Advertising is a $350 billion dollar industry, and that’s just here in the United States. Ads are blasted out every day from more than 1500 TV stations, 12,000 radio stations and 2000 newspapers.
And yet some contractors still don’t believe in advertising
The reason many will tell you is that they have survived for years from referrals. And while referrals are the reward for doing a good job, they are not the only way to build business, especially if your contracting company hasn’t been around all that long.
With all the choices of how to get the word out there, how do you decide which one works best to reach the buyers you are looking for? And how do you develop a marketing strategy that doesn’t get lost in crowd? Well, you can hire guys like me, or you can try to do it yourself. And you have a better chance of success doing it yourself if you follow these 6 tips to creating effective advertising. Ready?
1. Be creative, but not creative for creativity’s sake – In other words, make your message stand out, but get your point across too. Don’t try to be too clever or too funny, it won’t work.
2. Make your message impactful – Headlines, copy and graphics all play a critical role in stopping readers in their tracks.
3. Clarity – Keep the message tight and easy to understand. Don’t over-complicate it with multiple messages.
4. Memorable – If I don’t remember you, I can’t buy from you. Make me think about YOU when I think about what you DO.
5. Informational – Peel back a few layers of the onion and show me what the important reasons are to consider you for my home improvement needs. Again, keep this part tight and on one message at a time.
6. Differentiate – You have to be unique. There are 10,000 plumbers in even the smallest cities. Why should I buy from you? Look for holes in your industry and exploit them!
And here is a bonus
Advertise – Yeah, I know what you are thinking, that’s easy to say coming from an ad man, but I bet you can tell me where every McDonalds is near your home right? And yet McDonalds still spends $7 million a DAY on advertising. Know why – Burger King!