Developing
Your Advertising Strategy: Get People to Act
"Advertising says to people, ‘Here’s what we’ve
got. Here’s what it will do for you. Here’s how to get it.’” —Leo
Burnett , advertising pioneer, 1891-1971
Advertising is all about communications. It’s used to capture
attention, build name recognition, increase knowledge and get people
to act.
Advertising may seem easier than some other marketing techniques. All
you have to do is pay somebody else to tell people to buy your services,
right? But keep in mind that advertising can be less effective than
other strategies. According to the book Advertising and Sales Promotion
Strategy, by Gerard Tellis, on average, half of all advertising is ineffective.
Advertising can also be expensive. Alternative health practitioners
often report that marketing in venues where you make a personal connection
with people can be more effective and cost less than advertising. Giving
presentations in the community, doing chair massage at events and selling
gift certificates are a few promotional activities that allow you to
make a more personal connection with people while boosting your practice.
Advertising can be particularly challenging because people are bombarded
by messages encouraging them to buy. Since it also tends to be expensive,
if you’re going to invest, make sure you create an impact.
To write a good ad, first focus on
grabbing people’s attention. Use a headline
that tells them right up front which of their problems you are going
to solve. They want to know if you are going to relieve their pain
and stress, or that your services focus on athletes, pregnant women
or seniors. (Click here to review the
March article on “Brand
Recognition.") For example, use a one-line attention-grabber
like: We relieve neck and back pain, or Reduce your stress here, or
Money-back guarantee.
People want to know if your business
is legitimate and professional — and
that you can help them in a specific way. They also need a call to action,
such as: Call today for an appointment, or Call before September 30
for one-half off your first appointment.
Your name and logo should always be
prominent, particularly if few
people know about you. If you are starting a practice or not yet well-known
in your community, concentrate on building name recognition. Always
use your logo and always tell people how you are specifically going
to benefit them. (Click here to see April's
article, “Consistency
in Your Marketing Message.”)
Once you choose a method of advertising,
stick with it long enough to see the outcome. You will not see instantaneous results! It is usually
better keep the same message or media outlet for awhile, say a year.
That means choosing well how to invest your limited dollars. Your outlay
will probably include creating an attractive ad, perhaps even hiring
a graphic designer to come up with something that will draw peoples’ eyes.
Advertising can include direct mail, newspapers, yellow pages, radio,
and now, the internet, a topic in itself that we won’t try to
tackle today.
Yellow pages:
If you are going to invest in advertising, consider getting
a yellow pages listing. People go to the yellow pages when they are
already looking for, and ready to buy, your service! However, in
order to stand out from all the other practices listed, you should
go the extra mile, and take out an add in addition to your listing.
When people choose from the yellow page listings, they want to know
who is the best choice. They want to know why to choose you over your
competition — that
they can trust you, or that your business is established or that
you are comparatively affordable, or all three. In the ad, start with
an attention-getting headline or question (for example, Do you experience
neck or back pain?). Include the things that make you notable, a
call to action, and your logo and contact information.
Newspaper Display Ads:
Newspaper ads can be expensive and will probably
only be effective if you run ads consistently for some time. Here’s
a test you can do if your community has more than one newspaper. Look
at examples of ads in each paper. Then do a test run and place an ad
in several that includes a discount coupon. Have clients bring the ad
at the time of their appointment so you can track how effective the
ad is for you. Don’t forget to consider publications that focus
on alternative health modalities. If you advertise in these, remember
you will have to compete with businesses like yours, so follow the
advice for advertising in the yellow pages and concentrate on standing
out from the crowd. Be specific about your target client or the specific
benefits your work offers.
Another tip is to contact the health, lifestyle or business editor
of a paper to see if stories relevant to your practice will be released
in the upcoming weeks. Have them place your ad in that issue.
Classified Ads:
Classified ads are inexpensive. They can be very effective
for small businesses. This is because people looking in the classifieds
are already looking for what you offer. You can run classified ads
it in your community’s newspapers, in a paper devoted entirely to
classified ads or in a paper focused on alternative healing. You may
get your best results from the latter. To help you decide, buy and read
a copy of each paper. To make a good classified ad, use a short headline,
and write in short sentences. List your contact information and use
words that are interesting and easily read, not shorthand phrases or
a lot of abbreviations. The most important thing is to be very clear
with your short message. Stick to facts and the benefits of your work,
and don’t skimp on words simply to reduce the cost.
Radio:
The idea of using radio may not be as outlandish, or as expensive,
as it sounds. You do have to run ads frequently. Ask your clients which
stations they listen to. Make a recorded commercial, either at the station
or on your own, with some relaxing music, and a clear, calming voice.
Write an ad with a straight-forward message, mentioning the name of
your business as many times as possible, and a call to action such as:
Call 555-5555 to schedule a relaxing, rejuvenating massage.
Direct mail:
Blanket mailings of coupons to everyone in your community
is a popular form of direct mail advertising. ValPak® mailings are
the best-known example. This can be expensive, but it may be worth it
to you to reach every mail recipient in your area, especially when you
are starting out, or if your business isn’t building as fast as
you would like. ValPak® is easy to find through their listed 800
number or on the web (valpak.com).
However, when you target your direct mail promotion, you narrow the
advertising field to people who you know are likely to be interested
in your service. It’s easy to target your mailing — with
your mailing list. Your mailing list should include all your current
and past clients, as well as anyone who has received a massage from
you at an event or during your schooling, anyone who has attended a
presentation, and anyone you’ve talked to at meetings or other
professional gatherings over the months or years you’ve been practicing.
If you are just building a mailing list, ask friends, colleagues and
others in the community that know you if they can recommend names of
people who might like to hear about you. Ask if they can share lists
of social, church or business organizations that they belong to. When
using a list of such as a women’s club or church, be sure you
tailor any special offer to that group. For example, offer a back-to-school
special for parents or a joint-reviver special for seniors. You might
be able to save on expenses by sharing the cost of a mailing with
other types of practitioners.
Hit your target audience again and again with a consistent message
in two or three mediums, rather than spreading yourself too thin. If
you want some guidance in choosing which venues to use, try asking your
clients. What local publications do they read, what radio stations do
they listen to, do they open their ValPak® mailings? If you’re
not asking new clients where they heard about you, begin to do it now.
Some of these ideas came from the book Guerilla Marketing by Jay Conrad
Levinson. If you are interested in even one of the ideas in this article,
you owe it to yourself to read this book. For other ideas, check out
Marketing Massage
Strategies Ebook by Colleen Holloway and Business
Mastery by Cherie Sohnen-Moe.
The websites of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) and
the Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals (ABMP) have tips and
other resources for members that can help you prepare to advertise.
Also check the websites for the professional journals MTJ, Massage & Bodywork
and Massage Magazine for archived articles and back issues on the subject
of advertising.
The internet is becoming a hot medium for advertising. Look for a future
article on marketing massage and bodywork through the web.
|
|
Clearance Sale
