There’s Magic in the Message

(By Pat Bryson) John Wanamaker is famous for saying “I know that half of my advertising is wasted; I’m just not sure which half.” Today it is more important than ever that companies know which part of their advertising is giving them ROI.

Yet, most companies don’t know because they don’t consider all the facets of their marketing strategy. 

Rex Briggs has identified nine facts of advertising effectiveness that he groups into four categories:

Motivation: consists of consumer needs, positioning, and segmentation

Message: consists of message communication and touchpoint integration

Media: consists of media mechanics and psychologies

Maximization: consists of intra-media optimization and extra-media optimization

Wow! Lots of big words here. To simplify, companies must know why the consumer will buy their brand over the competition.

In our customer needs analysis meeting, we must ferret out the “Why?”

When we are dealing with direct business, most of our clients don’t have a clue how to advertise their business. Chances are, they have been doing it incorrectly – if at all. As their “marketing experts,” it’s up to us to craft campaigns and messages that will be effective.

We know that successful advertising campaigns contain three elements:

1. Enough repetition weekly so that half of your audience hears the message a minimum of three times. (Optimum Effective Schedule)
2. Enough consistency (read: a long enough campaign) that the message can penetrate consumers’ brains. This is accomplished in no less than 52 weeks, sometimes 2-3 years depending on the gestation period of the product you are selling.
3. A commercial message that resonates with consumers and is relevant to them. 

Let’s talk about that last one. People buy based on emotions. Your message should stir an emotional response in the listener. Write the commercial from the standpoint of your customer’s customer. No litany of facts allowed, only benefits.

What’s in it for the customer? Why should they shop in this particular store? Buy this particular product? What’s the experience of shopping there? What’s the one thing you want customers to remember about the business? What emotional component does the business satisfy? Your commercial should tell prospective customers “what’s in it for me?”

We have a secret weapon: the “theatre of the mind.” Sound is powerful. Sound allows the listener to create word pictures in their minds. Don’t shortcut the message. Sound sells!

Pat Bryson is the CEO of Bryson Broadcasting International, a consulting firm that works with sales managers and salespeople to raise revenue. She is the author of two books, A Road Map to Success in High-Dollar Broadcast Sales and Successful Broadcast Sales: Thriving in Change available on her website. Read Pat’s Radio Ink archives here.