Are you running a business in the post-pandemic world? We know you’re at your wits’ end and are probably willing to invest in any opportunity that promises promotion, reach, and marketing for your products, but here’s the deal: Don’t fall for it!
With the changing dynamics of advertising, brand positioning has also become a challenge. Convincing people to buy your product or, let alone notice you is not as easy as it used to be. In a bid to make money, producers in a variety of events don’t mind scamming merchants by providing false hopes of reach.
Here’s a small attempt at debunking some of these promotional myths.
“X Radio Station Will Mention Your Brand’s Name On Air”
If there’s anything we’ve learned in the last few years, it’s that there’s no way to measure traditional promotion correctly. All it’s based on is predictions. For instance, when a radio station claims that it has a reach of five million people, it means anything but that.
What does it not mean? Five million people will or already listen to the station regularly.
What does it mean? That the station is accessible within a radius where five million people live. It’s all a game of words, and more often than not, you’re at the losing end.
Unless you’re interested in throwing your money away, you’re better off investing in a deal that provides you with some form of data or measurement.
While we’re not saying that TV and radio are dead, they’re not the most reliable means to reach people either. You do not know who’s watching or listening to that promotion. You cannot interact with potential customers directly, and worst of all, there’s no way to know where and what time your ad was heard or seen.
Here’s the gist of the entire argument: do not put all your eggs in one basket, and especially not in one that doesn’t allow two-way communication. What good is your ad if there’s no way to go further from there? Can people click on it and get more information? No. Can they ask questions to clarify doubts? No.
A good marketing plan involves a blend of traditional and digital tools along with a strategy. Repeat after me, STRATEGY!
“We Will Mention Your Name On Stage”
Here’s what they don’t tell you. “We will mention your name on stage but with fifty other brands, and we have no way to tell if people will even remember.”
On-board mentions are some of the most overrated schemes to have existed. Your hard-earned money does not only go down the drain but is burned and abused every time someone even remotely tries to convince you that those two-second mentions work.
“We Will Put Your Logo On Shirts And Promotions”
What they actually mean here is that we will put your logo on shirts and promotions along with fifty others. Good luck having people locate yours in a one-second video frame. Think of it from a consumer’s perspective. Even if you land your eyes on that one logo in a sea of other logos, how will that make you understand what the business is all about?
All it means at the end of the day to people is that “okay, we heard the names, and we couldn’t care any less about them” or “okay, we heard them, but we’re not even going to remember them after a few minutes.”
The Bottom Line
Think about it, what’s better? A one-second video mention and logo on shirts or a single digital ad with higher reach, greater leads, and an even better value for money? Remember, a good marketing strategy is all about the right structure, the right blend of traditional and modern tools, and a price that’s worth it.
It’s time we accept that the world has come a long way from TV to Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Amazon, and from radio to Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, YouTube, and much more.
The bottom line is, don’t be fooled by event promotion salesmen or false outreach promises. Optimize your marketing, spend on what works and see the magic unleashed by the king of it all “strategy.”
