Why Your Advertising Fails: I

Your Role in Changing Your Marketing Results

I know that half of my advertising works.
I just don’t know which half.
 
As a business owner, you know how important advertising can be to your profitability. When it works, everyone is busy filling orders and servicing those smiling new customers. When it doesn’t work, your employees begin to gossip in the hallways about management and start working on their own advertising - their resumes.
 
Who is responsible for the effectiveness of your advertising? Is your chosen media (print, radio, television, etc.) responsible for getting your message to the right people? You bet! Is your advertising agency responsible for creating a compelling message? Of course! As always, the buck stops with you, the business owner, to make your advertising effective.
 
What are your responsibilities in creating effective advertising? We think you have three critical roles to perform to get the best results.

Branding - As the business owner, your company is branded by who you are and the culture you have created. branding is simply the mental image people associate with your company - so all companies have created their brand. Unfortunately, far too many “brand images” are negative rather than positive.

Your burden is making sure that image is positive. Are you known for treating your employees well - in good times and bad? Are your products viewed as top quality? Are you known for superior service? Do you ensure every “moment of truth” has a positive impact - every phone call, sales call, service call, letter, e-mail?

The brand is YOU! What does your brand shout to your target market?

Communication - Your messaging strategy is your opportunity to shape your brand image. Consumers are inundated with over 10,000 messages per day - newspapers, magazines, radio, television, Internet, outdoor media, podcasts - will it ever end?

You decide if your messages will be part of the noise or the vital view that break through and interrupt, engage, educate and make a compelling risk free offer to your market to learn more about doing business with you. 

You own the clarity of your communications. Are you clear in your own mind about your company’s messages.

Accountability - You could just accept the publisher’s reported circulation numbers. You could just fall in love with the advertising agencies portfolio. You could let someone else worry about the brand. You could just let someone else figure out how to communicate who you are.

But … that’s not who you are. You will hold the publisher accountable. You will hold the agency accountable. You will hold yourself accountable. Your advertising will be about measurable results - not exposures, getting your name out there, winning awards. Won't it?

Inspect what you expect. Measure results - and make your advertising accountable.