We’ve all heard it – distinguish your company, product, or service with a top-notch look and a compelling message, and you’re good to go. Sounds like a plan, but it’s the “go” part that seems to trip up a lot of entrepreneurs – and even many established business owners.
It often works like this: You know you need to get your message out there, so you hire an ad agency to design a logo and create your tagline. Then, you say thanks, pat those nice people on the head, and take over, thinking you can handle things from here.
You decide to try a newspaper ad – maybe just one or two to see how it goes. And the talented folks at the paper, bless their hearts, even offer to design your ad. A few months later, you buy a little radio time – say one of those three-week specials – and the station produces your spot for free. Good deal.
Meanwhile, you remember that your brother’s best friend’s wife develops websites, so you get that going too.
With all that activity, customers and clients should be lined up at your door, right? Right. But, that’s probably not what’s happening. And why not?
Well, because while advertising results depend on a clever look and a savvy message, results also depend on consistency.
That means you have to stay on top of everything that’s going “out there.” You have to make sure all your ads have the same look and core message – remember that logo and tagline you paid for? – and that each one reflects your company’s image.
Radio, TV, print media, and the web offer terrific services – and they all offer great opportunities to tell the world about your company. But, you can’t expect the radio producer to check in with the designer at the newspaper or for either of them to track down your brother’s best friend’s wife. So, guess what? They’re all doing their own thing, and your look and message are destined to be delivered three different ways. Consistency is down the tubes – along with your company’s image and sales.
The bottom line? Make sure all your advertising efforts complement and build on each other. It takes awhile to capture attention and develop awareness, but it will happen – if you build a strong, consistent image in the marketplace.
And just so you know…frequency is important too. Running an ad once in awhile, here and there, won’t deliver the impact you need. You can’t just try advertising. You have to commit to it – and it can be done, even on lean budgets.
Just ask Newport Eye Care. Their ad agency put together a relatively inexpensive but consistent ad campaign – logo, tag, direct mail package, print ads, brochure, and signage – to launch their new business. Within five months, they had more appointments lined up than they expected to get after the first three years – and they were already turning a profit.
So, go ahead and make sure you’ve got that great look and effective message. Then take control and use them – consistently. You will be noticed – and you’ll see results.