people forget in Advertising
 

One thing about it Joe, if someone is building a marketing plan and they base their expected returns on 20 exposures instead of 1, 3, 7, etc. they won't be disappointed if it takes less than 20 to make a sale.

We usually underestimate on the optimistic side and just HOPE things work out.

Re: What some people forget in Advertising
 

I think you got something their my friend.












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