“Half of my advertising is wasted, I just don’t know which half.” – John Wanamaker
You may have seen this or heard this before. John was a merchant in Philadelphia in the late 1800’s. He is credited with pioneering the price tag and the money back guarantee. He is also credited with being the godfather of modern ad copy. He was a staunch believer in long-term consistent advertising. His now famous quotation above spoke to the idea of advertising not being an exact science but a calculated risk he knew he had to take in order to grow his business.
Since those days, many a study has been done on advertising’s effectiveness. Here are some truths: All successful advertising is based on 3 pillars. 1. Successful advertising must have enough repetition to make an impact. 2. Successful advertising must have enough consistency to build brand awareness. This is not measured in days, weeks or months but years. 3. Successful advertising must start with a commercial message that is laden with an emotional connection that resonates with consumers. People buy based on emotional need. Our messages must be relevant and tap into an emotional need of our customers.
The problem with this 3 sided triangle approach is we often skip one of the pillars of success. This leads to John Wanamaker’s statement. To ensure your success in advertising, you will need to balance the triangle. It is not enough to have a great message, it must be deployed with frequency and consistency. Follow this plan and you will have success.
Not sure what to do or how to get started, we can help. Call Connie Hayes at 806-748-2404 or call me directly at 806-748-2405. We can help you with all three of the pillars of success. Having the right plan, and knowing the next steps will get you a leg up on your competitor.