As we prepare to host 3 Women’s Conferences (The Power of Friendship) in June 2014, I personally have become acutely aware of the growing challenges of just getting the information to the intended audience. One of the most painful phrases to hear is “I’d wish I had known about that event…I would have come.” How much advertising does it take to make sure the target audience is made aware of the event? This is a challenge for anyone who is promoting anything…a product, a service, a business, an event, ANYTHING. People are overwhelmed and overstimulated with non stop information.
The average person receives over 120 emails per day in their office, not including personal emails. It is estimated that most of us are bombarded with over 5,000 advertising messages a day! There are over 1.23 billion people on Facebook, 645+ million on Twitter, 540+million on Google+ and 259+ million on LinkedIn. The average Facebook user receives up to 1,500 posts in their daily news feed. There are 500+ million tweets sent daily.
The days of running a few ads on radio, television or print to get immediate results are over. Most people would not pay attention to the message, let alone respond to it. Research indicates that most of us need to see an ad 5-8 times before we actually consider responding to it. For the individual or business trying to get noticed, the daunting challenge of getting noticed and getting a response can be extremely frustrating, especially when the marketing budget is drained and the results are not positive.
As marketers, or businesses or the person trying to get their message noticed, what should we do to improve direct response from our target audience? Most of us do not have time to post on Social Media 2-3 times a DAY, plus pay for radio, television and print ads. So, what is the answer? Honestly, there is no simple, one-step answer but I’ve learned some best practices that work for our businesses. And, I am constantly studying to learn more and more about this ever changing marketing landscape.
Here are my Top 5 ways you can get results without exhausting your time and money.
1. Stick to ONE message; whether it’s your name, tag line, whatever you do…keep it simple and short. Try to create one sentence that you always use in everything, every place. It’s the foundation of your Brand Identity. The average person will only remember a short snippet.
2. Repetition. Repetition. Repetition. If you are promoting an event, a book, your business…use the same short tag line, name, logo in all of your social media. Schedule your postings using a system such as HootSuite and my recommendation is one per day. No need to spend more than 10-15 minutes, if you have your short, consistent message ready to go.
3. Be patient to grow your audience. Once you begin the first steps of developing your brand identity and introducing yourself and what you do to your audience, be patient and respectful to them. If using Social Media, be consistent in posting quality content. Represent yourself professionally, yet personal enough for your audience to get to know you. Be positive, never negative. And, be authentic.
4.Use pictures and videos to communicate your message. Statistics prove that people respond to photos and videos in higher numbers than just text posts. Remember the same principles of keeping the message consistent with your brand and what you are advertising. Keep the photos to a minimum, maybe from an event you are hosting or sharing photos from something that reflects your message. Videos need to be short and your own if at all possible. Use YouTube to link to your social media sites for videos.
5. Invest your time to LEARN and gain knowledge for yourself regarding marketing and advertising. I’ve seen so many people spend so much money to have others handle their marketing, SEO or social media, and end up being disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, there is a balance. And, you will need outside help as your business grows and you have enough experience and knowledge to better understand your own needs. However, most small businesses and entrepreneurs can benefit the most by learning HOW to strategically, effectively grow their target audience. Knowledge is power…put the power in your own hands.
I’m in the process of developing a new program that will help you LEARN how to use numerous online and social media tools effectively and productively. The program includes a series of videos, events and written content; designed for those of us over 40 years of age, still trying to catch up and keep up with this technology world we live in. Life Casting: Plan-Prepare-Prosper is coming soon.
Keep growing, keep learning and be patient. Authentic, consistent quality is your best marketing tool.
Bobbye Brooks
