One of the biggest misconceptions I’ve come across in the field of marketing is the notion that advertising is a one way form of communication. If you give this notion careful consideration,
though, I think you’ll agree with me that this is a faulty idea and one that can only hinder your ad campaigns. Advertising is more than just making a blind pitch to a silent, faceless customer.
Indeed, as soon as an individual takes note of your ad, they start engaging in an internal dialogue that determines their thoughts and feelings about your ad, your company and your product, which ultimately guides their desire (or lack thereof) for what you’re selling.
Unfortunately, you simply won’t be privy to this half of the conversation and the only solid reply you’ll receive is a sale or a new business inquiry. There are a few conversational basics that can help you navigate the perils of a seemingly lopsided dialogue.
Be Genuine - Yes, honesty does work in advertising. It’s actually the rule and not the exception, contrary to popular belief. You’re either looking to sell a product or sell your business name and image, there’s no two ways about it, so don’t hedge your language. Make your claim and ask for a sale without a lot of flowery language meant to obscure reality. Consumers in today’s market are very savvy about advertising and you’ll find that potential customers will reject your ad if they sense you are making impossible claims you can’t follow through on or if they get the impression you are trying to “snow“ them. Instead of telling customers your product will change their lives, tell them how it will help them.
Be Direct - Ever been in a conversation with someone who rambles through a lot of seemingly unconnected and unimportant details while telling a story without ever seeming to get to the point? Of course you have. Do you remember how frustrating that conversation was? Well the same holds true for ads. You have a limited amount of time once a potential customer engages your ad before they judge its worth. In addition to that, you only have so much ad space available to get your point across. With that in mind, it should be clear how important streamlining your message is. Give your headline, make your offer and give just enough product information to pique your customer’s interest.
Be Responsive - This is the tough part and the one that requires the most insight. You have to anticipate and respond in advance to questions your customer might have. Fortunately, the single most important question to answer is also the easiest to anticipate. Consumers have one primary question they’ll ask themselves every time - “How do I benefit from this?” While they may phrase it differently depending on the individual, the basic idea will be the same. You have to appeal to a need or a desire to get your customer to pay any attention to your ad and to give you a response.
If you aren’t engaging consumers in a real dialogue, you are losing potential business revenue. Instead of holding a one sided conversation, use your color printing to actively communicate with your customer base. After all, customers talk with their wallets, as the old saying goes, and that’s just the sort of response you were hoping for, right?
