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It’s 1968. Your tobacco company, Marlboro, stood out by giving its audience one of the best commercials ever. Life is good.
It’s 1968. Your tobacco company, Marlboro, stood out by giving its audience one of the best commercials ever. Life is good. Back to planet Earth. It’s 2021. Your business idea was already explored, tested and advertised by your competitors. You’re not the first, not the only one in your niche. So how can you cut through the clutter and stand out, in a world supersaturated with information? Here’s 5 best advertising best practices to help you through the process of becoming more visible:
1. Explore the emotional side of your audience
People are more responsive to emotions, rather than information and facts. When you trigger their sadness, empathy, anger or fear, your chances to cut through the noise increase significantly. No matter the environment you’re communicating in, do it right and reach your audience. Shape them as they are, discover their preferences and weaknesses, get to know them and go straight to them.
2. Help your audience fit in
People want to fit in, to be accepted, to be part of the group. No one wants to be left out, to be the only one not to use the latest technology, the best cosmetic products, the most effective mobile apps. Use Lamar outdoor advertising or other services to tell your audience you are here for them and you’re offering them a safe space to express themselves and their unicity.
3. Focus on benefits
Let’s assume you’re selling a moisturizer. One of the millions available in the market. All of them contain great ingredients that provide the skin a great care. You can’t control the buying decision by stating these properties. But you can sell better if you’re pointing out the benefits of using your moisturizer. A loyalty program, maybe. An exclusive discount. Make a promise and state the benefits, instead of crowding your ads with long lists of features.
4. Tell a story
Instead of asking yourself “how much does a billboard cost”, start any advertising project by asking what a billboard could bring you. Then, start building a good story around your product. Storytelling has proved its efficiency in the past few years, a good story always sells. So build it. Point out your company’s culture, maybe. Your history. Make your audience understand where you started from and what brought you here, instead of only promoting one product.
5. Create positive associations
Tell me who you’re walking side by side with, so I could tell you who you are. People will always associate you with the ones you’re linking with. That’s why influencer marketing is so effective. And it’s not only influencers and movie stars, it goes beyond, to awareness campaigns, to fundraising and social responsibility initiatives, to ideas your company stands for. Make those connections count and use them to your advantage. Audiences will get to see you through the lens of your associations, so make them positive.
Advertising best practices is getting more and more empathetic. Your audience needs to know you’re there for them, you can offer them comfort, you can satisfy their needs not only in terms of products and services, but in terms of belonging and identifying. Once you’re aware of it, you’re way more likely to succeed in business.
