The Problem With Advertising: Lesson 1

So let’s start with some definitions. For me, ‘marketing’ is all of the things you do to get a cheque in your hand or to get the cash register to ring. ‘Advertising’ is when you pay for media, whether its a newspaper, TV commercial, or direct mail flyer. I often hear from business owners about their experiences with different forms of advertising media. For example, I’ll hear something like “I tried newspaper advertising, and it didn’t work for me.” Here’s the problem… Its NOT that the specific type of medium doesn’t ‘work’….there are a few variables in play. FIRST – who is the target audience? If your demographic is teenagers, and you advertise in a publication targeting seniors, you have a problem (I know, this example seems obvious, but you can’t imagine how many people get this wrong) SECOND – Is the timing right? Are people expecting to see your message? THIRD – This is what I consider the most important….WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE? It costs you the same amount to advertise in that newspaper…whether you get zero sales or 100. So the important factor is to have the right MESSAGE in the right MEDIUM. I’ll explain how to craft a great message in a future post, but if you have a specific ad you’re working on and need my help please contact me at marsicomarketing@gmail.com

Continued here:
The Problem With Advertising: Lesson 1