July 2008

Will advertising help you get work?

Be weary of traditional advertising.  It can be expensive and unproductive.  There’s the well-known saying, “50% of my advertising doesn’t work – I just don’t know which 50%.” 

First of all, if you do any, it must be highly targeted - no ads in general publications.  You must show up in the publications read by your clients.

Generally there are two types of ads,

The first is a “Mercedes ad.”  This is an identity or brand building notice.  It shows up repeatedly over time.  It creates long term awareness.  This can be expensive and not oriented to producing measurable results.  On the plus side it does represent staying power and, thence, a sense of stability and familiarity over time.  When someone is ready for your service, they may recall or notice your ad and give a call.

Here is a sample of this kind of ad.  Many product ads are of this type.  They are mere reminders, or demonstrate a life-style, such as automobile advertising.

The second type is called a “hemorrhoid ad.”  This is an action oriented ad.  As the name implies, if you are afflicted, you need relief and are likely to act on the ad.  You see this kind of ad with a limited-time offer; perhaps a sale or news driven.   This is more common with retail advertising, but the consultant can use this approach with good results.

Here is an issue driven ad, with a call to action.  The first step is to get a lead via a free giveaway.  This puts you as an expert with the best interests of the client in mind.

Let’s look at some ways a consultant can use a call to action to generate leads.

·         News driven:  A new law is going into effect that will impact your client group.  Information and action is needed to prepare for or avoid the results.

·         An offer:  Offer a free report or white paper on a subject that is current and relevant.  Again this is to produce leads and a reason for them to contact you.  Another free item could be a free needs assessment or a CD.

·         Invitation:  like the news driven approach, you are announcing a major issue or change that others would want to know about.  Or you could be advertising a free information seminar.

The business selling process is multi-stepped.  If an action oriented add can generate good, qualified leads, then it is working.  The key is to test, test, test.  This is why you see some ads with a response address going to a specific department or code.  This is to track the ads to see if they are working, so each number or offer code provides a way to assess the specific ad source.  This information is gold.

Sometimes you will be advertising to support a client’s or industry event or program.  This is part of showing up and participating in your field.  In this case, the ad is not likely to produce leads or clients, but to demonstrate participation and support.

Be very careful with advertising.  Don’t expect magic to happen.  Business purchases are rarely made from advertising.  Watch your budget and measure your results if you choose this approach.  In business your goal is list building and lead generation, not sales.