If you own a business or are responsible for ad campaigns – you no doubt have heard that you should target your audience.
Your ad sales reps say it; your ad agency says it – “reach the right people.”
The belief is that the secret to more effective advertising – and by that I mean, cost effective – is to get your ad message in front of the right people and they will buy.
The media sales reps and ad agency reps quickly haul out “research” done by “scientists” to show you that your products, goods, or service will most likely be best for a certain demographic category – and low and behold, their radio or TV station, or newspapers, or billboards, or whatever else they are selling -- is ideal for reaching that specific group of potential customers. What are the odds?!
Then, when the ad campaign fails, you usually don’t consider the possibility that your ad was not well written … nor was it persuasive enough … nor did you give it enough repetition.
Instead, you decide that the radio or TV station, or the advertising medium you used just didn’t quite hit the “right people”. And so you skip on to try another station or newspaper or direct mail list, or billboard location, etc. – believing that you’ve just got to get your ad to the right people and they will buy.
So, here’s the problem:
Advertising is NOT scientific. A belief that it is -- causes you ad agency to make massive mistakes in spending your money.
The belief that an advertising salesperson can give you exclusive access to a particular group of people is ridiculous. Every person is reached every day by a multitude of media carrying ad messages.
"Reaching the right people" is a myth.
The truth is – effective advertising is not about reaching the right people – it’s about what you say. Having the right message is what matters.
Good Selling!
J Dana
Dana Kehr
Pro Marketing Northwest
P.S. If you need help in creating ads that have something to say, give me a call. It’s what I do. 253-579-4040 or email me at: getmedana@gmail.com
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