By:  The Shadow

Are you looking for anyone to buy your product or service? At first glance you are going to say, “Sure, why not? However, there are long term consequences to just having anyone buy at any price your goods or services.

Ever try to track your advertising. It’s difficult but there are some simplistic ways to get started.

First off, forget about hitting home runs. Singles, doubles and triples with an occasional three run homer keeps you in business a lot longer.

Our friends Roy Williams and Sean Luce have always offered up some nice thoughts.

The copy has to have something that grabs the customer. Be specific. Take an item that is important. Good seller that people want and discount the item substantially for a short period of time. Must be specific on the time and date and amount. No vague references. This is not couponing. Coupons go to the least desirable customer base. They are transaction buyers who want deals on their terms. The downside is that the people who switch to you just for price will switch away when they see another price. Who wants these people long term anyway?

Pricing a lost leader brings in a more qualified customer (long term). Also understand that buyers do not just fall out of bed and hear an advertisement and go to the store and buy something. If we were to take furniture for example, the Buyers Awareness Cycle (thank you Sean Luce) says that it takes 3.9 months from the time you think about buying the piece of furniture to actually visiting the store to purchase it.  Solution:

Start your heavy advertising four months out from your heaviest months.

If your selling item has a powerful story then tell it. It must be powerful and told with a lot of power. Limit the amount, deadline to purchase and have it on hand to sell. The caveat is that you must have a powerful copywriter to assist.

Also if you can create a memorable association of your service or product with a phrase or word meaning it will be remembered and acted upon. It has to be different, memorable and withstand time.

We will examine how much advertising to do next time.