Retail pioneer John Wanamaker was famously quoted as saying “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half.” Whether it’s advertising, social media or marketing in general, it’s the dilemma of firms in death care or any other industry, no matter how small or immense their budget.
However, as catchy as the quote may be, it’s not really that difficult to parse the answer. After all, there are only two fundamental components to marketing: 1) what you have to say and, 2) where (or to whom) you say it. The half that most death care firms spend the bulk of their money on is the “where,” meaning the media or channel (i.e. radio, billboards, cable tv). So, when the marketing activity results in a resounding thud, the media or channel gets the blame. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard a cemetery, funeral home, manufacturer or service provider tell us “I’ve run in (insert media type) and it doesn’t work!” or “We don’t use (insert channel type), that’s a waste of money.” And they’re not wrong. But that’s only half the truth.
After overseeing the marketing for Fortune 100 organizations to companies just like yours, here’s what I’ve learned. The simple, unvarnished fact is… (drum roll, please)…if the message is strategically weak, it will miss its mark. And if even the message is right but it’s not said in a compelling way, you can quadruple your marketing spend and still get dismal results. There. I said it.
Let’s put it in human terms. The guy who’s popular at a big party will be popular at a small party. The guy who’s a bore at black tie gala will put people to sleep standing at a car wash.
Now if you’re in the funeral business, the point is amplified many fold. Funeral homes, cemeteries and cremation services are not what one would call a category of high consumer demand. So the hurdle clearly isn’t one of where to spend the media money. It’s mostly a matter of what can be said to get Attention, create Interest, generate Demand and cause Action (AIDA) given that you’re talking about death, loss and grief.
It’s all in the messaging. What you choose to do at this juncture is what will affect everything that follows. So here are some ways to think about making both halves of your advertising dollars work for you:
- Start with a powerful smart marketing message as it’s the very foundation of your entire marketing effort. If this is faulty, nothing will stand on it. Make sure you have a point of view that is completely unique to your firm alone, that your competitors aren’t also saying. Be sure it’s a message that would motivate someone who is already leaning toward the competition. Merely showing a photo of staff people, your facilities, using a pun for its own sake, or relying on clichés are non-starters as far as marketing messages go. Trust me when I say no one cares…you’ll just be wasting your money. (Read our last blog entitled: “What to say when others are saying it”)
- How you say it is nearly as important as what you say. Invest in exceptional creative execution. Your compelling message still needs to stop people in their tracks before it can do its job. Use the very best talent you can afford both in copywriting as well as in design. Here’s the nexus where you’ll either be wasting your marketing budget or making it soar. Many firms like yours will spend next to nil for the creative development (getting what they paid for), only to blow tens of thousands of dollars on the media to get a lot of people to ignore their ignorable ad. Your budget is too valuable to waste on run-of-the-mill and forgettable stuff.
- Make certain that all your marketing initiatives are in step with one another. If your ads are attention getting but your website is still an antique, or if your other marketing materials look cheap and not well thought out on all other fronts, you can’t expect optimum results. Marketing is synergistic. And cumulative.
So, in essence, getting your money’s worth starts at the very beginning, not at the end. Putting the bulk of your focus on smart and compelling messaging, rather than on the media, will be much more rewarding. And while we’re at it, D-I-Y creative while pervasive is hardly ever persuasive! The clue is often a “clever” or punny headline but a weak selling message.
Don’t think that the media selection is wrong when the creative you’re placing in it is what’s sending your audience running in the wrong direction. (I’ve seen humble bus benches create insanely great response when used creatively.)
There. Now you know which half of your advertising needs a lot more of your focus and love.
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Rolf Gutknecht is vice president, account services director of LA ads. To discuss your thoughts with Rolf on this blog or any marketing matters, email via this link, or visit www.LAadsMarketing.com. You can also connect with Rolf on LinkedIn.
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