30 Sep 09 What is the Least effective form of advertising?

Ask Professor Aimone:

Q- What is the least effective form of Advertising?

A-     For small businesses, I don’t think that any particular tactic- be it radio, TV, websites, billboards, trade shows or newspapers is inherently wrong (ok, maybe yellow pages).  What I do find the least effective form of advertising tends to be when people are trying to implement the wrong strategy.  If your sole goal is to “Get your name out there” and to execute a “branding campaign” your marketing efforts will probably fail if you need results in briefer than a 2-5 year period.

There is a classic analogy of your marketing budget as a glass of water, and the goal is to fill it to overflowing.  Nice analogy, and yes, when you blanket the area you do increase the chances that someone notices you.   So what’s the problem I have with that analogy?

What happens to the advertising you’ve poured in if you can’t afford to fill the glass to overflowing?

How do you know before you start how big that glass you need to overfill is anyway?

When you pour advertising into the glasses, how do you know you are pouring it into the same glass?

Answers upcoming-

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Tags: advertising, Branding, braning campaings, Duct Tape Marketing, Overfilled waterglass, Professor Aimone, Randy Aimone