In part one of this series, Louise Schultze sat you on the analyst’s couch to figure out whether you have ADD (Advertising Deficit Disorder) and, if so, which type. Today, she tells you how to cure it.
How to cure SMEs with ADD Type 1
So here you are back on my couch. You’ve either accepted that you have AD1, or you have plenty of time up your sleeve and want to chill out on my couch. Either way, clock’s ticking and you want to know what to do. So let’s get into the cure.
ADD1 – (Advertising Deficit Disorder – Type 1)
You’re the one complacent about advertising. You have difficulty focusing on where to advertise and what type of advertising works for your clients. You feel overwhelmed by it all and then do nothing because it feels like the safer option.
Well, like all good psychiatrists, I want to start at the beginning. Let’s talk about your relationship with your mother.
You know, the lady who nags you; who reminds you constantly about all the little things you should be doing. The woman whose voice always seems to be there, right before you’re about to make a decision. The woman who seems to know your every move and just shows up unexpectedly, right when you need her. You complain about her, but you still go and visit every now and then because you know she is there and has what you need. Whether her name is Chris or Marie Lucas, or John Symond, Frank Walker or Dick Smith, all these mothers are the same.
Just as good mums know their children so well that they can anticipate their next move, you also need this anticipation in your advertising and marketing campaigns. You need to know the next move of your clients before they get there. So when they are renovating their kitchen and they ask themselves the question, “Where do I go for my tiles?” you are the voice in their head. As strange as this might sound, to rid yourself of ADD1, you have to become your mum.
You have to know everything about your client. You need to remind them they need you, before they need you. You need to be the voice that always seems to be there, right before they make a decision. You need to know their every move and be there in their face, unexpectedly, to remind them you’re all they need.
There is no one advertising Ritalin for SMEs to fixes all your advertising and marketing problems. You need to be aware of the most effective ways to communicate who you are and how you will address your customers’ needs and wants.
Everyone else has a three-step process for something, so here’s mine.
- Find out who you’re clientele are, in great detail. Age, sex, marital status, socio-economic status, what they eat, where they live, how many children they have, what hobbies they have, where they shop, what they read. As much as you can. Then place your ads there – where they will be going, what they are doing. It’s stalking, in the loving, motherly way, like placing a note in a lunchbox – not the psycho-killer-standing-outside-their-window way.
- Plant the seed. Start nagging early. Be there before they need you, so when they do need something you have, they know where to come. Chances are, they will know someone along the way who may need you before they do.
- Your ad needs two things:
- Your brand (logo/name)
- Your point of contact
This must be loud and clear (i.e. nagging). Mums know that if the sentence is too long the child won’t remember the instructions. Hanky – pocket. What and where.
So where do you advertise?
Everyone will tell you what worked for them, what’s cheap and where they saw a good ad. These people are like the friends with kids who tell you how to parent. You should know who your children (cliental) are. You know whether they play soccer or AFL on the weekend. Once you know where they are and what they do, you must strategically place your ads there.
You’re an SME – not a corporate giant. You can’t afford your own blue chip drug doctor to induce your clients with a mass-produced campaign in order to control their behaviour. The point is, you can’t afford this kind of Ritalin and you don’t need it anyway. If you don’t believe me, go ask your mum. Besides, she has all the right answers anyway, remember?
Oops, time’s up again. I will, in future posts, give you real examples of incredible campaigns that have really worked. Book an appointment with my next post and we’ll deal with ADD2.
Now get off my couch and start dealing with your Mum issues.
Louise Schultze is CEO of iBidAM.com, an advertising and marketing company focused on helping small and medium business. She is also a motivational and topical public speaker.
Photo: Sebastian Fritzon
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