• Headlines - Life or Death of Your Advertising
• Discover THE Most Important Element of Your Web Site
• Light a Fire Under Your Customers
Chapter IV: Offline Marketing With Online Results
• Free Offline Methods To Promote Your Internet Business
• Do It Like A Pro ~ How to Create A Brochure
Chapter V: Publicity - It's FREE & It Works
• Getting Free Publicity – How to Write A Press Release
Chapter VI: Don't Waste Your Time - Track Your Advertising
Results
• Which Ads Work and Which Ones Don’t
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Chapter I: Getting Inside the Mind Of Your Customer
• The Most Important Thing To Know About Advertising
• Customer Preferences In Online Advertising
o Part One - Information Rules Over Entertainment
o Part Two - The Annoyance Factor of Online Advertising
o Part Three - Look At Behavioral Traits Not Demographics
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The Most Important Thing To Know About Advertising
© 2000 Karon Thackston
I am often asked, “What is the most important thing to know about advertising?” The
answer is simple, although it eludes many people.
Know your target audience!
When you ask most business owners who their target audience is, you are generally
quoted a list of demographics. While demographics are a portion of the make up, to
know your target audience goes far beyond statistics.
Advertising is a message you send to the people whose business you would like to
gain. It is a form of communication to a specific group of buyers. When you
communicate with friends and family, you take the communication style of that
particular person into account before you speak or write. The same holds true for
your target audience.
When you begin to write a letter, you don’t sit down and begin writing without first
determining who the letter will be addressed to. If you are writing your mother, you
will no doubt design the message differently than if you are writing your best friend.
Your verbiage changes and your style changes according to who you are writing. You
make a point, although sometimes subconsciously, to write in such a way that your
audience will be receptive. These same principles apply when addressing your target
audience via advertising messages.
Find out all you can about what kind of people your target group consists of… not
just what demographic segment they fall into. Find out if they are analytical or
creative types, if they are business professionals or stay-at-home moms. The closer
you get to those in your target audience, the more effectively you’ll be able to
communicate with them…and the better received your advertising will be!
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So What?!
© 2000 Karon Thackston
When writing advertising copy, asking this question is essential. Why? Because your
customer is going to ask it over and over again.
Customers do that. I’ll bet you do it, too! Customers want to know what’s in it for
them. That’s why it is vitally important to constantly work the answers to “So what”
and “Why” into your copy. This is done by listing features, but more importantly by
listing benefits.
Let me give you an example. Let’s say you see an ad for a cat litter. The ad indicates
this cat litter offers specially enhanced particles. Everyone’s next question will be “So
What?” The specially enhanced particles are a feature of the cat litter. The feature
doesn’t relate why the customer needs this product. The feature may be quite
impressive, however the person watching wants to know why they should be
interested in those particles. To answer the question at hand we need to list the
benefit.
It just so happens that these specially enhanced particles were developed to absorb
every single bit of odor left in the litter box. These particles will leave the litter box
just as fresh smelling as before kitty did his business. That is what the customer
needs to know. That information is what the customer will relate to. Now, are you
asking, “So What”? Ok, I’ll tell you.
When writing copy, be sure to include features and benefits. Let’s look at our cat
litter ad again. If we make just one small adjustment to the copy it becomes much
more powerful.
Kitty Fresh cat litter was developed with specially enhanced particles that adsorb all
odors from the litter box. Your house stays fresh smelling all day. And because these
particles work so well, you won’t need to change the litter box as often. Try Kitty
Fresh cat litter today!
How’s that? That answers “so what” and “why”. The customer understands what the
particles are and why they need them.
Here are some other questions to remember when writing ad copy:
1) Why does that feature benefit me?
2) Why would I use that product?
3) Why should I buy your service/product over any other?
4) What’s in it for me?
When writing, focus on what is going through the customer’s mind. Try having a
friend or associate give you feedback on your copy. Tell them to answer the question
“So what”. If they can, you’ve done your job!
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Customer Preferences in Online Advertising-Part 1 of 3
Information Rules Over Entertainment
© 2000 Karon Thackston
Online consumers have given some very explicit information regarding their
preferences when it comes to advertising. According to research conducted by
Jupiter (www.jup.com), a worldwide authority on Internet commerce, there are
several things online business people need to be aware of in order to increase their
advertising effectiveness.
I have created this 3-part series of articles as a commentary relating to the results of
Jupiter’s study entitled, “Inside the Mind of the Online Consumer”. It will help you
understand what the information means to you. Taking heed to the
recommendations Jupiter reveals will most certainly improve your advertising
response rate.
Customers Use the Internet for Information
Forty-eight (48) percent of consumers online use the Internet primarily as a utility
device, not an entertainment device. This means they are using the Internet as a
tool, not a toy. Because of that fact, consumers are primarily looking for
information, not games. This is not a new revelation. However, how this fact relates
to advertising is new.
Customers Want Information-Based Ads
According to the customers in Jupiter’s survey, they respond to advertising that
compliments their online activities. Forty (40) percent said they respond more
readily to online ads that are informative rather than entertaining. This would
include new product developments, benefits-oriented ads and those focusing on
service issues.
