There is a word that describes people who have succumbed to the popular, alluring, seductive notion that “the more people you reach with your ad, the better chance you have of growing.“ The word is “scammed.“
Local advertisers may buy TV, radio, newspaper, bus benches and billboards, but not get much impact with any of them. This is the result of what’s called “the shotgun approach” to advertising. It’s also called “spraying and praying.” This approach delivers large numbers of people, but no consistent impact. Lots of reach, little frequency.
Successful local advertising is not a function of reaching large numbers of people. It is a function of convincing the relative few prospects you can afford to reach to do business with you, and not your competitors.
You cannot expect to compete effectively when you scatter your ad budget to the local media winds. It simply doesn’t work, unless you spend far more than you have to, and take many years more than necessary to build top-of-mind awareness.
For most local advertisers, the best way to give your message the most impact is to choose a medium to dominate. This should be one of the motivational mediums – radio or television. If you have to start small, fine. You can always add advertising dollars as you grow.
Excerpted from “The 33 Ruthless Rules of Local Advertising”
by Michael Corbett
Pinnacle Books, Inc.