Advertising works, that’s not really up for debate. We all see and respond to advertising of all types, from commercials in our favorite t.v. shows to product placement in movies. Sometimes we aren’t even aware of the push and pull advertising has on our choices. When you’re in business, however, your awareness of advertising changes because you aren’t a passive part of the equation, you’re in the driver’s seat.
As a business owner you likely have tried multiple forms of advertising and wondered why things aren’t going as well as you feel they should. There are many reasons your business may be struggling, but in terms of advertising, there are some common reasons for it to fail. Today we’re going to cover 4 common reasons your advertising isn’t working.
1. Not giving it enough time to actually work
Advertising takes time to work. You’ve probably been told this but have you really thought about it? Think about your own experience. How many times have you seen an ad for the first time and instantly bought what you saw? If you’re like most people, the answer is “rarely” and that is why it takes time for advertising to work. People need to see your message for a while before they call, so if you pull your ads to soon, you’re wasting time, money and energy.
2. Not measuring results
If you were on a diet you would weigh yourself to see if your efforts were working. What are you doing in your business to measure the effectiveness of your advertising? If you do not keep track of the results, you really can’t tell what is working and what is not. Some easy ways to do this are to ask new clients where they heard about you. You can also keep track of sales and correlate them with your marketing efforts at the time.
3. Spreading your efforts too thin
In your personal life you’re probably very aware of how bad it is to over-commit yourself. You cannot be everywhere at once and when you try to do too much, you can’t give your best. The same holds true for your advertising. If you spread your advertising efforts too thin by putting yourself in too many mediums without the right amount of frequency, you will not get good results. A focused campaign is important, especially when the budget is tight!
4. Not spending enough
We know that hearing this is kind of like hearing a mechanic say you need new tires when the ones you have are working…but that doesn’t mean it’s not true! People will not call you if they do not know about you. They need to see your ads and grow to trust you as an expert. It takes time and money to get your message out, which is why you must invest a portion of your profits back into advertising. If you do not spend enough, your message simply will not be heard, it’s that simple!
There you have it, four common advertising mistakes you may be making. If you have been unhappy with your advertising results, chances are high that one of these mistakes is to blame. The good news is that it is easy to correct your course and get back on track with the right advertising plan in place. Of course, if you need some assistance you can call us and we can help put together a winning marketing plan that works for you.