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Advertising
What Does Informative Advertising Mean? [+Examples]
Discover how informative advertising can effectively shape consumer behaviour. Learn to use data-driven insights for impactful marketing strategies.
Informative advertising is one of two most popular types of advertising. The other type is persuasive advertising, and both can be effective at affecting consumer behavior. Which one you turn to depends on your goals and the situation you find yourself in. So before we go any further, let me first ask…What is it that you most want to make — money, a name or a difference? Almost everyone seeks all three. But there’s always one priority, so you’ll need to be honest with yourself. What’s your priority with your business? What end should your advertising decisions be in pursuit of? The answer is going to make a difference in how you allocate your resources. If you’re not able to decide which of the three goals you seek most, then read on. By the end of this article, you’ll have a clearer answer regarding your goals and how to achieve them.
What Is Informative Advertising?
Let’s start by defining informative advertising: a facts-and-figures based method of convincing your audience they need your product or service. With statistics and numbers, you can demonstrate your product’s relevancy and value. It’s essential to only cite true information from trustworthy sources, though, or you’ll ruin your credibility. And a company with no credibility can’t market effectively, especially not with informative advertising methodology. In theory, once your audience is made aware of key information, they’ll be convinced to make a purchase. The question is, what information would lead them to the conclusion that they simply have to buy your product? Think about what facts really set you apart from your competitors. Are there any areas where you know you’re stronger than the rest? If so, that’s where you’re going to want to focus people’s attention. At the very least, the information you provide should pique their interest to learn more. That way you can offer them more information down the road that will hopefully lead to sales.
Informative Advertising vs. Persuasive Advertising
In contrast to informative advertising, there’s persuasive advertising. Persuasive advertising relies on the emotional side of an audience’s decision making process. By appealing to emotions, these persuasive ads aim to make their audience feel a certain way. And then that feeling leads to the decision of purchasing the product. For example, a persuasive ad for sneakers might try to make you feel lazy for sitting around on your rear all day instead of getting out for a walk or run. In simplest terms, informative advertising relies on logic while persuasive advertising relies on emotion. Which appeal will make a bigger impact on your target audience?
What Is the Main Purpose of Informative Advertising?
Any advertisement aims to sell a product or service. The only difference is how they try to make that sale. With informative advertising, the marketing method centers on offering education that convinces a potential buyer to make a purchase. This type of advertising works best when a product is superior to its competition in a measurable way. Are facts and figures on your side because of your product’s high-quality? If so, informative advertising can be extremely effective. Identify what you’re most proud of in your product, and then use whatever metrics you have to prove it. Another benefit of informative advertising is that prospective customers are more likely to feel that they made their own choice. With persuasive advertising, if it’s done too heavy-handedly, then you risk your audience feeling manipulated. Remember: advertising is as much of an art as it is a science, so it requires a delicate and nuanced approach. But if you aren’t very well-practiced with these two types of advertising, you don’t need to get all wound up. We’re here to help. We have the experience to help you set and follow your marketing strategy to best meet your goals. Contact us at Wizard of Ads today!
Examples of Informative Advertising
Now that we’ve covered the theory behind informative advertising, let’s go over some real-life examples. Seeing what other companies do in their ads is a great way to study marketing methods. Use those ads to jumpstart your efforts. When you find an ad that you think works well, try to figure out what exactly works and why it does. That way, you can apply the same ideas to bolster your own strategy. We’ll help you get started with the following ads.
The Surfrider Foundation
In this ad, The Surfrider Foundation is using the informative advertising method. The ad reads, “What Goes in the Ocean Goes in You. Recent studies estimate that fish off the West Coast ingest over 12,000 tons of plastic a year. Find out how you can help turn the tide on plastic pollution at www.surfrider.org/rap.”The goal is to educate the audience on the extent of pollution in the ocean. More specifically, it highlights the exact amount of plastic that fish eat in The Pacific Ocean. Lastly, they tie that figure to human seafood consumption: if you eat fish, you’re eating plastic. People generally don’t want to eat plastic, so this ad is going to grab the attention of its readers. The Surfrider Foundation is hoping that people’s actions are driven by a lack of knowledge or awareness, and that if they just really knew, they’d change. They’d want to reduce their harmful contribution to ocean plastic pollution, and they’d turn to the foundation for more information. For informative advertising, keep in mind that your information has to be reputable. By citing real and high-quality research, this type of marketing is much more effective. Otherwise, it’ll work against you.
Front App
One situation in which informative advertising tends to be effective is a product launch. How can consumers choose your product if they don’t know about it? Some basic information can go a long way with initial advertising efforts. Front App teamed up with a blog in their industry to launch their product. By choosing TechCrunch, a reputable site, Front App is offering their target audience information. That information on their product is meant to help them gain a following. By educating readers on how their product works and benefits them, Front App can establish their audience base to further grow. Establishing a base can help build momentum down the road. This article acts as a full run-down of the relevant information about Front App, including what the product is and who can benefit from it. General informative advertisements aren’t always a good idea, though. If you’ve already established a customer base, you’re going to want to hone in on some more specific information. Since your audience would already know about you if you’re an established brand, they won’t be interested in basic information. Instead, focus on something more unique that your audience hasn’t heard before.
