6 Reasons your Advertising isn’t Attracting Customers

Marketing mistakes

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Advertising is your face to the world. It is how you tell others who may never have heard of you about your brand.

It is also how you keep those consumers who do know of your brand aware and interested and helps get customers back to your store. It is a natural extension of your business.

One of the most common complaints I hear from retailers is that their ads aren't working like they used to. Here are six common reasons you aren’t attracting customers.

The person viewing your marketing doesn’t know who you are

While you can purchase lists of emails, physical addresses and even Twitter followers, your return is usually very, very low because the people you reach this way don’t know who you are.

You are essentially cold calling them, hoping that at that very moment, they are looking for whatever you are selling. and will buy.

How to correct it: Don’t buy lists of strangers. People who know you are your greatest marketing opportunity. Find more ways to provide value to those on your list so they will help you spread the word.

The person viewing your message doesn’t know what you want them to do

When a shopper lands on your website, opens an email or pauses before throwing your postcard in the trash, do they know what do you want them to do? If your marketing isn’t clear, customers will either click from your page, delete or round-file.

How to correct it: Always have someone look at your advertising to try to find the call-to-action. It could be you want the viewer to come in, or you want them to click and find more information, but whatever the message, it must be abundantly clear to a casual reader. Font choice, color and action verbs make your directions clear.

The medium you’re using to advertise is ineffective

While you can still advertise in the Yellow Pages, or print fliers and put them on car windows, or even have some kid in a silly costume jumping up and down, don’t waste your money.

How to correct it: Ask your customers if they read newspapers, websites or magazines where you are thinking of advertising. Ask your kids too, and unless there is a clear majority, steer clear of costly ads. Instead, invest your money on Facebook sponsored stories to targeted interest groups.More about that in a later post.

Too many messages

Just because you can put ten things in one email, have fourteen categories on one web page, or list multiple events in one status update, doesn’t mean you should. In fact, you shouldn’t.

How to correct it: Less is more. Find one strong message you want to promote. Then in each email, status update or webpage, tell one simple story and give it one call-to-action.

Not unique

I received an email with the subject line, “We found some stuff for you.” I didn’t open it, and I doubt many would. Poor subject lines result in never-opened, deleted emails.

How to correct it: Monitor your own habits for selecting whether to open an email – or not. The subject line has to be a headline that gets the reader to want to know more. Personalizing your email marketing with the first name of the reader in the subject line has been proven to increase open rates.

It’s all about you

Do you know how you feel when you encounter someone who just talks about themselves? Great, then you know why this is so bad! So you’re having an event, a sale, or you received a new order – I don’t care and neither does your shopper. You have to tell the customer how the information you are sharing relates to them.

How to correct it: Use the words you and your extensively. Create your advertising with a person in mind. Relate everything back to how the reader can reduce stress, save or make money, have more time, or feel better.

Making your marketing work involves knowing who you are, what message you want to send, and then making sure your customers know what to do when they view it. All advertising must be unique to you.

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