Advertising is war…  End of Story…

Before television, when there was only radio, we as creative writers and producers did a fabulous job at describing a car enough to make someone want to buy it or at least, visit the showroom.

“Sell the sizzle”.

According to Marketing VP’s from Budweiser and Pepsi, the number one problem with radio is that agencies and station do not provide radio creative that sticks the message in the minds of their customers in a way that stay with them. To them, this is far more important than how many people hear the spot. They say radio creative is the key, along with making ads part of the content instead of an interruption. On the other hand, Business owners and CMO’s don’t want great sounding spots. They don’t want cutting-edge effects. They don’t want something trendy or shocking. They simply want the listener to remember the brand message with a desire to find out more, which in turn should sell product if their message is correct. If great-sounding spots do that, great. If, as in the case of “Head-On”, bad creative does that even better, that’s even better! The Saturn spots didn’t say a thing about the car that made me want to find out more. It did tell me I am wasting my time listening to radio since it won’t do the job…the same job they paid money to be on.

I think plenty of people are still happy with radio, and saying that it doesn’t work or that it’s less than the rest is counter-productive.  Radio still works, bad radio doesn’t. It’s like the industry has become complacent in the shadow of other forms of entertainment. Radio people are throwing their hands up and saying “there’s nothing I can do”, yet they’re not stepping up their game like the pioneers did back when radio was just beginning. Think about how resourceful and resilient people had to be in the early years of radio – now we take it for granted. On-air people and the creative staff are why people listen to radio – you can get your music and ads anywhere from the internet to t.v. to satellite, etc.

Man I love you guys! Let’s roll in the grass!

photo credit: Midnight-digital 

Recently we heard a report that compared car sales from Feb of last year to Feb of this year, sales are down 50%. FIFTY Percent.  Car dealers are now thinking a little differently about what to do to counter act this. They are looking for things that will drive traffic. for the Auto Dealers it’s no longer only about reach and frequency, it’s going to be about how you can drive traffic to them. Ideas for events, games, anything that will drive traffic.

I noticed he didn’t mention good creative.

Andrew passed along a comment that everything is down right now - except foreclosures. We have restaurants that have shut down permanently in this area because people have to hold what disposable income they have to pay the bills and buy groceries - which is another thing getting rather expensive.

Car dealers can think all they want on how to counter-act a sales slump - and they will not ever come up with the magic bullet. Why? People are not buying. Period. You will not - can not - convince them to buy when they don’t have the income to buy. End of story.

Car dealers - the ones continuing to sell cars - are continuing to do what they should do - reach and frequency. Remember - advertising DOES NOT sell product. It introduces and maintains awareness for a product or service. The consumer’s desire for that product or service drives the purchasing.

So these idiots can bring in as much of a circus as they want but it’s not going to sell more cars. Keeping awareness in the marketplace high FOR your cars, though, will slake the need for information when the desire to purchase comes to fruition.

One of the dealerships (locally) headed by the largest single-point Ford dealer in the nation knows this. They’ve slashed through the employees, firing en masse; cut benefits, cut, cut, and cut some more … but their agency has maintained a now ubiquitous presence in the market for the last seven years. You can not turn on the radio or watch television without hearing or seeing a commercial for one of their dealerships. Their advertising is high-creative, very labor intensive, flashy and loud. Everyone hates it or loves it. And it works.

And that’s not going to change. Because they understand that all the circuses in town will NOT make people buy, but reach-and-frequency awareness will keep their name top-of-mind when the consumer or businessperson is in the market to buy.

Thanks for the insight Andrew…

Justin

photo credit: tanjila 

Andrew just sent this over and I thought it was fitting and useful…

Can’t sell in January - Between the terrible weather and everyone coming back from vacation, how can you expect someone to focus on buying now? I’ll pound the pavement next month.

Can’t sell in February - More snow and more vacation. Way to go, Washington and Lincoln; thanks for President’s Day! It’s such a short month. No one can make a decision in such a short month. Next month is going to be better.

Can’t sell in March - No one is going to make a decision on this with more holidays around the corner. Good time to shop for summer clothes. I’ll just borrow money because I’ll make huge commissions later to pay it back.

Can’t sell in April - Who wants to focus on buying with Spring in the air? And hey, my kid’s birthday is this month. I’m sure my prospects are working on their taxes anyway. Next month will be better for sure.

Can’t sell in May - Great weather in May, and I hear that my prospect may be thinking about being acquired. No problem. I’ll look for better ones next month.  There’s tons of opportunity out there.

Can’t sell in June - Kids are getting out of school. Wow! I almost forgot Flag Day. No one buys in this weather. Besides, July is a better month for sales anyway.

Can’t sell in July - Great time of year to be at the beach and enjoying the outdoors. I think all of my contacts are on vacation…together! Nope, can’t sell this month.

Can’t sell in August - Too hot! Besides, I’m taking my vacation. They probably are taking theirs, too. No selling to be done now. Next month, for sure.

Can’t sell in September - Between the three-day Labor Day weekend and a new fiscal year kicking in, no one is buying anything. I’m feeling good about next month.

Can’t sell in October - Columbus’ birthday; what should I get him this year? I almost forgot Halloween! I’m going to focus on selling hard over the next two months. I’ll finish the year strong.