Miller Lite
Bud Light created an ad campaign that pointed out some information about Miller Lite. Miller Lite’s ingredient list includes corn syrup, and the implication behind the information is that Miller Lite is more unhealthy than Bud Light. As a response, Miller Lite clapped right back with their own advertisement. They did so in the form of a counter-campaign, again based on informative advertising principles. They compared the calories and carbs in both beers to show that Miller Lite has fewer calories and carbs. This information is meant to imply that despite the corn syrup, Miller Lite is still a better option than Bud Light for health. Then, the information is also used to back up their central claim, which is that Miller Lite has more taste. Another example is what happened here with another of Miller Lite competitors, Michelob Ultra. Michelob’s advertising pointed out that they had fewer calories than their competitors, including Miller Lite. So, Miller Lite ran an ad that pointed out that the difference was exactly one calorie_._ In the commercial, a person goes to check out at a liquor store with Michelob Ultra. The cashier looks at the Michelob Ultra beer and says, “You know Miller Lite only has one more calorie, right?” The customer immediately goes back and chooses Miller Lite instead. This commercial implies that if users knew that the difference was so small, they’d always choose the superior-tasting Miller Lite instead. After all, what beer drinker cares about one measly calorie? This ad definitely shifts toward persuasive methods at the end. When that tone shifts and the customer goes back to choose Miller, it serves as an example of how you can blend both philosophies. Often, it’s effective to start with a factual presentation then move on to its emotional impact. Regardless of your marketing, advertising, or sales needs, we’re here for you. If you need a push in the right direction, then Wizard of Ads is happy to provide you with our expertise. Contact us today to get started!
Advertising
Persuasive Advertising: How To Do It Right
Whether you realize it or not, we are all continuously being persuaded through the advertising that emerges throughout our day-to-day lives. Say you’re out running errands and you see an ad for a seasonal Starbucks coffee— suddenly, you imagine the warm, decadent taste… it brings comfort and peace. Next thing you know, whether it’s the same day or a week later, you find yourself standing in line at a Starbucks looking to try that new delicious seasonal flavor. That right there is an example of effective persuasive advertising. Persuasive advertising is essential in any marketing campaign; and when executed in the right way, it can bewitch consumers’ thoughts and feelings towards buying your product or service. Creating effective persuasive ads isn’t as easy as one might think. Many big companies often miss the mark with their advertising, and it, unfortunately, loses them a lot of time and money. Take Pepsi as an advertisement example: remember that cringe-worthy 2017 Superbowl commercial with Kendall Jenner? The underlining message of “drinking Pepsi will solve all of America’s problems” is a true example of persuasive advertising that was totally ignorant to the current political climate at the time. Keep in mind, negative retaliation like this is rare, but what is arguably even worse, is when your ad is forgotten altogether. So how do we avoid that? How do you get people to do what you want them to do? Well, you’re in luck as this article contains advice from renowned advertisement sorcerers that will be able to break it all down for you.
What Is Persuasive Advertising?
Persuasive advertising essentially leverages the emotional needs and desires of the consumer and convinces them to purchase your products or services— it’s basically advertising that has a sprinkle of enchanting fairy dust on top. With this form of advertising, you must focus on quantifying the value of your product or service and effectively delivering that message to your target audience. Otherwise, they won’t understand or be aware of the value it brings to their lives.
How Does It Work?
To be able to use persuasive advertising, you’ll first need to understand how to properly execute an ad that enchants the masses. Think of it like casting a spell on someone— make them come to the realization that your product will improve their quality of life in some way. There are many persuasive techniques in advertising, but we will share with you the ones that we’ve seen provide the greatest results.
- Carrot and Stick
A horse (your customer) will walk towards a carrot (your product) if it is dangled in front of him. Horses love carrots, so make sure your audience loves your product too.
Donkeys (your customer) will avoid a stick (customer pain point) if it is brought to their attention. Donkeys hate sticks, so keep them aware of what could happen if they don’t buy your product.
- Scarcity Principle
Everyone loves to feel elite when they own a product that has exclusivity. Remind your target audience that everyone wants your product and that it’s going fast. This will give a sense of urgency to your customers that will drive them to buy.
- Use Second Person
When you use the pronouns “you” or “your,” you’ll be able to better engage your audience because it will feel more like you are talking to them specifically. People want to feel like they are cared for as an individual, so using this tactic will feel more personal and persuade them into a sale.
- Give Your Audience Control
Everyone wants to feel like they have a sense of control over their lives. So when you give your audience a choice between two products or services rather than one, they won’t feel like they are being forced into buying and are more likely to make a purchase.
When you can understand and properly execute these methods, you’ll see an overall increase in engagement that will boost both your lead generation and conversions. If you think these techniques are good, wait till you see what other words of “wizdom” Wizard of Ads has in store. Contact us to start the extraordinary evolution of your business’ advertising today!
Is Persuasion in Advertising Good or Bad?
The word “persuasion” alone can bring about both positive and negative connotations. Some can see it as a form of manipulation and while this can be true in some cases, it’s ultimately up to you to be sure you use your persuasive advertising with integrity, not dishonesty. As long as you are being honest about the value your product promises to your customers, there’s no need to worry if you’re abusing the sacred power of persuasive advertising. When you are genuine, intuitive to the needs of your audience and deliver on your promise, nothing but good karma will come your way. As a business owner, you should always consider this within every aspect of marketing that you do.
6 Principles of Persuasion According to Dr. Cialdini
Let’s introduce you to Dr. Cialdini, one of the most noteworthy names regarding the art of persuasion. Dr. Cialdini is the author of “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” where he compiles a list of the six principles of persuasion based on a collection of findings in Psychology research. The book was written over 30 years ago, but his scientifically proven techniques are still being used by marketers and business owners today. His methods have been able to significantly boost company conversion rates across a wide range of industries– and why wouldn’t they? When you can master the art of persuasion, you’ll have complete control over your audiences’ actions and its outcome: increased conversion rates and exponential revenue growth. If you want to wield the power of persuasion, then look no further. We’ve got every detail of Dr. Cialdini’s six principles of persuasion right here.
Reciprocity: When you give a little, you get a little
Those who give to others are more likely to receive something in return. Kind acts of service make people feel special and cared for, which in turn gives them a sense of indebtedness towards you. This is a perfect way to set up a potential customer to gladly carry out a specific request that you may have of them— whether it is to write a review, buy a new featured product or post about you on social media. Psychologically, we humans are wired this way, so use it to your advantage! To get the most success out of this tactic, here are three key factors you’ll need to consider:
- Offer something first so they feel indebted to you.
