What would happen if you brought a knife to a gunfight? Likely, the gun would win.
But, what would happen if you were marketing towards the wrong medium? For the better part of the last year, a UHaul like a truck has driven in front of my office with advertisements flashing for hours at a time. It seemed very odd to me, how can this be targeting the correct customer. Something many businesses do quite often, the market, but are basically throwing out business cards into the wind and hoping they land in the right spot, for the right person is looking for their needs.
This is Blind Advertising or Marketing or let’s call this BADvertising.
After a long discussion with a co-worker, we realized there are several mobile marketing companies that are selling ads on mediums such as cars, planes, and bikes, yet what they are advertising is typically blind.
How much money is your business losing by advertising blind?
Or better, how could your business find the right medium to advertise. I asked my Facebook friends if Highway Billboards work. The overall consciences were no, but it does in a few situations.
1. Food (The Golden Arches)
2. Tourist Locations (South of the Border)
3. Gas/Cigarettes
These only work well when the masses can see them.
But think about mobile marketing, like a plane at the beach. What should the plane be advertising? Not the local law firm for men or an accounting firm, but rather a food special, concert or attraction. If you are a tourist you are looking for something immediate. These mobile marketing platforms should only be selling immediate products, or something a viewer can immediately do.
Why can an airport sell a candy bar or lunch for 2-3X’s the amount you would normally pay? Because you are either 1. in a mode of desperation or 2. it’s vacation, so you don’t care.
The van that drives by loves to advertise a gym, a furniture company, realtors or law firm. The likely hood of me remembering such ad when I get back home or to my office is unlikely. Or think about how much noise our days are already filled with and now as soon as we see Ad Truck we turn away. Instead if Ad Truck or Ad Plane advertised promotions targeting those who would be interested, the conversion rates would be much higher.
Ex. I’m a family of 4 at Virginia Beach and the day is wrapping up and I’d like to hit up a restaurant and then a family friendly event after. I would advertise a special for a pizza joint or maybe a put-put golf or movie on the beach.
Ex. #2. You are a couple in Virginia Beach and are vacationing and its day 4 of 7 and it’s beautiful outside, but rain is in the forecast for tomorrow. Instead of advertising the para-sailing that you won’t convert tomorrow, instead of the market towards a destination indoors. This could also be a good opportunity for a company to advertise a destination outside of the immediate beach oceanfront since tourists will likely be looking for different plans due to the forecast.
Ex. #3 You are a concert promoter in Las Vegas and ticket sales are low and you want to sell tickets fast for that evening’s event. Would you advertise the event in the airport on a banner or would you rather hand out flyers on the strip or have cars driving by showcasing and marketing the fun that your concert will have?
Of the three above, what do you think would convert the highest?
Many people market and spend millions of dollars and they never see that money back. I recently met a former executive at Goodyear tire who spent 100 million annually to advertise his tires to NASCAR exclusively. And when he hired a consulting firm to take inventory of the tires at a race, guess what percentage of racers were using Goodyear?
I bet you will be shocked when I tell you 27%. Here’s a company that is spending 100 million dollars a year advertising their product as the exclusive vendor of tires to NASCAR and they barely own a quarter share.
Money down the drain
I encourage you to think about who will be seeing your ads before you start spending a dime.
And think, that if you were an insurance man, would you advertise on the side of an ice cream truck?
Join our free Facebook group!
For more tips, tricks, and advice from small business owners, entrepreneurs, and other people growing a brand.