Can’t sell in November - Thanksgiving, ya know. Very short month. I don’t think any of my contacts have their budget yet. Can’t buy without a budget. Man, December is going to rock!

Can’t sell in December - Everyone is on vacation in December. I know I am! Who can focus on buying with the end of the year so close? What should I do for Festivus this year?

Oh well, maybe next year will be better for sales. Luckily, no one is buying anything from anyone this year.

*Source: *Sales author/trainer Lee Salz http://salesdodo.com  photo credit: rick 

Andrew just sent this over and I thought it was fitting and useful…

Manipulation is getting prospects or customers to do something for your benefit. Persuasion is getting them to do something for your mutual benefit.

What’s the difference? Manipulation is usually bad. It’s done to serve your own interests without any regard to what you’re doing for the prospect or customer.

Persuasion is good because it’s done for the best interests of you and the prospect or customer. Here are some tips that may increase your persuasive powers:

*Persisting.* Persuaders realize that 80% of sales are made on the fifth call or later. They recognize that one of their most persuasive abilities is the refusal to give up. They understand that more than 75% of salespeople quit after calling on a prospect three times. Persuaders are in the elite 20% of the sales force that close 80% of the sales.

*Personalizing.* Persuaders recognize that a prospect wants to know one
thing: “What’s in it for me?” They add persuasion by personalizing every part of their presentation to meet prospects’ own personal needs and wants.

*Proving.* Facts and testimonials are very persuasive. Persuaders recognize that third-party endorsements go a long way to building credibility. They’re prepared to prove every claim they make with hard data, test results and performance records.

*Positive.* The best persuaders are positive about themselves, the company they represent, the products or services they’re selling, and the prospects they’re attempting to persuade. Enthusiasm is contagious.
They persuade with power because they get customers and prospects feeling the same way.

*Source: *Adapted from /Persuasion: The Art of Getting What You Want,/ by sales trainer/consultant David Lakhani. photo credit: Cyberesque 

I was just e-mailed this from one of our readers in the community…

“Even MORE reason to beat salespeople to death that don’t let us do our jobs.  The time to throw commercials against the wall to see what sticks is OVER. Our clients need targeted, well crafted sales messages right now.*

Consumers Making Fewer Shopping Trips

U.S. consumers are making fewer shopping trips across most retail outlets as they look for ways to combine errands and save money in an effort to battle rising gas prices and other economic pressures, according to The Nielsen Company.

Nielsen’s consumer packaged goods (CPG) research shows that while shopping frequency across most retail channels is flat or on decline, supercenters, which enable consumers to combine shopping trips with more items in one store, continue to show growth.

“Value and convenience are more important than ever as rising gas prices impact where and how often consumers shop,” said Todd Hale, senior vice president of Consumer & Shopper Insights, Nielsen Consumer Panel Services. “Long-term trends show us that all value retailers –supercenters, warehouse clubs and dollar stores — are gaining in their quest to grab shoppers. Keep in mind, however, that some U.S.
grocers reported stronger same-store-sales growth than supercenters or dollar stores in 2007. Proximity to shoppers and a healthy focus on convenience and value helped many of these grocers deliver solid results.”

More stores

Nielsen’s research shows that retailers are responding to consumers’ desire for value and convenience with increased store openings. Store count is on the rise in many retail channels, particularly in warehouse clubs, supercenters, dollar stores and convenience stores. Store closings and conversions of mass merchandise stores to supercenter formats has resulted in a decline in overall mass merchandise count, and while supermarket count is up, the growth is not at the rate of other retail channels.

“Increased store counts tell us that value and convenience are winning in the marketplace,” said Hale. “Convenience retailers have expanded aggressively, but this channel is facing competitive pressure as ‘big-box’ retailers offer lower-priced gasoline, attracting consumers.”

Hale notes that certain grocery segments, such as deep discount retailers and high-end or specialty grocers, showed strong store count increases from 2001-2007.

“New and remodeled mainstream grocery formats also helped to pave the winning ways for some grocers,” Hale said.

Variety in alternative shopping channels Alternative channels, including hardware/home improvement stores, office supply stores and automobile supply stores and bookstores are increasing the level of competition for traditional retailers — and increasing the distribution opportunities for manufacturers.

“CPG manufacturers have taken notice of alternative retail channels,” said Hale. “For example, batteries and light bulbs have always had a strong presence in the hardware and home improvement channel, but the product assortment in this channel is expanding to include products from non-grocery and even food and beverage. This trend only increases competition for traditional CPG retailers.”

Who are your shoppers?

Nielsen reports that it is critical for retailers and manufacturers to understand which consumers are shopping in the different retail channels.

“Know your shoppers,” said Hale. “Understanding the demographics of your loyal shoppers is absolutely essential for growth. With this knowledge, retailers and manufacturers can determine the products and brands that are the best fit for the consumers shopping in their stores.”

Nielsen’s research shows diversity in the types of consumers that are the biggest spenders in different retail channels. For example, younger and older bustling families are important to mass merchandisers, supercenters, grocery and warehouse clubs, while older couples and older singles show a preference for drug stores.

“Competition for shopper attention is fierce,” said Hale. “Success will come to retailers who define themselves by who they sell to and how they sell them, not by what they sell, while success will come to manufacturers who define themselves by who they sell to and the issues they solve for their consumers and retail partners.”

photo credit: kk+