- Offer something exclusive so they feel special.
- Personalize the offer so they feel connected to you.
Commitment: Compell them to stick to the decision they have already made
When most of us make any kind of commitment, we are more likely going to stick to that commitment than not out of pure convenience. But how do we get our prospects to make that final commitment? When you can offer a sense of consistency to your target audience, they will feel a sense of urgency to commit to your product because it is from a company that they can trust. This promotes customer loyalty and leaves you with less time spent on persuading your prospects and more time connecting them to the solutions that you can provide them. To get the most out of this principle, be sure to follow these three guidelines:
- Request small actions from customers first as they are easier to achieve.
- Encourage your customers to make public commitments so are less likely to back out.
- Offer your customers rewards for fulfilling your action requests.
Social Proof: Things that are popular or endorsed by people we trust are more likely to gain our trust
We see it everywhere now in this new age of social media influencers, and that is exactly what they do: influence. They influence consumers to buy your product with the appeal that they are a relatable person you can trust or hold in high regard. And that is essentially what social proof is. Your target audience has a higher chance of purchasing your product if the people in their social circle, whether online or in-person are raving about it. It’s like word-of-mouth advertising but with a modern twist. The social proof technique in persuasive advertising has been increasingly successful over the years because it simply works. Whether your influencers are experts, peers, celebrities, groups or existing customers, it will do you good to have some backup to build credibility within your brand.
Principles of Liking: Requests from people we like are more likely to be honored
Are more likely to believe in someone that we like or someone that we don’t like? The answer is obvious, right? That is what the principles of liking are based on. Your target audience will hold credibility in the people that they favor as they align with their values in one way or another. Therefore, when your product or service is broadcasted from a more popular individual, the likelihood of it being purchased goes way up. Now, when we say popular, we’re not limiting to just bloggers, celebrities or social media influencers. It could simply just be the peers of your prospects as well. Here are some key factors that make the liking principle so effective:
- Visual appeal: An attractive and well-designed brand or product will be a magnet to your target audience.
- Form relationships: Prioritize engaging your audience and having conversations with them. This will build a relationship with your customers that holds value and credibility.
- Relatability: When you can connect to your audience like a peer and not a company just trying to get money from them, it builds a level of trust, comfort and familiarity.
- Brand Association: Encourage your audience to connect certain ideas and values with your brand. This will instill your brand in their minds when they are constantly reminded of what you stand for.
Principle of Authority: We pay attention to people who appear to be experts in their fields
How often would you say you do your own research on a product or service that doesn’t involve another expert's opinion? I bet it’s not very often. As consumers, we tend to turn to the experts in their given field for direction when looking to purchase a product. It provides us kind of safety blanket and is awfully more convenient and time-saving to do so. You see this a lot in content creating that includes the phrases “experts say,” “research shows,” or “scientifically proven.” This establishes a level of credibility that is unmatched because it’s all just in the facts.
Principle of Scarcity: When you believe there is a scarcity of something, you desire it even more
Another large contributing factor to utilize in persuasive advertising is the principle of scarcity. This essentially means that our minds tend to convince us that something hard to obtain is usually better than something easily available. Therefore, when we establish scarcity with our product or service, it increases its value, its demand and its exclusivity— and as human beings, we all want to be invited to the “cool kids table. ”So how do you make your product “cool” and develop that sense of urgency within your prospects? By using tactical, promotional vocabulary in your advertising. Some examples of the language you can use to effectively trigger your customers’ sense of urgency are “Limited supply!”, “Limited time only!”, “One-of-a-kind Special!” or “Exclusive offer!” Implementing these kinds of phrases will be sure to drive your customers to make a quick decision to purchase.
Build Ads with Empathy
It’s not enough to just have a great product, you also need the right marketing strategy in place that will reach your target audience and make them want what you’re offering. The best way to do this is by following Dr. Cialdini’s six principles of persuasion to create powerfully persuasive advertisements. That way, your ads are built with empathy for customers rather than solely focusing on selling something. That means knowing who they are, where they spend their time online, what messages resonate most deeply with them and so forth— all while delivering the value and credibility they yearn for to keep them coming back. Although, accomplishing all of this isn’t easy to do alone. That’s where we come in. At Wizard of Ads®, we help out clients create ads that are new, persuasive and engaging. We know you are great at what you do, and so are we. Contact us today and we’ll help you take your business to the next level. We have an elite team that provides the perfect storm of higher quality leads that generate more sales for the highest profitable growth.
Lead Generation
Customer Targeting: 4 Common Mistakes You Need to Avoid
Don’t you wish your targeting strategy was as easy as casting a spell? Companies all around spend so much time and money on marketing strategies, it’s no wonder we want to make the most of our efforts. Customer targeting is an advantage our technological advancement has allowed us to establish in our marketing and business strategies. But alas, with any great thing comes a price — following your customer targeting strategy without making these four common mistakes. Before we get to the good stuff, we would like to point out that our magic is not the obvious, tactical process that many business owners still believe it to be. Instead, it’s more philosophically inclined. But who is your customer? We should probably establish that first before we Wizards cast some magic on your target marketing strategies. Your target customer is the person you consider to be the most likely to purchase your product or service. When you take this into account and identify your customer, you're already ready for the next step. Knowing your ability to bewitch the workings of your target audience won’t happen without us — and if you take advantage of our WIZdom, market mastery will happen in no time. Especially if you’re certain to avoid these four common customer targeting mistakes.
What is Customer Targeting?
Customer targeting is a sales strategy that will enhance your understanding of your customers and audience. Customer segmentation becomes a possible advantage of market targeting once you understand your target audience and customer. Customer Segmentation allows us to group customers based on target audience demographics. In other words, a way to group consumers with similar characteristics (i.e. geographics, demographics and behavior.). By segmenting your target customers, you can better serve more of them based on their similarities in these areas.
