by Doug Smith
If you were holding a solid piece of metal that was 1/8 inch thick and 5 inches long, could you bend it? Unless you are Superman, the answer is NO.
If that same piece of metal was stretched out to a length of 5 feet, do you think you could bend it? I think you could.
Why?
Without getting scientific (which wasn’t one of my strong points in school) the metal is simply stronger the more compact it is. When you stretch it out over an extended length, it becomes weaker.
The same principle holds true in the world of advertising because the more you stretch your budget, the weaker your marketing becomes. This is a trap that a lot of small business owners fall into because they think the more advertising they do, the more people they reach, the more business they will generate. It is a great concept if you invest enough money is each of the media you use, but if are spending a little with a lot of different media, you are going to be disappointed. You are much better off telling “why you” to a smaller group of people more often, then to a large group of people less often.
In today’s over-communicated society, frequency is the key. Your prospective customers must come in contact with your message on a consistent basis for your advertising to be effective. As I’ve stated in previous newsletters, you don’t have to have a Geico size advertising budget to properly market your business. You just have to be smart with the budget you have.
If you advertise in radio, own a daypart or a specific day on the stations you use.
If you advertise in television, own a show or specific time of day on the stations you use.
If you advertise in the newspaper or a magazine, own a section.
If you have the resources to run a heavy advertising schedule across multiple media outlets, do it. But if you do not, then be more specific with the media you use.
Small businesses with small budgets can look and sound like big businesses with big budgets if they think like the 1/8 inch x 5 inch piece of metal instead of the 5 foot piece of metal.
Doug Smith is a Senior Account Executive for WREW Rewind 94.9 in Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky. You can contact Doug at (513) 535-9123 or dosmith@hubbardinteractive.com
