by Vicki Lenz

How do I know if my ad is working?

This is a loaded question! What do you want from your advertising? Advertising can produce different benefits, from direct response to awareness to education.

Be forewarned: there is no one right answer or formula, as advertising is not an exact science. However, I can at least share with you a brief synopsis of what the experts say, based on countless studies both scientific and otherwise.

Don’t expect results from day one. We are besieged by over 3,000 messages every day, and it takes 6-10 times for people to start recognizing your ad. This is only the imprinting stage. Now you have to wait for the need to arise. That’s the advantage of Coffee News – it gives you the opportunity to keep your presence in the marketplace weekly – for the long term at an affordable price. So when the need arises and the person remembers your ad, they can still find you – you haven’t disappeared.

Keep at it! The Law of Advertising #2 from Wizard of Ads Roy Williams, states “Few people will be convinced quickly, and few of those who will be convinced will have any immediate need for what you are selling. By the time their need arises, your “testing of the waters” will be over and the prospect will have forgotten you.”

Williams also preaches that “It’s what you say” that will determine your success in advertising. So if your ad is not bringing the results you anticipate, let’s review it! Perhaps your message or offer or ad design needs adjusting. Remember, there’s no charge for ad changes and/or consultation.

Michael Corbett reminds us that, “If your doors are open, you should be advertising!” In Corbett’s book, The 33 Ruthless Rules of Local Advertising, the need for continued advertising is further explained. People shop all the time, so you’re advertising to a passing parade. People move. People forget! People often take their time before buying, and when they do need your product or service, you want them to think of you.

“In Advertising, Consistency Pays Off” is the title of an article by Steve McKee at BusinessWeek.com. “In the world of advertising, consistency is a scorecard on the wisdom of crowds. People know that advertising is expensive, so the more a company advertises, the more successful it must be. And the more successful it is, the more it means that other people are choosing it. Which means that it may be a good idea for you and I to choose it as well.

Your brand can benefit from this power of positive momentum. Through your initial advertising efforts, people will learn that you exist. With repeated exposure, they’ll learn that you’re stable. With even more repeated exposure, they’ll assume you’re successful – after all, based on your ability to sustain a long-term advertising program, you’d have to be.”

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Vicki Lenz is the Coffee News Franchisee for Louisville, KY. http://www.coffeenewslouisville.com/ email: Vicki@coffeenewslouisville.com