The Perfect Media Mix For Small Business

Is not to mix at all.

Advertiser : But I have to get everyone!

Me: No, you don't. You just have to get enough to reach your goals.

Most small businesses cannot afford to dominate multiple media like Coke, Anheuser Busch or McDonald's.

Any single radio station, newspaper or cable channel has enough potential consumers to move the needle in your business. If you have the proper message. Too many advertisers try to spread their money out in an attempt to reach as many people as possible. They end up without enough frequency to persuade any audience effectively.

Dominate one media first. Decide what the highest and best use of your ad dollars are. Develop a strong strategy and dominate that medium. The right message(strategy), the right number of times(frequency) will get results($$$).

The smallest am radio station in your town will blow your doors off if you follow this advice. There is no perfect mix unless you have dollars to waste.

Focus Your Message

I met with a client that I have worked with for several years. He has not been happy lately about his advertising return on investment. I spent a long time thinking through what is wrong. I realized that I had broken a couple of my primary rules of advertising. First, I allowed the customer to tell me what he wanted in the ads. Oh, I started out with the best intentions, but over time I got lazy and tired of fighting him every time we started a new commercial. I acquiesed and did it his way. I knew it was not the right thing to do. We crammed too many things into one commercial. We talked about three separate businesses in one commercial. In another we talked about one business and multiple products. Not good advertising. I didn't mean to, it just happened.

Each commercial needs to make one point and make it well. The campaign should build on itself like bricks in a wall with a common thread running throughout, but each commercial or ad is a brick all on it's own. If you own a coffee shop that sells cappucinos, smoothies, muffins, teas, espresso, etc., each item should have it's own commercial in the campaign. Don't laundry list them all together. A bank should have different commercials telling their story about checking accounts, cd's, home loans, auto loans etc. Use the time to explain why customers should choose you in each area. Remember, we need to create a preference. Differentiate what you do. One item at a time.

FInd Out Your Customers' Motivation

People don't really want to buy from you. They do want what you can help them get. What is that? Don't know. Ask them.

When we are interacting with customers, we begin to think that customers want to hear about our products. They really don't. Most people (let me know if you find ANY) don't wake up in the morning, hop out of bed and excitedly prepare to go buy insurance or a new water heater. Now, they may get excited about a new couch for the living room. But not for the reasons you think. Maybe the kids are gone and it is a reward for themselves. Maybe they remodeled and need it to match for an upcoming dinner party. Whatever it is, find out their motivation and it will give you common ground to talk to them and how to sell them. They will want to buy from you because you care about them and what they want and are not focused on your own product.

If someone is visiting a health club for the first time and knows absolutely nothing about working out, it would be very intimidating if the health club representative takes them to the free weight room without first assessing what the customer wants from the health club. This person might be looking to lose a few pounds and doesn't want to feel dumb when they work out. I would throw out a few questions first. Thanks for stopping by today. What motivated you to visit our facility? What would you like us to help you accomplish? What is most important to you when choosing a health club? Have you belonged to a health club in the past? What did you like? What would you have changed? These questions will tell you where to go next. It works for any product or service. Try it and watch your close ratios and average orders go through the roof!

I Don't Need A Washing Machine.

Any amount of advertising cannot create the need for a consumer to buy you product or use your service IF THEY DON'T HAVE A NEED.

If your washing machine works fine, would a sale on washing machines get your attention? NO. What if they were half price? SO? Your car tires have 6,000 miles on them and the local tire store has buy one tire get one free. Do you buy them? It's a good deal. Sorry, don't need tires.....today. I will in 30,000 miles though.

Too many advertisers expect advertising to have an instant impact on their business. Advertising can only motivate consumers that are ready to buy because they have a need or want OR create a preference for when someone has a need.

When creating an advertising campaign, you must decide a direction. Do this with 2 simple questions.

1. Why would a consumer shop your store? What do you want people to know about you to persuade them to put you at the top of their mental rolodex when the want or need arises. This is the best long term strategy.

2. Why would a consumer shop your store TODAY? For that small percentage of the population that are in the market right now. Do you have a special offer or sale? Something that would make people that have a want or a need choose to come in today. This one is a little like playing in a mind field. Is your price the best? Is there a need in the market TODAY? What are you saying to people that are not in the market to buy today? Do you set yourself up to be the low price (a low margin) provider.

It is possible to combine the two for best results, but it takes some thought and planning. Contact a trained professional for help! Let me know and I can steer you in the right direction!

Running A Business Without Customers

A business without customers would be a lot less stressful, but not very profitable.

Dealing with customers gets frustrating at times. They get worse when we are in a bad mood it seems. If only we could do business without dealing with those pesky customers.

Surprised to hear this from me? We all have times when we feel like we don't want to see another customer. We want to stay in bed with the covers pulled up over our heads. We want to hide behind the counter or not get out of the car. We don't even want to see another person. Yes, other people feel the same way. It's not just you. That should be the first step to feeling better. You are not alone.

The difference is that the best people realize it and find a way to deal with it quickly and get back to what has made them successful. I try to remember a customer that I made happy. Look at pictures of my kids. Listen to one or two favorite songs. Head to the gym for an hour

Don't have a pity party feeling sorry for yourself. Don't bring others down. Your business will suffer. Misery loves company. No one can motivate you, but you.

Long time friend and colleague Bruce Welker sent me a good quote to wrap this one up, "Optimism and Pessimism are just attitudes…not realities.”