Notice that one of the categories listed is “product benefits”. This is where the
majority of online advertisers fall to pieces. It is simply imperative that online
advertising copy be filled with benefits. Online consumers are looking to answer the
question, “What’s in it for me” over and over again. They are seeking information
and the advertising you give them should fill that need.
How to Build An Information-Oriented Ad
So now that we’ve learned that customers are ready and waiting for us to provide
them with information-based advertising… how do we do it? Does that automatically
mean you have to go with long copy? No, not at all.
According to Jupiter, “Advertisers that are marketing high-consideration products,
which require a more informed purchase process, should focus more exclusively on
consumers’ online information needs. Advertisers that are marketing low-consideration products – for which consumers require little information in order to
complete a purchase – have more leeway to take a less informative and more
entertaining approach to their advertising.”
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It’s just as I’ve stated for years. Let your target market lead your decision to use
long or short copy. Those seeking information on affiliate programs, MLM programs,
high-investment products or services, etc. are going to be seeking more information
than someone in search of a new bathrobe. For more detail in this area, visit
http://www.ktamarketing.com/articles_longcopy.html.
Here are some suggestions you can use to help build a successful information-type
ad:
1. Include statistics – When you make a sales claim, back it up with
information, including statistics. You might say, “Our saucepans have a non-stick coating that’s guaranteed for life. In actual, in-home testing, food did
not stick to our saucepans 98.3% of the time.”
2. Include targeted benefits – You must include targeted benefits to make
your message hit its mark. Let’s take the saucepan example a bit further.
“Our saucepans have a non-stick coating that’s guaranteed for life. In actual,
in-home testing, food did not stick to our saucepans 98.3% of the time. You
get omelets that come out of the pan whole. You get sautéed chicken that
makes a beautiful presentation on the plate. You get less waste, less burnt
food and more healthy cooking because you use no oil.” Now those are
benefits any chef would think are important.
3. Provide content on your site that backs up your claims – As you surf
the Web take note of information that supports your advertising claims.
Surveys, research, reports, testimonials, etc. can all provide valuable
information that could move a customer from the point-of-decision to the
point-of-purchase.
4. Submit articles – Customers looking for information are much more likely to
respond to a URL listed in an article than a bold-faced advertisement.
Because articles provide information in a non-threatening way, they work
along the same level as endorsements and referrals. Write articles relating to
your area of expertise and submit them to article archive sites and Ezine
publishers.
5. Offer a free report – Give away information free with a purchase or
subscription to your newsletter. Since information is what surfers are looking
to receive, it will work as a big incentive.
Next in the series will be a focus on ads that are avoided and shunned by online
customers… and how to be sure yours isn’t one of them!
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Customer Preferences in Online Advertising-Part 2 of 3
The Annoyance Factor of Online Advertising
© 2000 Karon Thackston
In part one of this series, we discussed the fact that studies show information leads
over entertainment. We discovered that Web site visitors are primarily looking for
information, and therefore, ads should be more information-oriented.
The second of the three discoveries in the Jupiter Communications (www.jup.com)
survey that I will comment on is the discovery that some online advertising is seen
as an extreme annoyance. Let’s be sure your ads aren’t included in that group.
What They Hate
No one likes to be bombarded with advertising. We all see it everywhere we go. It’s
on television, the radio, billboards, and even grocery story carts for goodness sake.
However, online advertising is viewed as the most aggressive.
Jupiter found that 49% of those surveyed said online advertising was the most
intrusive of all. Many were willing to tolerate ads in broadcast or print media,
probably due to the fact that they could leave the room, change the station or turn
the page. However, online ads hold an extremely negative reputation.
From my experience, this is most likely due to the fact that online ads often have a
“used car dealer” air to them. I have seen many that look like they’re all produced
from the same template.
These ads promise the sun, the moon and the stars. They scream about why you
simply must buy the product or service. Then, to make it worse, the site captures
your email address and you receive hundreds of email advertisements via an
autoresponder that apparently has no end.
The Worst Possible Ads
The worst offender is pop-up ads. These are the advertisements that pop onto the
screen as you click through a Web site. They advertise specials or offer subscriptions
to Ezines, etc. Once thought to be a tremendous sales tool, these ads have become
increasingly offensive.
Sixty-nine percent (69%) of those in the Jupiter survey viewed pop-up ads
negatively. Almost 25% found them so annoying they would completely avoid sites
that used them. That’s a powerful statistic. Can you afford to have 25% of your
Web site traffic never return simply because you employ pop-up ads?
What We Can Do To Make It Better
So, now that we know what our site visitors hate, how can we adjust our advertising
in order to please them (and make them buy)?
Here are some recommendations to consider when creating your next piece of
advertising:
1.
Don’t do “anything and everything” to get the buyer’s attention. Everyone
that comes to your site isn’t going to buy. The harder you try to get their
attention and force them to read your ad, the harder they will try to
escape.
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2.
