It’s the message, not the medium, even now
I know a guy who knows a guy whose brother is a Google AdWords expert. He has made a good bit of money with the medium, and his business has done very well since picking up this skill. He taught a few tips about AdWords to his brother, whom I know to be a very sharp guy. He has used AdWords to catapult his business to number one in his region. That says a lot for the medium.
It also says a lot – truckloads even – for the message.
This sharp guy tells me that he wants to partner up with my ad agency to put his AdWords skills to use in my clients marketing and advertising plans. “Great,†I say, “Let’s get something going. AdWords would be a great compliment to our other online and print advertising and direct mail services.†The rest of the conversation goes like this:
He says, “Direct mail is dead. You won’t need that anymore.â€
“Direct mail is not dead,†I say. “Poor messaging is dead, poorly executed direct mail does not work. Strong messages sell, and direct mail with strong messages gets read and noticed.â€
“No,†he says, “Direct mail is dead.â€
“How do you know it’s dead?†I ask.
“Well, I get on average about seven pieces of junk mail per day, and I don’t read them,†he says.
“How do you know you get seven pieces?†I ask.
“I go through them every night,†he says.
“So, you are looking at all of this junk mail that you get every day?â€
“Yes, but I don’t read any of it,†he says.
“Well, people don’t read poor advertising anymore, and most direct mail is poorly conceived, poorly written, and poorly executed.â€
“Exactly,†he confirms.
“So, if the messages in your mailbox were compelling, advertising a product or service that you actually want or need, you would probably read it, wouldn’t you?â€
After a long pause, he says, “Oh, yeah, I would read it then for sure, absolutely. I see your point.â€
“I have always believed in an integrated approach to branding and advertising,†I say. “Companies who put all of their eggs in one basket usually find themselves disappointed as they hop from one bandwagon to the next in search of good, consistent results.â€
“Yeah,†he says, “That makes a lot of sense.â€
Savvy people are quick to jump on new technology and new media, but I find that many of these same people are quick to dismiss tried and true methods that are still extremely effective when done right. They often base their decisions on incorrect assumptions about the tried and true media, which is not all that difficult to do given the plethora of examples of poor branding and advertising to which we are all exposed on a daily basis.
The success of compelling messaging relies heavily on placement and timing. Many companies do their own media buys, often putting their ads in front of the wrong people in the wrong places, or mailing to people who do not fit squarely into their target market. Even people who have not yet mastered AdWords have this problem.
Are there mediums that are dead? Of course there are, but direct mail is not one of them. Direct mail can work extremely well when the company has the right goals for the medium, and when there is a realistic budget for strategy, creative, and copywriting. It’s the message, not the medium, that ultimately dictates whether a direct mail advertisement works.
Even Google AdWords success is dependent on excellent messaging. Once people click the ad, the website needs the exact same thing that direct mail needs in order to sell – a compelling message.
Kelly Hobkirk owns Train of Thought, a strategic branding, web and advertising firm, which provides clients with fully integrated branding and marketing solutions.
April 28th, 2007 at 7:43 am
Well said. I think a lot of people rush to adopt new technology because they view it as an easy fix to their complex problems. The idea that being #1 on Google can solve all of your marketing problems is just laughable, but I’ve also heard more than one SEO “expert” imply that over and over again., and it always makes me feel as uncomfortable as I do when I hear a born-again Christian say that all I need to do to be saved is accept Jesus Christ as my personal savior.
April 28th, 2007 at 2:12 pm
Equally well said, Dan!
April 29th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
Kelly,
Excellent article. As a 23 year advertising veteran, I agree with you 100%. I believe that many of the companies that went bust during the .com heyday either didn’t know or forgot that other mediums such as direct mail, radio, television and print can be used to drive traffic to a web presence.
People forget that, “If you build it, they will come”, was in the MOVIES and not a marketing edict written long ago by Marsteller, Olgilvy, Wunderman or Hopkins.
I’ve long held the opinion that young copywriters need to get out of the office more and instead of sitting in on focus groups … go hang out at the mall, a little league baseball or soccer game or even a bar they normally wouldn’t be caught dead in. Overhear what people are talking about. See what they’re buying and why.
And if they really understand what they’re hearing and seeing, they will have a better chance of creating messages that appeal to people and will motivate them to take the desired action.
April 30th, 2007 at 9:58 am
Kelly
As a former reporter I applaud you for making your medium the message: your dialogue approach to illustrating your point pulls us in. Impressive.
I wrote an article called Speak English Like it Tastes Good & will refer to this post on my blog as a good example of the tips in my article
May 2nd, 2007 at 8:07 pm
Dan makes a great point, there is no silver bullet in marketing on the web or anyplace else! The most important element, then, is getting your message out in the most effective (and cost-effective?) medium possible. This leads to people getting eyes-on, which is the only way that it can spread. So, do you think there can be a positive or negative relationship between the message and the delivery medium selected? Everyone wants some sort of insurance that their message does not get lost… or sold short.
Jerry
http://www.leads4insurance.com
May 3rd, 2007 at 11:38 pm
Michael,
Thank you for your compliment. I like the “If you build it, they will come,” reference. I frequently use that as an example of wish marketing. And, yes live research is always better than a focus group!
May 3rd, 2007 at 11:52 pm
Jerry,
Dan’s point is the same as my point, but his wording is much more humorous!
There is not just one single most important element in an advertising or marketing campaign. The message must be compelling, the execution as close to perfect as possible, and the media should be well-researched, planned, placed, and audited. The best way for companies to ensure that their marketing messages are not lost in the crowd is make sure that the message is as compelling and strong as it can possibly be, then to place it correctly. The majority of small businesses view traditional advertising mediums as too expensive, when in reality it is poor advertising that is too expensive.
May 7th, 2007 at 8:32 am
I would agree wholeheartedly, but will take it a step further. Everyone thinks they KNOW the best way to market a business, but in my experience, just as with this more narrow topic, there is no best way. Every business, like every human being, is individual. What works well for one does not for another. I’ve owned a number of businesses and in every case, I’ve been successful only when I personalized my marketing to the business as well as to my own personality. Listen to the “experts,” try what they suggest (as long as it isn’t too expensive), but always ask yourself if it feels right for YOU.
Warmly,
Lynn
http://www.CoachWithLynn.com
May 7th, 2007 at 9:26 am
Lynn,
Absolutely right. Each marketing plan that we develop is created solely for one individual client, and it is based on what we know they are most likely to succeed with. I use some very unorthodox methods to identify which marketing methods will work for which clients, and we keep the messages in their advertising real so that they are comfortable with what people are reading and believing about them. We are all about creating messages that connect.
May 13th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
Kelly,
Agreed. I suppose in many ways it is all about the old adage of “getting whatcha pay for,” isn’t it? However, finding that insurance factor for getting the message into the correct medium (and before the correct eyes-&-ears) has to be one of the most demanding challenges out there, IMHO. Lynn opines that there is no best way, and that may be correct, but selling >some
May 14th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
Jerry,
I would not say it’s about getting what you pay for. It’s about setting a budget for what you need. I find that small businesses tend to fight their own success by failing to set realistic marketing budgets while running with unfounded assumptions that traditional marketing methods are too expensive. There is no “correct” medium. There are a plethora of advertising and marketing mediums. A good plan is one that is written specifically for you. That said, the best of plans will fall flat on its face without good messaging.