How Long Do You Run An Advertising Campaign When It’s Not Working?
The single biggest question I received when I spoke at the Kirkwood/Des Peres Chamber of Commerce meeting was how long do I run an advertising campaign, especially when it’s not working?
The truth is that response to your advertising can be immediate or it may take some time. We forget that customers aren’t just demographics; they are busy people with wants and needs. The key is getting your message to customers when they want and need what you have to offer.
The rule of thumb used to be that someone needed to hear or see your message three times for them to pay attention and take action. That benchmark has increased to seven to ten times because of all of the media clutter out there. Estimates state that we are exposed to 5,000 advertising messages a day.
So, how long do you run a campaign when it’s not working? Consider this check list from “Impulse Marketing or Do You Have a Plan? – Three Proven Marketing Strategies to Increase Profits.”
It’s important to have the best chance for a successful advertising campaign by:
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Selecting your target market – determine who your customer is; age, gender, income, lifestyle, etc. |
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Set a budget – Determine what a customer is worth and create a budget to set aside for marketing |
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Solidify your selling message – What do you want customers to do? What is your unique selling proposition? It’s not fast, friendly service. That should be a given. |
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Sort your media choices – What media will best reach your target market, with your message within your budget? |
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Stick to your plan – Make sure you have a way to track whether the advertising is working – Examples are, ask people how they found out about you, have statistics on your website to show where people came from and what search terms they used. You can certainly make tweaks along the way on your message and offer. |
Your product or service needs to be relevant to the wants and needs of consumers. An extreme example is promoting snow blowers in the month of August. That campaign will probably be a bust. But promote snow blowers in January after a huge storm – well, you get the picture.
Advertising is an expense from an accounting standpoint, but it’s really an investment. Advertising takes consistency, persistence and patience.
Here are some general time frames for an advertising campaign:
Broadcast media and print – Thirteen weeks. This gives a significant amount of time for the viewers, listeners or readers to have heard or seen your message. If you’re not seeing response within the first 30 days, you may need to tweak your selling message.
Blogs – 18-24 months to gain significant traction. This also depends on how often you post on your blog. The search engines love good content and they also love longevity. There are literally millions of blogs out there, but to be noticed, you need to follow the rules of consistency, persistence and patience.
Websites – It’s possible to get on page one of Google and Yahoo within days or weeks. But it takes consistency and promotion to drive people to your website. In the movie Field of Dreams, Kevin Costner hears a voice that says, “If you build it, they will come.” Just because you build a website, doesn’t mean anyone will come. It takes relevancy to the market, and promotion. Website traffic is an on-going process and you will gain visitors and fans over time if you are consistent, persistent and patient.
The goal for any advertiser is to ultimately become top of mind. When people are in the market for a product or service, they will buy from you.
I hope that this blog post has given you some answers to how long do you run an advertising campaign when it’s not working. Utilizing the marketing strategy check list will give you a formula for having a successful campaign.
For more details on this subject, put in your name and email address to receive a free copy of, “Impulse Marketing or Do You Have a Plan? – Three Proven Marketing Strategies to Increase Profits.”
If you’re a busy business owner who doesn’t have time or resources to implement a marketing strategy, we can help.
Of course, I have to leave you with a quote:
P.T. Barnum – “Something awful happens without promotion…. NOTHING.”
Want a Simple Way to Promote Your Small Business for Free? Use Google Places
Quote – Unknown Author: “The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.”
Lots of brick and mortar small businesses have a free promotional tool and don’t know about it. That small business marketing tool is Google Places. What’s important to know is that you need to claim your business. This allows you to add important details about your business and also gives you the ability to access customer data.
When you fill out the information and claim your business, you will need to verify by receiving a pin number. You’ll have two options. One is to be mailed your pin number and one is to receive a phone call with the pin number to verify your business. If you choose the phone option, you will need to answer the phone almost immediately after you submit the information. I helped a client with this option and as soon as I hit the send button, the phone rang with a recording with the pin. It’s really important that someone is available to answer the phone immediately. Make sure you have paper and something to write down the pin number with. Here are some helpful tips to make sure you receive your pin.
When you have claimed your business, you have control to add pictures, videos, coupons, special offers and many more details. This is truly one of the best small business marketing tools.
If you haven’t embraced online marketing for your business, this is a great first step.
Don’t Live in the Past with Old Marketing and Business Ideas
Mark Twain – “I was seldom able to see an opportunity until it ceased to be one.”
Benjamin Franklin – “When you’re finished changing, you’re finished.”
