Whispering in a Room of Screamers (February 2007)
Try reaching out to customers personally, rather than joining the unrelenting barrage of consumer ads.
By John Landsberg
The average American is exposed to 3,000 advertising messages each day. Thousands of businesses hope that they can somehow break through all the clutter and get the consumer to purchase their product. Most fail.
Today there are ads on the floors of supermarkets, on the conveyor belts as you check out, on cash register receipts and in bathroom stalls. Soon ads even could be in the bottom of golf holes and on the plastic tubs where you toss your metal objects at airport security.
You go to a movie to avoid commercials interruptions, but see 50 of them before the film finally begins. Then you see commercials for upcoming movies. And you are bombarded with various product placements during the movie.
You turn on the TV (4 1/2 hours a day on average) and see a series of product placements and plugs during shows until they break for commercials. In a recent episode of "Desperate Housewives" one of the stars drove up in her sparkling new Nissan as the segment ended. It was followed by a commercial for-you guessed it-Nissan.
Speak Softly
In many ways it is almost scary today being a small business owner. Most have limited resources, small staffs and limited marketing knowledge. Paying $2.6 million for a Super Bowl ad is not within the realm of reality!
It is often a David vs. Goliath scenario in the marketplace, but that doesn't mean you can't use a little marketing creativity to break through the media clutter. Sometimes whispering in a room of screamers can be far more effective.
First, you should realize that the most powerful form of marketing in the world is word-of-mouth. Truly great marketing is getting your friends or neighbors talking about your company, product or service.
Word-of-mouth marketing today is often referred to as "buzz marketing," "viral marketing" or even "network marketing." Call it what you want, but it means getting folks to think and talk about your business.
The key question is, "How do you get people to talk about my business? For starters, social scientists have said that each person has 8-12 people in their close network of friends, family and associates. Each person's broader network may consist of hundreds or even thousands of people.
Ripple Effect
The theory of buzz marketing is similar to a stone dropped in the water, with the ripples getting larger and larger as they spread.
One of the best ways to generate buzz is by giving something away for free-yes, free! We all love free stuff. Viral marketing frequently involves delayed gratification, but the payoff can be huge in the long run.
Let's say you have a product that relies heavily on repeat business. Why not get customers to come in for a free trial? For the free trial, all you ask is for them to provide contact information, including name, e-mail address, postal address, etc.
You didn't make any money on this initial contact, but you have brought them to the door of your business. They've tried out your product/service, and you have information that you can use in the future. If you satisfy a need, customers will come back for more. And, they will tell their families, friends, co-workers, etc. The ripple begins...
Once the buzz marketing fuse is lit, it is almost unstoppable. Give away something free (e.g., ice cream, ink cartridges, pumpkins, quotes, etc.) and the buzz will begin. And what TV or newspaper outlet would not cover a line of folks stretching 200 feet around your business? Chick-Fil-A does it every single time it opens a new store.
When the media covers your business, then the fun really begins. The ripples in your business pond turn into waves and your product or service will really take off. At that point, hang on for a very fun ride.
John Landsberg operates Bottom Line Communications, a Leawood-based marketing communications firm. He is also an adjunct professor of marketing and consumer behavior at Baker University. He can be reached at [email protected] or (913) 338-5760.
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