Why Your Marketing Isn’t Working

Did you know that a jaw-dropping 37% of advertising dollars are literally wasted every year? That’s right… More than one third of the money spent on advertising goes right down the tubes with no effect on sales whatsoever.

Do you know why?

Because most business owners are not aware that marketing and advertising is a science. The fact is that psychology and human behaviour play a major role in effective marketing and ads that sell.

If you allow ad agencies or advertising salesmen to spend YOUR money on ads that use catchy phrases, play on words, or artsy-fartsy graphics, you’re wasting your money on branding. You’re far better off investing your ad dollars on proven direct marketing strategies you can track and measure to know if your marketing is working or not.

Branding should not be completely ignored, but for small businesses, branding should be viewed as a by-product of direct response marketing.

The reason for this is simple… Direct marketing can be tracked, measured, and held accountable while branding CANNOT.

“The BIGGEST Advertising Lie of All Times.”

Be leery of the ad agency or advertising salesman that tells you advertising results cannot be measured. They’ll say if you just get your name “out there” to build “brand awareness” people will recognize your company and come knocking on your door.

This type of advertising is referred to as branding or image advertising. While branding may work for GM, Nike, McDonald’s and Coca Cola, it won’t work for you or for the other 85% of small businesses that don’t have the advertising budgets these corporate giants have.

If you’re not General Motors or McDonald’s why on earth would you want to advertise like them?

Lets face it. If you throw enough money out there something has got to stick, but at what expense? Most small businesses that try this approach go broke because they run out of money before they can get a return on their advertising investment.

What works best for your small business is response based marketing (direct marketing) which can be measured and tracked. This way you can test if your advertising is working or not before you spend the big bucks. This is the way marketing is supposed to be done, and is the only way you can get a true return on your advertising investment.

But don’t take my word for it. Check out this video from the father of advertising himself David Ogilvy. If you think this information is outdated think again. Remember, principles never change.

“Advertising is NOT an Art.”

Marketing and advertising is a science. A science with formulas and marketing tactics you can implement to get quantifiable results and dramatically minimize your advertising risks.

Doing it right is a lot easier than you think when you implement proven marketing “principles”.

While things are constantly changing, principles never change. Today we have the Internet, mobile devices, and wireless gadgets, but “what you say” and “how you say it” (your strategic marketing message) must be communicated in a compelling way that penetrates through all the noise in the marketplace. If you do this using proven marketing “principles” you can reach your target audience with an irresistible offer and beat your competition. This is what marketing is supposed to do.

Effective marketing “principles” have not changed and it’s safe to say they never will as long as human nature doesn’t change. And that hasn’t changed in 4 million years.

The “creative” geniuses of institutional advertising have had to reinvent themselves to start delivering results their clients can measure. Today a 37% waste in advertising dollars is unacceptable and a shameful reality that has finally caught up with the advertising industry.

“My 101 Marketing Strategies.”

• Marketing and advertising is a SCIENCE… NOT an Art.
• Your advertising has to be accountable, not “creative.”
• If you have an online presence, but have no traffic, you have nothing.
• “Catchy” phrases and “play on words” have no business in marketing or advertising.
• Your EGO is your marketing’s worst enemy.
• Your marketing must include both online and offline strategies.
• Advertising is “Salesmanship” in print.
• Marketing is not a gamble. If you treat it as such you will lose your shirt.
• No marketing is proven until it’s tested.
• When writing copy, say it in plain English so even a 5th grader can understand it.

“The Days of Simple Selling Are Over.”

Today buyers no longer have to rely on limited sources of information about a product or service. The landscape of business now involves increased competition, information, choices, and more resistance.

Today there is price competition that didn’t exist 15 years ago.

Products are becoming commodities and a lot of the marketing messages are identical. This results in the consumer’s inability to determine whether YOUR company, YOUR products or YOUR services, are any better, any worse, or any different than those of your competitors. This creates a big problem.

You must understand that people who will be buying from you have all these different choices. It’s very difficult for them to determine whether they are making the right decision in choosing you or your company to do business with.

Competition is fierce. You need to play by the new rules of the game if you’re going to be successful in today’s market. You have to understand strategic marketing to know what works, what doesn’t, and how to fix it.

Thank you for visiting my website. For more small business internet marketing information, please click on any of the links on the right sidebar or contact me.

To Your Continued Success,

Frank Prieto
Marketing Strategist