This is a picture of the Avalon Theater. Growing up on the South Side of St. Louis, the Avalon was where I went almost every week to see the latest block buster movies. I still have visions of the line (which I stood in) to see the Beatles in A Hard Day’s Night and Help. The line wrapped around the block. Also, being a huge Vincent Price fan, I saw every one of his movies there.
Sadly, the theater has fallen into total disrepair. The neighborhood dynamics have changed and most of the movie theaters have moved out into the suburban landscape.
Growing up in the 50’s times were simpler. Media choices were fewer. It’s natural to long for those times, but that was the past and this is now.
Many businesses are still dwelling in the past with their media choices. Technology is advancing so quickly that it’s hard to keep up with the latest marketing trend. It also can be a little overwhelming.
The good news is that many of the marketing choices available can be cost effective. Having a well constructed website and/or blog can act as a twenty-four hour sales representative. Using social media like FaceBook, LinkedIn and Twitter can build rapport and begin a relationship with customers. YouTube and article writing can provide a strong credibility factor if you are an expert in your line of business.
Shedding the past isn’t easy. Trying to understand new technology all at once isn’t easy either. It’s important to take small steps and focus on a few technology options at a time.
Letting go of the past can open the way for new opportunities in your business.
Impulse Purchases – We all Make Them – Just Don’t Make Impulse Marketing Purchases
Filipino Proverb – “If you make a habit of buying things you do not need, you will soon be selling things you do.”
You’ve seen the commercials for the new phone but your plan isn’t up for six months. You’re at the mall and there it is… the new model. You walk into the store and before you know it, you’ve purchased the phone along with a new carrying case, and some other accessories. You don’t know what came over you, you made an impulse purchase.
Many small businesses do the same thing with their marketing. A sales rep comes in from a local news paper and offers a great deal. You like it. You commit. It’s $1,000 a month.
A television rep calls you and offers you a new Internet idea. It’s way cheaper than the commercial spot advertising they have been trying to sell you for the last six months. You like it. You buy it. It’s only $250 a week.
The Yellow Page representative has increased your rates by 10% for the upcoming year, but they’ve thrown in a bonus ad on their website. It seems like a good deal to you. You decide to do what you’ve always done and sign the agreement for $15,000 for the year and rationalize your decision because of the bonuses you’re getting.
Before you know it you’re spending $3,000 to $4,000 a month on impulse marketing purchases. If you had a marketing strategy, that strategy has gone right out the window.
This happens all of the time, just like you make impulse personal purchases.
It’s important to set aside a budget for marketing and advertising. It doesn’t mean that you can’t spend money on a good advertising deal that comes along. It’s good to test new ways of marketing or enhance a proven form of advertising. In fact, you should set aside some of your money for those opportunities.
Just like over spending will get you in trouble with personal finances, over spending can have huge consequences in your business.
Make sure you have a marketing plan in place. You can certainly alter your plan to achieve the results you’re looking for. Just make sure you don’t make impulse marketing purchases.
Want three proven marketing strategies to help you? Just fill out your name and primary email address and we’ll send you our mini ebook – “Impulse Marketing Purchases or Do You Have a Plan? – Three Proven Marketing Strategies to Increase Profits.”
Everyone Needs a Mentor
Success quote: “It’s incumbent upon all responsible businesspeople to seek out more opportunities to serve as mentors.” – Harvey MacKay
When Luke Skywalker needed to become a Jedi Knight, he turned to a mentor named Yoda. Whether you’re a business owner, athlete, cook, you name the skill or profession, to reach a higher level of excellence you need to solicit the help of a mentor.
In his book, Outliers, Malcom Gladwell talks about success and mastery. To reach the point of mastery takes 10,000 hours. That’s the equivalent of five years of continuous work. So, think again about the term overnight success. Most successful people spent years honing their craft.
Whenever I needed to go to the next level or if I got stuck in my life, I turned to a mentor for help. When I couldn’t break through in my struggles with technology, I found an awesome mentor, Terry Anglin. When I wanted to get into great shape and build more strength and endurance, I turned to a personal trainer, Rik Wilson. When I needed help dealing with clutter, I turned to a clutter expert, Samantha Shields.
Using the services of a mentor helps you to reach your goals faster. Plus, mentors have gone through a lot of mistakes to get to their place of mastering what they do. Using someone else’s knowledge can help you avoid the same mistakes and pitfalls.
Whatever you are trying to achieve, someone has most likely become an expert in that area. Usually trying to take short cuts doesn’t work. But if you find the right mentor, it will prove to be your fastest way to success.