Remember from Part 1 in this series, site visitors are looking for
information primarily. Include your ad along with other, useful
information. Perhaps you might try offering a free report or article that
provides information the visitor can use. At the bottom, insert an
advertisement for a product or service you offer that can help them
further.
3.
Don’t use pop-up ads.
4.
Keep your target audience in mind. Business people aren’t going to have
the time or inclination to participate in game-type ads. On the other
hand, teenagers love them. If your target group is younger people,
games might be the thing for you. Design your ad to meet the
preferences of your target customer.
Using these suggestions will help your ads be more readily received – instead of
avoided at all costs!
In Part 3, the final article in this series, we’ll look at the behavioral aspect of online
advertising and discover what characteristics and traits should be kept in mind.
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Customer Preferences in Online Advertising-Part 3 of 3
Look At Behavioral Traits Not Demographics
© 2000 Karon Thackston
In part two of this series, we discussed the annoyance factor of online ads and how
to overcome them. In this last article, I’ll tell you how to use behavioral traits to
direct advertising efforts rather than demographics.
I am a strong proponent of defining your target audience. If you don’t know who
you are communicating with, how will you be able to do it effectively? Jupiter
Communications’ (www.jup.com) survey backs up my claims.
What Difference Does Behaviorism Make?
I’m sure almost everyone has heard the phrase features vs. benefits. The entire
premise behind this statement is that you must tell the audience what’s in it for
them. How, if you don’t know their concerns, their hopes and their needs, are you
going to define benefits that will make a difference to your target customer?
The difference between demographics and behaviorism is that one tells you the
basics and the other tells you the details. Demographics let you know that your
customer is a man employed in upper management who is 45 years old, has 2
children and makes approximately $50,000 per year.
Behaviorism tells you that, because he’s a man, he is compelled by information-type
ads. (If he were a she, she would most likely respond to animation or sound.) It
also tells you that he’s burned out on corporate politics, having a mid-life crisis, can’t
being to think of how he’s going to pay for college for 2 kids and is in bad need of a
raise! Now… which profile do you think you could communicate more effectively
with? The demographic or the behavior? (It’s a rhetorical question!)
Target Everything About Your Advertising
People hear the phrase “target marketing” and “target audience” all the time. But do
you understand how extremely important those phrases are to the success of your
marketing campaign? You simply must, MUST know your target audience.
When you communicate with them through advertising, you absolutely have to be
able to address their fears, their problems and their concerns with a solution. They
want to know what’s in it for them. If you don’t understand what they need, you
simply can’t answer that question.
Targeted advertising increases sales!
When you create an advertising piece, especially online, every aspect should reach
out and grab your target customer. This means the copy (especially), the design,
the colors, the photos, the graphics, the packaging (if applicable), the ordering
process… absolutely everything.
Segmenting Your Broad Market
One trouble that often plaques businesses is the fact that their target audience is so
broad. If that is the case with your company, try segmenting the market and
appealing to each segment’s behavioral traits.
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For example: perhaps you’re a Real Estate agent. You need a Web site and want to
appeal to several segments of the Real Estate market. What can you do to
incorporate the behavioral traits and other preferences of so many people?
Divide your site into smaller areas specifically targeted to each segment. You might
choose to have a link on your home page that says “Need to sell your home? Click
here!” In that section you can speak specifically to the needs and concerns of home
sellers. (Who are usually women!)
Another area might be directed toward home buyers. These people want lots and
lots of information, including pictures. Be sure to give it to them along with some
articles dealing with hiring a moving company, transferring your utilities to a new
address and how to prepare children for a new school. Get it? Major decisions
require lots of information.
Keep Focused On the Customer
Above all, keep focused on your customers and their needs. Resist the temptation to
use your favorite shade of pink as a primary color in your Web design if your
customers are mostly men. Remember that you can choose to include an optional
flash presentation within your site if you’re dealing mostly with women. And always,
always address your target market’s concerns and needs with benefit-oriented copy.
By combining the information within the 3 parts of this series, you can truly make
your online advertising more powerful… and more readily received by your
customers.
***The initial survey (about which I have written this commentary) was conducted
by Jupiter (www.jup.com), a worldwide authority on Internet commerce.
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Chapter II: Develop A Plan of Action That Works
• Putting Together the Pieces of the Marketing Puzzle
• There's Free Advertising Money Out There
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Putting Together The Pieces of The Marketing Puzzle
© 2000 Karon Thackston
When I started in advertising… too many years go to admit to… I began to notice
that most “do-it-yourselfers” were making the same mistakes. They were treating
each aspect of marketing and advertising as a separate entity. Instead of creating a
plan based on the marketing process, they were picking and choosing individual
areas to concentrate on. Needless-to-say, they didn’t have much marketing success.
Marketing is the entire process from product conception to delivery. Most people
mistakenly believe that the words “marketing” and “advertising” can be
interchanged. In actuality, advertising is only one part of the entire marketing
process.
The marketing process is like a puzzle. If you leave out any of the pieces, you’ll find
a big hole that detracts from your end result. So what are the pieces and how do
you put them all together? Here, I’ll show you the basics that must be included in
your marketing plan.
Product