Have you ever watched TV or listened to the radio and thought to yourself, "If I hear or see that ad ONE MORE TIME I’m going to scream!?"
That’s usually the case this time of year right around election time, even though it’s not just political ads that are over spending or over buying advertising. It can happen to any business.
Recently one of our employees had talked about how her nine-year-old daughter had actually said, "I’m sick of seeing this commercial" after the fourth or fifth time the commercial was aired during a program they were watching. It wasn’t that the product was something they didn’t like. It was because the ad was in one program too many times, which created negative feelings.
The risk of "ad overkill" is very real. That’s what we call the point of diminishing return. You can over-saturate a television program, radio station, outdoor billboard market and/or print publication with your message. The last thing you want to have happen is for your potential customers to tune your message out because they are seeing or hearing it too often. The print ads or billboards become wallpaper; the ads on the radio or TV become white noise. And that is totally counter-productive when attempting to grow your business.
Here are some key things to think about regarding your advertising:
Establish an advertising budget that is realistic for your industry, whether it is a percentage of gross profits or sales. Some industries have benchmarks established.
Find out who it is you want to reach and be cost-effective in the use of the media outlets that your potential customers use. (research, research, research)
Utilize multiple media outlets to create a synergy which will increase your efficiency.
Spend your advertising budget effectively and efficiently. Ask your media rep or media buyer to show you the effective reach and frequency for your targeted demographic or geographic audience.
So next time you’re planning your business’s advertising campaign, remember that too much of a good thing also applies here! Don’t risk ‘ad overkill’ that may drive your potential customers away.