What is Overtargeting? Why is It Not Good for Every Business?
While customer targeting is defined as reaching the optimal target audience for an ad campaign – overtargeting is almost contrary to that. It happens when a target customer has seen or heard our ads too often and did not perform the desired action (such as following through with the CTA). Overtargetting happens — either because they fall outside our defined customer base or again because we serve them too many ads within a short time frame. This issue can happen in two main ways: If you are targeted by location then it's highly unlikely that any new users will be added during the campaign. And if you're targeted based on behavior, then your average cookie lasts longer than the length of most campaigns (about 6 weeks). Overtargetting was said to be the bane of marketing strategies by the reputable Jerry Daykin, EMEA Senior Media Director at GSK. He wasn’t wrong. At Wizard of Ads®, we know that as advertisers, we must find the balance in the pendulum between too much and just enough target marketing. No business wants to “double, double (on customer targeting),” because as Shakesphere put it.…it will inevitably lead to toil and trouble.
What Are Common Mistakes in Customer Targeting?
Given the mysteries and monsters today’s market brings, avoiding these common mistakes when customer targeting will ensure you and your company win more of those sales you’ve been chasing after.
Targeting Those Who Are unwilling or Unable to Buy
We see this happen all over the place. In fact, we’d wager it’s happened to us all as we shop online. We must ask you to travel back in time with us, to the days of commercialized television. Don’t be scared, it’s only a memory. Think back to a time we were enticed with our program but were constantly interrupted by commercials advertising things that had nothing to do with us. What a waste, right? See I told you, nothing to be scared by — just a targeting marketing example of how common these mistakes were even then. We can’t expect to be successful in hitting any further stage in our pipelines if we aren’t reaching an available or willing customer base, to begin with. You won’t see many children calling into an advertisement capable of purchasing their actual product.
Targeting for “Small” Groups While Disregarding the Rest
Remember what we said about the great balancing act we advertisers must tread with our pendulum of customer targeting? Well, it fits as a good prophecy for this marketing advice in that we must balance how specific we are in targeting our customer bases. It’s important to have somewhat of a specific customer targeting approach, but if we get too specific or “small” with our target market, we won’t be left with much of a populace of leads and prospects. Maybe the rest of us want your product too! A small target market will become saturated too quickly; jousting our competitors would turn into more of a jest.
Oversaturating
In hopes of not oversaturating you with repeated targeted marketing tactics we used different terminology – but we’ll let you in on a little magic trick… “oversaturating” and “overtargeting” are one and the same. We at Wizards of Ads just want to stress the importance of avoidance of this in your customer targeting strategies. Oversaturating is again defined as the over-provision of ads from the same brands, bombarding the target audience enough to make them less likely to invest in your brand. You don’t want that — and we at Wizards of Ads don’t want that for you. This is why diversifying and balancing your efforts and ads with your customer targets will ensure these efforts are more likely to spark sales.
Targeting Too Broadly
You’ve probably noticed by now, we wise Wizards of Ads like to be thorough in covering all possibilities. This is why we feel the need to warn you of the dangers that come with both targeting too “small” of a customer base and those of customer targeting too broadly. We’ve all heard the saying “too much of a good thing is as if you have nothing.” The same goes for customer targeting in such a big customer populace. If you compile a target marketing strategy that resonates with absolutely everyone, it would be as if you targeted no one at all. Our customers may be able to be segmented into similar niches in our markets, but each one of them brings something important and unique to the opportunity! Think about it, we love what makes us unique. – But we also love validation from those who feel the same way or enjoy the same things as we do.
So, Why Would a Person Choose to Do Business with You at All?
Well, we think the answer to that is simple: Because you are worth doing business with! But we want your customers to know that too, and they will not know that if you continue to make the same customer targeting mistakes. Let’s recap on those four common mistakes again before you head out, shall we?
- Avoiding targeting the unable and unwilling
- Oversaturating your target market
- Targeting too small of a customer base
- Targeting too broad of a customer base
Here at Wizard of Ads®, though, we get that there’s a lot more to success than simply trying to avoid a few common customer targeting mistakes You might have some obstacles you’re struggling to overcome that are far more unique to your organization. But we’re here to help. At Wizard of Ads, our success comes from your success. Contact us today!
Advertising
Philosophy of Advertising: Know The Secrets
Who are we targeting? What value are we providing? What problem are we solving?
When marketing departments begin advertising campaigns, they consider numerous factors.
They might wonder…
Who are we targeting? What value are we providing? What problem are we solving?
What needs or wants does our audience have? What’s the goal of the campaign?
What stage of our marketing funnel does this fit into?
And perhaps most importantly: What makes people do the things they do?
For marketers to have effective campaigns, they need to understand the philosophy behind advertising.
What Exactly Is Advertising Philosophy?
Advertising philosophy relies on techniques and knowledge from liberal arts and science to predict human responses and behaviors to ads. By predicting those responses, marketers can run campaigns to fulfill their company’s needs.
Understanding the philosophy helps them to persuade users to take the action they want them to.
These persuasive messages are crafted, and then data is used to track consumer responses and adjust accordingly.
Once advertisers have run multiple campaigns, they’ll see trends emerge that they can capitalize on to increase sales.
Traditional advertising, though, is being questioned more and more lately.
Why Isn’t Traditional Advertising Good Anymore?
Since in traditional usages, advertisements tended to be forced upon unwilling audiences, it has been seen as unethical.
In the age of technology, though, users are able to seek out information more purposefully. This gives traditional advertising schools of thought room to evolve.
Now that your audiences are gathering by themselves, you can approach them more thoughtfully and ethically.
If someone is conducting research on a topic your company is an industry expert in, then that user will benefit from your content.
