by Vicki Lenz

Tracking Results – Ask or Don’t Ask?

Ask? This used to be my response, until I did further research on real-world results – as illustrated by a case in Corbett’s book. He cites the example of a new super lumber-type store. Customers were polled as they entered the store on grand opening weekend and asked, “What brought you in?” Roughly 50% said radio, 30% said TV, and 20% said newspaper. Guess what? The grand opening was advertised only on radio and in the newspaper. Yet 30% were very sure that they saw the ad on TV! “People don’t like not knowing what brought them in and they want to be helpful, so they’ll make things up,” says Corbett.

If you decide that you are going to ask, be specific. Ask, “Did you see our ad in Coffee News?” instead of the generic question “How did you hear about us?”

Another option for retail locations is to place the “Have You Seen our Ad in Coffee News?” sign by your cash register or at your front desk. We can provide you with the laminated sign which features an enlarged copy of your ad.

Don’t Ask?. Corbett advises, “The only foolproof way to evaluate advertising effectiveness is by setting measurable growth objectives for your business, and by monitoring the results in the cash register. Period.” Let me elaborate, and offer some ways to measure results.

Consider this explanation by one of our advertisers. “People see our ad in Coffee News all the time, but not necessarily when they need our services. Then when they do have a need, they might pick up the phone book to look for a company. They see our name there and remember it – rather than our competitors – because they’ve been seeing our ad. When I ask a caller how they found us, they might say the phone book. But I know it probably started with the name awareness generated by our advertising.” Smart man!

Do educate yourself on branding and advertising, and have a plan and budget. Corbett advises that you carefully select your advertising media by considering:

• how closely the audience profile of the medium matches your target market;
• the comparative costs of reaching the target audience through different media;
• the frequency of the media;
• the creative opportunities or uniqueness of the medium to communicate your message.

You’ll find that your ad in Coffee News can effectively deliver on all four counts!

And Consider This. What is one customer worth to you? How much will they spend with you in one year, five years, or a lifetime of doing business with you? Don’t forget to factor in the value of new customers that come your way as a result of referrals from that one customer. How does all that value compare to your cost to advertise?

One of our long-term advertisers views “Is this working?” in additional ways. He sees his ongoing ad as a way to build a sense of familiarity and trust — with new customers, prospective customers, and former customers. Further, he knows that his ad serves as reminder, should they need additional services or have someone to refer.

Others have a less analytical way of determining effectiveness. When asked how his company’s ad in Coffee News was working, one gentleman’s response was, “We’ve been advertising in Coffee News for four years. ‘Nuff said.”

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