In 2009 the U.S. economy entered a recession that hit businesses and consumers alike. In the following months and years, businesses had to adjust their advertising strategies, and their budgets, to compensate for the deterioration in the economic landscape. What this meant was that businesses needed to refocus their sights in order to hit their target markets.
The problem that developed for advertisers was that the target markets kept moving. The poor economic conditions coupled with rising unemployment rates, affected consumer confidence and spending, thus making it more difficult for advertisers to craft effective marketing strategies.
The difficulties centered around the fact that consumers utilize up to four different media sources in formulating their buying decisions, making the job for marketers and advertisers somewhat of a crap-shoot. Determining which media resources to use, and how often to blitz with an advertising message is the dilemma.
With no shortage of media options to choose from, advertisers are often caught up in a whirlwind of doubt and confusion. Cost is also a factor in the equation, and when coupled with multiple media options, advertisers are often spreading their messages and their budgets too thin.
The Internet has provided businesses, regardless of size, an inexpensive option to hang out a shingle to capture market share. Yet there are billions of Web sites now online and search engine optimization (SEO) is a necessity in order to make a Web site relevant in any search. There are SEO businesses that specialize in making Web sites show up on the first couple of pages of search results, but they’re expensive.
Social media has gained popularity and traction as a low cost option, but businesses are still learning how to harness its power and use it effectively. Social media gurus have carved out a niche, and will assist businesses with establishing a social media presence, but their services are not cheap.
Cable television advertising is a lower cost option to network television. And even though Cable reaches a vast audience, its costs are often prohibitive for small to medium businesses, and the advertising coverage for the dollars spent is sparse. An ad on Cable television usually runs in a random rotation two to three times in a day, and could cost the equivalent of the annual salary for one employee.
Radio spots also cast a wide net to consumers, but the cost can be as high as Cable advertising. And the frequency of the ad is often the same as that for Cable, so the coverage is less than optimum for smaller businesses.
E-mail is one of the most used options, but with more and more advertising messages being sent out, consumers are being bombarded with up to twenty ads each day, and their attention to and patience for these messages is wearing thin. If the consumer doesn’t recognize the name of the advertiser, the message is likely to be deleted before being opened.
SMS text advertising can be an effective solution, but is dependent upon a reliable list built through an opt-in program. It can take many months or years to build a sizeable list and most businesses can’t survive that long with this one advertising option.
Delivering a broad-based advertising message may reach thousands of people, but how many of those consumers are really seeing or hearing the message, and more importantly, how many of those potential customers are acting on that message?
So what’s the answer to the marketing dilemma that advertisers face today, even with so many media options available to them?
Many businesses are looking to the old-fashioned approach of personalized advertising through direct-mail and door-to-door campaigns. Consumers appreciate the time and effort that advertisers put into determining their wants and needs, and by utilizing key demographics, advertisers can offer consumers what they really want and need.
Front Door Advertising allows you to reach this growing market more efficiently and effectively than ever before. And now, with advances in rapid measurement having recently hit the market, we can do so using controlled, precision-based technology.
Contact us today at Front Door Advertising to see how we can help you craft an advertising campaign using door hangers and postcards to improve conversion rates, improve ROI, and boost your bottom line!