You can offer information and design marketing materials for more willing audiences than ever before. Being an educational source is going to benefit your audience because they’ll be learning from an expert.
But it’ll also benefit you, too. Your ads will be more effective once you establish trust with potential leads and authority in your industry.
If you’ve ever had a hard time designing advertising campaigns to align with your ethical beliefs as well as the needs of your company, then we’re here for you.
At Wizard of Ads, we understand that consumers shouldn’t be accosted with selling messages that they don’t want. We can help you design materials that land in front of your audience when they most want and need them. That makes for more effective marketing.
Ready to start? Contact us today!
Do You Know The 7 Types of Advertising Media?
Before we get to the two secrets of designing highly ethical and effective advertising materials, let’s go over the seven most common types. That will give us a good background before we go on to the secrets.
Direct Mail Advertising
With direct mail advertising, you’ll be sending printed materials through the mail. This is one of the oldest forms of advertising.
To be successful with this type of advertising, you’ll need to either send out a massive amount of materials, or you’ll need to very specifically target an audience. Typically, companies focus on sending out as many letters and envelopes as they can.
Mailing lists can be purchased based on the criteria your marketing team sets for your success.
Social Media Advertising
By creating social media accounts for your business, you can interact directly with customers.
Social media is a great way to get your brand messaging out there. You can easily discern who your ideal audience is because of the way people use social media.
When users follow and like other accounts, it provides a clear picture of their interests. That means you can really be specific with who you’re targeting. You can also build and maintain a strong customer base. By posting regularly and providing valuable information on social channels, then your followers will grow to trust you.
When customers trust a company, they’re much more likely to purchase services or products. Social media allows you to stay on the forefront of people’s minds.
Pay-Per-Click Advertising
This one is exactly what it sounds like. Every time a potential customer clicks on your link, you pay for that click. There are many different forms of PPC advertising, but search ads through search engines are one of the most utilized.
By identifying keywords and search terms related to your service or product, you can attach your ads to searches that are relevant.
If you sell chocolate, you could utilize PPC to have your ads show up when people search for “Valentines Day.” It would be a good use of your marketing budget to align with searches that are relevant in this way.
Mobile Advertising
This is a broad category. Mobile advertising refers to any type of ad that shows up on a mobile device.
The two main types of mobile devices are phones and tablets. You can use SMS text messages to send ads directly to people’s mobile phones. Or, you can use banners and pop-ups that appear on the mobile version of your website.
With so much data available, you can tailor your mobile ads to any particular group of people you think is likely to respond.
Since people almost always have their mobile devices on them, this is an increasingly important ad medium to utilize.
Print Advertising
Print ads, like in newspapers or magazines, are another more traditional way of advertising.
It involves choosing a print publication that you think would align with your values and provide you with readers who need your solution.
This can be an excellent method to select particular sub-groups of the market.
There’s a magazine for almost every interest or hobby, and there’s a local newspaper in many communities. These are two good filters to start with: interest and location.
With geographic location and information on interests, you’ll be able to carve out a space for your brand where viewers will appreciate the message. That means they’ll be more likely to engage!
Broadcast Advertising
Broadcast advertising refers to television ads, radio ads and billboards. These ads are “cast” to a “broad” audience.
While you can still narrow down the audience somewhat with this medium, the point is more to reach many people at once.
Think of the Super Bowl. You’re targeting people who like football…sort of. With a much broader audience than most football games, companies take advantage of the opportunity to reach so many people at once.
The Super Bowl’s broad audience puts the commercial slots at a higher price than for regular season games, where the audience is more narrow.
Reaching as many people as possible is becoming less utilized, but it remains a significant method. It can work, but it works best for companies with huge marketing budgets.
Other Media
It’s essential to leave this open ended. With the rate of change that we experience with technology, there are going to be new media opportunities popping up all over the place.
Take advantage of new channels to spread your message, otherwise you could risk being left behind.
The world is increasingly moving toward digital media and resources, and you have to follow your audience.
The Secrets in the Philosophy of Advertising?
Now that we’ve covered the seven main types of advertising media, it’s time to discover the two secrets to optimal advertising philosophy. This philosophy is adjusted from the traditional philosophy to fit the current state of our society as it relates to marketing.
Assert Your Presence Where You’re Wanted
To avoid bothering an audience that has no interest in you, send your marketing messages to people who want to hear it.
People often mistake this theory to mean that you can’t contact anyone who doesn’t already know about you.
What it really means is to focus on forming relationships with people who are likely to engage. It’s more effective for you. You’ll spend less time and money getting your leads.
Sometimes people don’t know they want or need your product or services. So you can align your business with something closely related that the consumer does know they need.
For example, if you are selling protein bars, you might want to advertise to gym-goers. If people go to the gym, they’re more likely to focus on their macronutrient intake. Even if they aren’t looking for protein bars in their head, they are aware of their desire to focus on nutrition.
And your company offers a nutritional solution that won’t fall on deaf ears to that audience. If you advertise your protein bars to everyone walking down the street, you’re wasting resources.
And you’re bothering an audience who isn’t going to be as likely to care.
The takeaway is to go where you’re wanted. It will make the most of your dollars and time, and it will be better for your audience too.
Provide Value Before Purchases
For advertisers to maximize their credibility, they should offer information for free to their audience. Your audience is giving you their time (and often information) when they engage with your materials. Make it an even trade each step along the way.
When you sign a client, they pay you for a service. Establish a strong connection by trading their initial time for valuable expertise.
This method will help prevent users from feeling tricked, led along or that their time was wasted.
Conclusion
Do your current marketing strategies include these two secrets?
Maybe you need some help choosing your captize and willing audiences.
Or, maybe you need help providing value before the point of sale.
Either way, we’re here for you. Let’s get to know each other to decide if Wizard of Ads would be a good fit for you.
