The most powerful advertising techniques can be found in
universal truths. I want to talk about one today that I have never seen fail in
18 years.
If you want to
achieve anything, you’re more likely to succeed if you break it down into
smaller attainable steps.
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| The Haiku Stairs featured on http://canyouactually.com/7-of-the-most-extreme-staircases-on-the-planet-that-are-ridiculously-terrifying/ |
It applies to
everything:
If your career goal is to be “the big boss” one day, you’re
more likely to achieve it if you map out the various steps you need to
eventually get there. They may include additional education, assuming new
responsibilities, and seeking out new employment opportunities.
If your personal goal is to do some spring cleaning, you’re
more likely to achieve it if you break it into smaller tasks. They may include cleaning
out the garage, stripping and waxing the hardwoods, and sorting the closets.
The goal of every ad
is to sell…a product, a service or an idea.
Want to increase your chances of achieving this goal?
Break it into smaller attainable steps.
In the case of advertising…THE FOUR STAGES OF THE BUYING
PROCESS.
Here is everything
you need to know to put the power of “smaller attainable steps” to work for
your advertising goals.
First a review of
the four stages every consumer goes through before they buy something:
Awareness: An ad
catches your attention.
Interest: You
become interested in the product because you can see a benefit.
Desire: You want
the product because you strongly believe the purchase will make your life
better and/or result in a satisfaction of needs.
Action: You
decide that now is the time to act and buy.
When you apply the power of “smaller attainable steps” to
advertising…
…the goal of every ad
is to sell by advancing the consumer to the next stage.
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http://popista.com/old-people-falling-down-stairs
NOTE: Steps are best
taken one at a time, so stick to one step per ad. Trying to climb all the
steps in one 30 second ad is like jumping UP a staircase. You will fail.
So the very first
thing you need to do is determine what step you are climbing:
If nobody has heard of you and what you are selling…climb STEP 1: AWARENESS.
If people know who you are but don’t really care…climb STEP 2: INTEREST.
If people see a benefit in your product but have other
higher priorities…climb STEP 3: DESIRE.
If people want your product but don’t have an immediate
reason to buy…climb STEP 4: ACTION.
Everybody is going to have potential customers that are
scattered across the various stages. The key here is to identify where the
largest concentration is. So ask yourself:
What is the most common objection I encounter when I talk to people
about my product?
Once you’ve
identified your step, here is what you need to focus on:
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| http://www.careerealism.com/4-steps-networking-level/ |
STEP 1 – AWARENESS:
You are introducing yourself, what you do, and why you do it. You need to focus
on name recognition and, more importantly, your most interesting features (and
I mean “most interesting” to your customer). Think of everything you’ve learned
about “first encounters” with people and apply that knowledge here. Your “call
to action” should be focused on “learning more about you”, so send them to your
website and make sure there is something interesting waiting for them. Asking
them to buy your product in an awareness ad is like asking someone to marry you
on the first date. They’re not ready yet. Far from it.
STEP 2 – INTEREST:
You want to demonstrate how your business will benefit the customer. Identify
the top three benefits of your product and do an ad for each one. Stick to general
benefits that will be experienced by all of your customers regardless of
demographics. Back up all claims with real examples. Testimonials are great
ammunition here as long as you don’t fake them (people can tell). I also like
problem/solution style ads that tell a compelling story about a common problem
and then presents the product as a solution. Your “call to action” is still to
the website but with the offer to “find out more information AND the best way
to buy”.
STEP 3 – DESIRE:
You want them to picture using your product and how much better their lives
will be because of it. Your message has to have a strong emotional anchor and
provide a virtual test drive of the results. You will need to get more specific
with your target. General benefits don’t do well here. Identify the top three
targets and write a custom results based ad for each. Include the results in
the “call to action” and a purchase path that best suits the specific target.
Busy moms don’t want to visit your showroom with kids in tow. Make it easy for
them to buy the right product on your website.
STEP 4 – ACTION:
You want them to know, without a doubt, that NOW is the time to act. The most
common mistake here is that most people think time limited discount offers and
finance rates are the only options. You’ll find more effective triggers in
current events and the collective concerns they raise. The devastation in Fort
Mac makes people want to be prepared. The completion of another school year
makes people want to plan for what’s next. The summer weather makes people want
to take advantage of it now before it’s over. How does getting your product
right now address these collective concerns? The answer will be the basis of
your ACTION ad.
When you take the “smaller attainable steps” approach you
gain short-term traction and a long-term plan. If its your first time up the
staircase, you’ll feel the progress from customer interaction and you’ll know
when its time to move to the next step. Once you reach STEP 4 and see an
increase in sales, you should proportionally increase your radio buy and run
ongoing INTEREST and DESIRE campaigns at the same time. Switch all of the ads
over to an ACTION campaign when current events present a great opportunity.
This is the secret to LONG TERM radio advertising.
Want to know if your
radio advertising is using the power of “small attainable steps”? Want to find
out what step you should be climbing? Contact Audio Active Advertising today
for a free consultation.
Ryan Ghidoni is an 18-year veteran of radio advertising and has worked with some of
the most creative sales reps, writers, producers and voice talent in the
business.
CHECK OUT “Audio Active Advertising” every week on Puget Sound Radio.
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