The 7th Time’s the Charm When Marketing – Maybe
Ever heard of the “Rule of Seven”?
This advertising axiom states that a prospect must notice your advertising message seven times before they’ll respond.
That doesn’t sound too daunting, especially when you consider all the ways that your name or brand or slogan may be circulating (your website, Facebook, business cards, newspaper ad, TV or radio, direct mail, et cetera.)
However – we don’t always NOTICE ad messages every time we run across them. Do you always examine every ad in the newspaper? Do you always listen to every TV commercial?
Since people aren’t always “tuned in” to the messages they’re bombarded with, they tend to actually notice an advertising message once for every THREE times they see or hear it. Which means your message needs to be available to a potential customer 21 times, not just seven!
Okay, so this is a generalization – but there’s truth behind the concept, and it should factor into your marketing strategies.
What the Advertising Rule of Seven Means to Your Business
First, it means that once is seldom enough.
You’ve probably heard that repetition is essential in marketing, and this is why. Your prospects not only don’t notice every ad, they seldom respond the first time they DO notice it. They’re busy, they don’t have the money, they’re still doing research, something came up with the kids – life happens. So unless you catch someone at exactly the right time, they’re simply not going to respond to that first ad.
Second, it means that using a variety of marketing media is smart.
The newspaper and the radio aren’t the only options anymore. There’s a lot more marketing “noise” to wade through, and your prospects can be found in a lot more places. Don’t focus on one ad medium to the exclusion of others; and please don’t focus on online media (Google, Facebook, Twitter) and ignore print media such as direct mail. You need both.
Third, it means you probably need marketing help.
You need a marketing plan, you need a marketing budget, and getting help from a marketing or advertising professional can help you maximize limited resources of money and time.
Automation and systematizing is also important to make sure tasks get accomplished.
~ A great option for attracting the attention of people in print is direct mail; ask about “Show Me Dynamite Deals” for a truly affordable strategy!
Tags: advertising, LinkedIn, marketing, rule of 7
