There are few things more crushing to a small business than spending scarce dollars on advertising only to see little to no return on the investment.
While it’s easy to blame the recession or the fact that consumers are overloaded with marketing messages, chances are there are steps you can take to improve your advertising message.
Here are several things to consider from BusinessWeek’s Steve McKee when it comes to your biz’s ineffective advertising:
It’s (yawn) boring. Ads should do at least two of the three: entertain, inform or engage. Consider ads that are eye-catching or amusing but offer no other info such as what the company does. Or an ad that consists of rows and rows of 8 pt. font text. Each is missing a crucial part to ensure the viewer will take notice and know what to do with the new information.
It’s all over the place. Your best hope is that your ad sends one compelling idea at a time. Companies have about 10 seconds to gain attention, and your message should be concise.
You didn’t give it enough time to have an impact. Don’t fall into the trap of expecting too much too soon. Like planting a seed, your advertising should be given time to grow and bear fruit. Depending on your audience, it could take weeks or months to make an impact.
Your forgot that your ad is not for you, it’s about you. Just because you like your ad does not mean your audience will. As the owner of the business and brand, you can’t remain objective about your ads.
Your company is the problem—not the advertising. If you have poor customer service, price issues, a bad company model, etc., advertising can’t fix your problems. In which case, spend your hard-earned money of foundational improvements.
For more tips, click on the source article.
Source:
BusinessWeek:Why Your Advertising Isn’t Working
