Something is rotten in the state of advertising. A slow, steady democratization has taken place. Brought about by the Googles & Facebooks of the world, open access to advertising platforms, unprecedented data about audience demographics & performance metrics, and right of entry to previously-guarded marketing channels have brought with them shock, denial, anger, bargaining…do you see where this is going?
Along with each stage has come success, failure, “learning” – the full gamut. For every dollar wasted on Facebook Ads targeting the right group in the wrong place, and for every Google AdWords campaign targeting the right place with the wrong terms, there have been – maybe in equal measure – marketing spends that delivered positive ROI & real profit.
So what’s the difference?
The smartest brands realize that new ad platforms (read: new places to spend your budget) aren’t always the shortest path to purchase for customers. These brands realize that despite open access, big data, and self-service advertising channels, this business is about one thing – the same thing its always been about: people.
To the customer, your marketing mix is irrelevant. Your brand strategy doesn’t matter. Your proverbial stake in the ground is just something to work around. People think & live
in stories.
Stories make us think. Good stories make us feel. Great stories make us react. The same is true of your marketing & advertising campaigns. The challenge is how to tell that story – your story – and how to thread that narrative through the daily life of your customer. That might mean a weighted mix of traditional media, paid search, promoted & organic social media content, and branded material on your website. Or it might not. The point is that there is no right answer; finding the right answer for you is the point.
Your customer encounters over 1,000 ads in any given day. And so do you. Did you start your day with a morning commute? Chances are you encountered a radio spot for a product or service near you (yes, even you Sirius listeners). Did you stop for a morning coffee? Chances are that Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, or the local coffee shop prompted you to download their app, to sign up for a loyalty program, or to pick up a punch card. And when you sit at your desk, caffeine in-hand, do your eyes flit between Outlook & Facebook? Chances are, yes. Follow this narrative through to the time you tuck yourself in & put your smartphone away for the night (yes, in that order), and it’s easy to see how many messages bombard us during our daily lives.
The smartest brands understand this and use it to inform & empower their marketing campaigns. They understand their customers’ behavior. They learn about what makes them think, what makes them feel, and ultimately what makes them react. They don’t fight to be the loudest voice in the room. They focus on finding the right people and having the right thing to say at the right time. They find their audience & they tell a great story.
At Mittcom, we’re passionate about people. We understand how to find the right ones, and how to make sure they know your story. When you’re ready for the challenge, we’re here to help.