Whatever your needs are, we’d like to hear them. Contact us today!
Corporate Culture
The Energy of Words: 8 Ways You Can Re-energize Your Team
If your management is looking for ways to further boost employee morale and increase efficiency, then here are eight ways to get you started.
No matter how positive your company culture is, your team members will likely experience diminished energy at some point. Ideally, you provide them with resources to help prevent burnout, but what else can you do?
To keep staff feeling engaged and energized, you can modify the language you use. By framing your communication in a positive and motivational way, you can help bolster your staff’s spirits.
As Rudyard Kipling wrote, “Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.” By selecting energetic words, you can have a positive impact on your team’s enthusiasm levels.
How Can You Energize Your Team?
It’s important to address any organizational barriers your staff encounters as they try to keep their energy levels high. Do you allow your staff to take enough breaks? Do you provide time and space for them to socialize? Do you provide them with caring feedback?
There are so many reasons that a staff member would start to feel burned out, but the scope of this article focuses on words.
So, how can you use language to energize your team? Does it even work?
Read on to learn more about how the words you choose make a difference.
Do Energetic Words Really Motivate a Team?
Energetic words really can motivate a team. Besides helping with motivation, using energetic language can help build the foundation for an overall positive experience for everyone involved.
If you’ve been struggling to establish a positive, energetic and winning attitude for your sales team, then it might be time for some help.
That’s where we come in. If you need help strategizing ways to improve your sales methods or marketing strategies, we can help. Contact us today to get started!
8 Ways To Energize Your Team and Be Productive
A team’s culture starts at the top. Managers set the tone for their staff to be energized and productive. If your management is looking for ways to further boost employee morale and increase efficiency, then here are eight ways to get you started.
If you approach your team members with empowered and positive energy, then they’ll respond in a positive way back. If it doesn’t happen immediately, give it some time. If the mood of a team is already negative, then it will take time to turn around.
Don’t worry, though. You’ll get there with consistency!
Know Each of Your Team Members Personality
You can’t choose the words that will have the best impact on your audience if you don’t know the audience first. Depending on differences in personality, your team members will be energized by different approaches you take to communicate.
You also can choose which team members you want to focus your time and attention on based on how they’re acting. If you know them well enough, it will be easier to identify signs of stress or negative attitude early. And the sooner you can address an issue, the easier it is to solve.
Imagine the impact it would have on a team member if you could see that they weren’t feeling energized and asked, “Hey, I noticed you seem a bit low on energy. Have you been feeling alright? What can I do to support you?”
No matter what type of open door policy you might have as a leader, it’s important to remember that some of your team members will simply not feel comfortable coming to you early with a problem. If people are hesitant to approach you, it can allow negative feelings to fester before you address them with positive, energetic language that motivates.
Individual people require unique approaches. You can use malleable methods of communication that can flex to meet the needs of any individual. Then you can most effectively bring out the best in them.
Learn from Your Team
As you get to know your team members and their personalities, you’ll be able to more effectively lead them. And in this case, that means keeping their spirits elevated.
By connecting with your team, you can eventually start asking them for their expertise. This can have a profound effect on their level of buy-in or optimism. When people offer their advice or insight, they’re attaching a level of personal interest to the situation that makes them feel connected.
The more you ask your team questions, the more you learn from them and about them. They’ll feel like experts when they can explain something to their boss, and you’ll definitely learn from them, too. It’s a win-win, really.
Express Gratitude
In a fast paced work environment, it can be easy to just say, “Got it,” or, “Yeah, I saw your proposal.”
It can be hard to remember to express genuine gratitude before moving on to the next task on your to-do list. But your staff will notice, appreciate and remember when you say, “Thank you.”
And it’s not enough to just say, “Thanks.” Express thanks for something specific, and use the most positive words you can think of. Even before you review something, you can simply thank the person for completing the task and let them know that kind and candid feedback will follow.
That brings us to our next point.
Give Kind But Candid Feedback
It’s important for employees to know how they’re doing. If they don’t get feedback, then they’ll just wonder if they’re performing their duties to the highest standard.
When you give kind but candid feedback, your staff will appreciate the honesty and grow from the advice. It’s essential to be kind while being honest, though, as the message gets lost when people feel attacked or get defensive.
Start by noting what went well, and then note what could be improved.
Avoid negatively framing your feedback. For example, here are three things not to say:
“The price estimate you calculated wasn’t even close.”
“Your conclusion slide for that presentation was terrible. Sloppy work.”
“We can’t even use this. I have no idea what you were thinking.”
Here are positive alternatives:
“How did you come up with this price estimate? My number is different, and I’d like us to be confident about our final proposal figure.”
“Please remove redundant information in the conclusion slide. After that revision, this will be a strong presentation.”
“This draft is not aligned with our needs for this project. Let’s go back to the beginning to make sure we’re on the same page.”
The second set would allow your staff to come to the conversation with an open mind and feeling much more energized to tackle the project.
Encourage Empathy in the Workplace
It’s essential for all employees to empathize with each other. It’s not just management that needs to empathize with staff.
When teammates help each other and offer support among themselves, it has a huge impact on the attitude of the team as a whole.
If you regularly remind everyone on your team that they should feel free to offer one another help and support, they likely will do so. When everyone helps everyone, it creates a feeling of mutual respect that will endure.
Plan a Regular Dialogue for Each Team Member
If you take the time for regular conversation with each team member, you’ll be setting your team up to succeed. By checking in, especially one-on-one, you’ll be able to identify who on your team is in need of some morale boost. You can respond accordingly.
By addressing your staff’s concerns, you’ll be building your relationship with them. And when you have a strong relationship with your team, they’ll take your words to heart more.
Aim for weekly, or at least monthly, check-ins with your team. One-on-one is ideal in case anyone has any sensitive information to share. Make it clear that you’re looking for honesty so that you can help them solve any problems they’re experiencing. That’ll be sure to boost the team’s energy!
