Henry Ford once said, “A man who stops advertising to save money is like a man who stops a clock to save time.” Advertising is an integral part of a successful business. It is not enough to have a good internal operation. If you look at successful companies, their external messages match the internal process. The perception created, for the consumer, garners good will long before a purchase is made. However, no amount of advertising can supersede the basic human brain process. The brain goes through a process with everything. In the sales process, it starts with creating awareness, followed by interest, desire and purchase.
The most successful companies on the planet go through this process every day. Unfortunately, for you, so do your customers. You can’t just show up at the purchase point and expect to influence purchasing decisions. You cannot skip the first three steps and expect to be successful. But many try. Most fail because they did not take the journey with the customer. That is what builds lasting impressions or equity/loyalty. The most successful companies are engaged in building their consumer base, every day. The only proven method to accomplish this goal is to engage the best possible consumer group through a series of well-crafted messages designed to move them through the decision making process. In plain English: a long term messaging strategy aimed at the end result.
What am I talking about? Consider how you plan your advertising for the year? Is it strictly a hit and miss program of only a few messages a year or are you on the path to success because you are having consistent conversations with your best possible customers, every day? If you are a hit and miss strategist, consider changing your approach and thinking to a more long-term look at your own success. Instead of cutting back to save money, believe in the long term investment of advertising to never take a day off from communicating with your best possible customers. Not sure what to do? We can help. Call Connie Hayes at 806-748-2404 or call me directly at 806-748-2405 and we will schedule some time to evaluate your short and long term strategies and give you a real plan for the future.
Best of Business.
Christopher E. Fleming
Chief Revenue Officer