There may be hundreds of ways to advertise but there are only two methods, Creative and Directional. It is important to know which one you need most at any given time in your strategy as they target two very different consumers.
It all starts with your sales funnel. What does yours look like? Are you top heavy with lots of leads that have yet to progress? Or are you busy right now wrapping up and servicing sales that are being made or have been made? These answers help to decide where your marketing dollars need to go.
Creative advertising helps to build your brand and stay top of mind to passive consumers. It builds the need for your product or service. Creative advertising formats include radio, billboards, direct mail, magazines and TV. Think about the last time you heard or saw an ad on one of these media. Were you ready to buy right then? Probably not. But you may likely think of those businesses when you are ready.
Directional advertising is imperative to capture those that are in the decision-making process and getting ready to buy. This is a magical sweet spot that EVERY advertiser aims for. While directional media is often a higher investment, the ROI is also much higher. Directional media can include online, Search Engine Marketing and Search Engine Optimization.
Today’s review sites like Google and Yelp are also directional. People have gotten in the habit of reading consumer reviews when they are close to making a purchase. What did you do the last time you made a purchase that involved a decision-making process? Where did you look? Keeping up with your customer reviews and keeping these sites up to date will go a long way in establishing your consumer base.
If you are closing a lot of business right now, make sure you are investing in your future customers by using creative advertising. Not closing enough? It could be that you need to invest more into being seen by active buyers at the bottom of the funnel through directional advertising.
Whichever your situation, let the professionals at CONRIC help with your 2021 marketing plan and strategy. Call 239-690-9840 ext. 1001 or email info@conricpr.com to schedule your free virtual business marketing consultation today.