Be Open and Ask for their Feedback
You can share your thoughts with them, too. By having a two way interaction, you’ll be able to relate to them better. And once you’ve shared your thoughts, they’ll be more likely to respond.
Once you’re open, you can get open feedback from your team. With honest information, you can design strategies to address any issues that might have come up. Employees feel much better working for someone who takes the time to show they care by solving problems thoughtfully.
Share Success Stories with Them
This is perhaps one of the most impactful strategies to energize a team: share success stories!
If you have group meetings, a group chat or email chain, then recognize people’s successes. This is best done in person and in a group, though.
When you have someone on your team excel, it’s going to be a huge, positive boost to talk about it.
Tell everyone how great that person did! It will show your team that their successes will be recognized.
If you’re still not sure how you can energize your team to increase productivity, then look no further.
Wizards of Ads is here to guide you through sales and marketing strategies for success. Contact us today to get started!
Branding
What is Branding? 3 Keys Toward A Customer's Mind
Harness the full potential of your brand with these three essential tips for captivating your audience.
Don’t you wish your branding strategy was as easy as casting a spell?
You’ve spent so much of your time and effort into building your brand, but it still isn’t reaching enough of your target audience and still isn’t establishing enough dominance within your market.
So how do you get yourself out of this metaphorical marketing dungeon?
First, you’ve got to understand what branding has come to be. It’s not the obvious, tactical process that many business owners still believe it to be. Instead, it’s more philosophically inclined.
Once you understand that, your ability to bewitch the minds of your target audience will come with ease. Especially when you apply our three key branding tips to your potion of persuasion.
What is Branding in Marketing?
The definition of “branding” can be a bit of a head-scratcher, even for those who have studied marketing. The concept can seem quite vague and hard to identify in specific terms, and for good reason.
Branding correlates with the mind, which is the most complex aspect of our existence. When we consumers think of a brand, whether we realize it or not, we immediately relate it to an idea, image or feeling.
For example, what’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Nike? Is it their high-quality sneakers? The brand’s “swoosh” logo and color scheme? Or the famous slogan “just do it”? Whichever comes to mind to you, that’s the brand image.
What about the brand’s idea? When you think of Nike, you might think of principles like health, fitness, proactivity, success or that “hard work pays off” mentality.
Finally, how does Nike make you feel? When you wear Nike shoes do they make you feel powerful, confident or like you belong to a community? Your target audience’s emotional anchor to your brand holds the most influence and it’s where most companies, unfortunately, miss the mark.
So to tie it all together, to have effective branding, you will need to successfully get into the minds of your customers by associating an image, idea or feeling that they have to your product.
As long as you consistently deliver your brand promise, your company will successfully attract new customers as well as retain loyal customers to generate long-term progress and sufficient results.
Main Types of Branding
Branding doesn’t just come in one singular form. It can morph and shape into whatever mold you see fit. These molds can be categorized based on the type of business you have, its industry or the platform to which your brand emanates.
Personal branding
We see this everywhere in our modern age of social media and all of its influencers, so it’s an incredibly relevant and valuable type of branding to utilize.
Personal branding is about building your public persona that accurately conveys who you are and what you stand for. You are selling yourself as a person, not as a product, so it’s important that you are authentic and that your audience has a positive perception of you that stands out from the crowd.
Product branding
This is similar to personal branding but instead, you are creating a strong presence with a product, not a person.
Product branding focuses on a specific type of product which not everyone will find beneficial. That is why it is important that you lure in the right audience, and to do so effectively, you’ll need to have a deliberate aesthetic that attracts them to your product over any of the other options out there.
At Wizard of Ads®, we believe that entertainment is the currency that will buy the attention of your customer. If you want powerful branding that bewitches the minds of your target audience, contact us today!
Service branding
Service branding is much trickier to brand in the visual and tangible ways that product branding can, but it doesn't mean it isn’t possible.
Thinking outside the box will be your best help in creating service branding with a strong influence. You can do this by offering a free item that captures your audience’s attention or by providing an elevated customer experience that sets you apart from your competitors.
Retail branding
What your customer takes in the moment they walk through the door of your brick and mortar store will make or break their decision to buy. Retail branding is what you do to this environment to persuade them into becoming a buying customer.
Making deliberate design choices and product placements can heavily influence what products are noticed, and ultimately, purchased.
Want to attract your customers like magnets? Have a dazzling window display. Want to make your featured products more visible? Have them at eye level towards the front of the store. Much of this is intuitive, so use your best judgment.
Cultural and geographic branding
Cultural and geographic branding is to appeal a broader audience by associating your brand to cities, states, or even countries.
Think of the “I Love NY” T-shirts. Many people globally could say they’ve seen those shirts in movies, ads or other media channels. When people finally visit the big apple, one of the things on their to-do list could be to purchase one of those shirts and pose for a picture with it in front of the Statue of Liberty because of the fame and recognition it holds globally.
Corporate branding
Just like other types of branding, corporate branding communicates its values, price point, mission, exclusivity and ideal customer through its aesthetic choices and actions.
What corporate branding has that many other types of branding don’t have, however, is the branding it does for not only its customers but for its employees as well.
It is the expression of how the company conducts itself socially and professionally, and if it’s attractive to its target market, it’ll reel in more customers and more interested applicants to build a stronger and more influential company overall.
Online branding
As the name suggests, this is branding that occurs exclusively online. Everyone is online these days, so it would be silly at this point not to incorporate online branding into your marketing strategy.
You can present what your business has to offer through many online media channels like social media, email newsletters, your company website, podcasts, blogs, the list goes on.
Offline branding
Alternative to online branding, there is offline branding.
