There’s an Ad For That

By Steve Fradkin, President
The Wizard of Adz

You’ve seen the “smart-phone” ads.  Whatever you want to do, “there’s an app for that.”  Want to find out the weather in Sri Lanka?  There’s an app for that.  Want to locate the closest location for Kosher Mexican food?  There’s an app for that.  Want to produce an advertising campaign that reaches your target market with the right message and doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg?  Oh wait…there’s NO app for that.

Your situation is unique.

Sure, you can get pre-designed and pre-written ads from the manufacturers of the products you carry, or from your trade or professional association.  You can get logos and business cards online.  You can get the kid down the street to make a good-looking brochure on his/her spiffy new laptop.

But are these easily-obtained and relatively inexpensive products for you?  Do they address and appeal to your specific target market?  Do they present your company’s benefits so that your message separates you from your competition?  Do they select the right media for you, or help you plan your advertising schedule and budget?

Of course not.  They weren’t designed with your business in mind.

• Ads from manufacturers are designed to sell the products — not your company.  An ad for Chevrolets doesn’t lead people to your dealership.  It promotes Chevys, and may give exposure to your competitors.
• Ads from trade associations are even less directed.  They’ll promote hearing aids, for example, but not a specific brand, and certainly not a specific outlet.
• Catalog items — business cards, logos, signs, etc. — are one-size-fits-all.  A design for a painter won’t be different from one for a dentist’s office.  And they sure don’t define your image, your uniqueness.
• And the kid down the street?  He or she may have wonderful graphic skills and may even custom-design your items.  But his/her spiffy computer notwithstanding, the kid probably has no marketing background and little or no idea how to write copy that speaks to your market and highlights your special qualities.

Cheap can be quite expensive

It stands to reason that an ad (or brochure or logo, etc.) that is off-target or not representative of your specific qualities will cost you significant business in the long run.  Wouldn’t it be better to invest a few hundred more in preparing your materials than to lose thousands in sales?

That’s where we come in.  We’ve helped companies break national sales records, triple in size, out-pull other ads in the same publication, even generate so much demand that the ad campaign itself had to be stopped.  We didn’t do that with catalogs or stock items.  We did it with sound advertising strategy.  And we can help you produce better results with your advertising.

Bring your strategy into focus

The Wizard of Adz specializes in developing In-Focus Advertising Strategies.  We work with you to define the unique aspects of your business and separate you from your competition, and then creatively and convincingly convey that message to your target audience.

Want to increase sales and market share, strengthening your competitive position and maximizing your return on your promotional budget?  There’s an ad for that…but it won’t be developed until we talk to you.  Give us a call at 781-821-1818 and ask for our collection of successful case histories — stories like the ones mentioned above, and others.

Did You See Our Ad on the Super Bowl?

 

By Steve Fradkin

The Wizard of Adz

If you watched the Super Bowl Sunday, you probably saw some of the flashiest, funniest, most in-your-face ads ever. And if you're like most, you probably looked at many of those ads and said "huh?" to the others in the room. Were you convinced to drink Budweiser because of the shaggy-ankled horses? Or to buy a Camry because their re-invented couch was made of seven bikini-clad lovelies? Did the polar bears tempt you into a Coke, or did Clint Eastwood's Detroit epic make you yearn to buy a Chrysler? Didn't think so.

So what's with these advertisers who plunk down millions for media and millions more for production on ads that are apparently better theater than marketing? Are they destined to be classic mega-bucks boondoggles, or is there a method to their madcapness?

A couple of possibilities:

In many cases, they're not talking to you. You're not the right age, or income bracket, or you have different interests or attitudes than their specific target markets. Don't forget: there is no such thing as a brand that appeals to everyone. If the ad is done right, it's aimed at the most likely buyers. Segmentation Strategy: Strategy #2 of our Seven Essential Strategies of Advertising. For more information, go to our all-new website WizardOfAdz.com and click on Strategic Advertising.
 

The Super Bowl is a very special venue for ads, in that they tend to generate a lot of news media coverage and water-cooler chat. Consider, for example, that Google shows 17,708 articles related to its reference to Forbes' "The Winners and Losers of Super Bowl Commercials in 2012." Of course, the media don't latch on to marketing strategy; the buzz circles around entertainment value - humor, drama, sex. Want to know more about generating media interest in your company? Go to WizardOfAdz.com and click on Public Relations.

So did you see our ad on the Super Bowl? Of course you didn't! Who can afford the $3,500,000 per spot the media charged for those ads (almost $6,000 a second)? We can't...and we're pretty sure you can't either. Yet, it's amazing how many owner-managed businesses have NO advertising budget plan, despite the fact that they shell out thousands of dollars in advertising and related activities each year. No idea how much they can afford, how to apportion the funds, how to determine next year's marketing and sales objectives and plan towards achieving them.

That's why we've developed The Wizard's 3-Step Advertising Budget Calculator. It will help you determine what belongs in the advertising budget, what size it should be, and how to allocate it month-by-month for an entire year. To download it free, Go to WizardOfAdz.com and click on Free Downloads.

So sorry...no Super Bowl ad for us (or you). Call Sharon at 781-821-1818 or email her at Sharon@WizardOfAdz.com. Let us show you how well-designed plays executed with precision and discipline can help you score goal after goal.