How to Get Better Results from Your Advertising (Part 1)

In a word:

Focus.

Too often advertising is designed to reach a broad spectrum of people. This may work for a grocery store newspaper ad, but is totally wrong when using something more personal like radio or television.

Our brains have a super power to filter out much of the information we are exposed to each day, except for what truly interests us. The rest of what we see and hear may go into our subconscious, or be blocked completely.

Let's take McDonalds as an example of an advertiser that successfully follows this Focus principle.

They have over 20 items on their menu. But each of their ads features only one item. If they are promoting two items, they will use two separate ads. Angus Burgers and Chocolate/Banana Milkshakes are what they are promoting right now. But not in the same advertisement.

Also McDonalds uses shorter commercials since they are so focused. In radio, 60 seconds is the norm. Television ads are usually 30 seconds long.

In the past 5 years I've worked with McDonalds on our radio stations, their ads are 10 seconds, 15 seconds, and sometimes 30 seconds long.

Short and to the point.

Focus.

If your advertising sales rep wants to throw in as much as possible into your ad, (or if you do); stop and try this Focus approach.

Contact me if you need help.