Merchandise, print products, retail, basically anything tangible to your customers is considered offline branding. Offering free stickers at checkout that your customer ends up putting on the back of their laptop? That’s easy offline branding right there!
Whatever allows your target audience to see your brand out and about in the world and get easy access to it is where offline branding truly becomes powerful.
3 Keys to Implanting an Associative Memory in a Customer's Mind-Thus Branding
Remember the story of Ivan Pavlov who won the Nobel prize for his research into branding dogs in 1904? He would ring a bell every day and then apply meat paste onto his dog’s tongue. The sound soon became associated with that particular taste, and salivation resulted because of conditioning. In psychological terms, this is called "branding."
Now that we’ve got a greater understanding of what branding is and what types of branding hold a dominant presence in our day-to-day lives, let’s go over the three key ingredients that make the secret potion of branding work just as powerfully as it did with Pavlov and his dog.
Consistency
Pavlov made sure to always offer food when he rang the bell, and the same should go for you with your branding.
To have effective branding, there needs to be consistency in your brand’s image, ideals (the bell) and the result it provides to your customers (meat paste).
Consistency will ensure that your target audience will recognize your brand over others as it has a distinctive look that doesn’t vary depending on the medium in which its viewed.
Having the same underlining message and values throughout your branding will provide a brand promise that will give your customers clear expectations that should, in turn, generate consistent results.
When you provide consistent results, you create enough customer satisfaction and loyalty that will only further boost your brand awareness and overall revenue.
Frequency
Pavlov rang that bell and provided a consistent result of meat paste for his dog, but he didn’t just do it every once in a while.
Pavlov rang the bell every day. If he didn’t, the dog would most likely lose the associative memory of what the bell signifies. This also applies to your branding.
If you are not keeping your brand relevant and giving it the everyday exposure it needs to gain your target audience’s attention, they will forget about it altogether. So be sure you are creating all the content and reaching all the relevant platforms you need to every day to keep your brand implanted in the minds of your customers.
Anchoring
It’s safe to say that without the dog’s love of meat, Pavlov’s branding experiment wouldn’t work. But why is that? The dog’s love of meat acts as an emotional anchor that keeps the dog’s interest in the sound of the bell. If Pavlov’s dog didn’t like meat, he would most likely stop coming.
Just like Pavlov's dog, your customers won’t buy your product or service unless it provides some sort of emotional anchor for them– a weight loss product that restores their self-confidence or a daily planner that makes you feel productive are good examples.
Whatever the emotional anchor your product or service provides, make sure it effectively delivers the results that it promises. Otherwise, your customers simply won’t come when the bell is rung.
It’s Time to Break Branding Barriers
You’ve made it. You’ve escaped the metaphorical marketing dungeon where branding is as much of a mystery as warlocks are to gnomes.
Now that you can identify, understand and wield the magical power of branding, there is nothing that your business can’t do. Your branding is your foundation, so don’t make a fragile one.
We’ve given you the magic you need for your business’ branding to thrive, but these aren’t the only useful spells in our spellbook.
At Wizard of Ads®, our income rises when yours does. If you want to see exponential growth within your business, contact us today!
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Frequently asked questions
Questions? We’ve got answers.
Why Wizard of Ads®?
Are you ready to transform your business into a distinctive, emotionally resonant brand? Here's why hiring Ryan Chute and Wizard of Ads® Services is the game-changer your business needs:
Distinctiveness Beyond Difference: Your brand must be distinctive, not just different, to stand out. We specialize in creating emotional connections with your customers to make your brand unforgettable.
Building Real Estate in the Mind: Branding with us helps your customers remember your brand when they need your service again, creating a lasting impression.
Value Proposition Integration: We ensure that your brand communicates a compelling value proposition that resonates with your audience, creating a powerful brand strategy.
Who Should Work with The Wizard of Ads®?
Wizard of Ads® offers services that start with understanding your marketing challenges.
We specialize in crafting authentic and disruptive brand stories and help build trust and familiarity with your audience. By partnering with Wizard of Ads®, you can transform your brand into one people remember and prefer. We understand the power of authentic storytelling and the importance of trust.
Let us elevate your marketing strategy with our authentic storytelling and brand-building experts. We can take your brand to the next level.
What Do The Wizard of Ads® Actually Do?
Maximize Your Marketing Impact with Strategic Alignment.
Our strategy drives everything we do, dictating the creative direction and channels we use to elevate your brand. Leveraging our national buying power, we ensure you get the best media rates for maximum market leverage. Once your plan is in motion, we refine our strategy to align all channels—from customer service representatives to digital marketing, lead generation, and sales.
Our goal is consistency: we ensure everyone in your organization is on the same page, delivering a unified message that resonates with your audience. Experience the power of strategic alignment and watch your brand thrive.
What can I expect working with The Wizard of Ads®?
Transform Your Brand with Our Proven Process.
Once we sign the agreement, we visit on-site to uncover your authentic story, strengths, and limitations. Our goal is to highlight what sets you 600 feet above the competition. We'll help you determine your budgets and plan your mass media strategy, negotiating the best rates on your behalf.
Meanwhile, our creative team crafts a durable, long-lasting campaign designed to move your brand beyond mere name recognition and into the realm of household names. With an approved plan, we dive into implementation, producing high-quality content and aligning your channels to ensure your media is delivered effectively. Watch your brand soar with our comprehensive, strategic approach.
What Does A Brand-Foward Strategy Do?
The Power of Strategic Marketing Investments
Are you hungry for growth? We explain why a robust marketing budget is essential for exponential success. Many clients start with an 8-12% marketing budget, eventually reducing it to 3-5% as we optimize their marketing investments.
While it takes time to build momentum, you'll be celebrating significant milestones within two years. By the three to five-year mark, you'll see dramatic returns on investment, with substantial gains in net profit and revenue. Discover how strategic branding leads to compound growth and lasting value. Join us on this journey to transform your business.
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