Advertising isn’t universally important. There are businesses that do very well on word-of-mouth alone. That’s not the majority, however. Those businesses are fortunate enough—or strategic enough—to have created a buzzworthy concept that gets passed along all on its own.
For the rest of us, advertising gets your name and notion out there where people who aren’t necessarily looking for you, but would have need or interest in you, can find you.
If your business is brand-oriented—meaning, you create an overarching idea that people connect to emotionally, like Coca-Cola or Chanel—general advertising is important. If you target your audience well, you reach the right people who will enjoy and feel a kinship with your message and (hopefully) remember your brand when it comes time to buy.
If you’re looking to get people to take an action immediately, like click a link, register for something, go to a webinar, or buy your product now, that’s where direct marketing comes in.
Many businesses use both, to great effect.
Having done this kind of work for the better part of 30 years, my best recommendation, no matter which kind of advertising you do, is to respect your audience. They’re people, just like you, with families, jobs, responsibilities, hopes, dreams, and fears. Keep those very real people in mind when you tell them your story—and tell them what they’ll get out of it, not what you’ll get out of it.
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