Ads, ads, ads. They seem to be everywhere. They are lurking in your Facebook feed, popping up when you click on a website, and plaguing the show you are watching on TV. With the increase in ad exposure has come an increase in ways to block them. DVRs are some of the unsung heroes in ad skipping. Ads are passed over, closed out of, and generally ignored by most people.
In a world where mindless advertising has become the norm, I found this article by Seth Godin to be incredibly refreshing. He shifts the focus from advertising to focusing on your product, program, or service. If your product is truly great, then people will find out about it regardless of how many ads you post.
7 Building Blocks of Growth—according to Seth Godin:
- “The best marketing isn’t advertising, it’s a well-designed and remarkable product.
- The best way to contact your users is by earning the privilege to contact them, over time.
- Making products for your customers is far more efficient than finding customers for your products.
- Horizontally spread ideas (person to person) are far more effective than top-down vertical advertising.
- More data isn’t the point. Data to serve explicit promises is the point.
- Commodity products can’t expect to easily build a profitable ‘brand’ with nothing but repetitive jingles and noise.
- Media properties that celebrate their ads (like Vogue) will continue to thrive, because the best advertising is the advertising we would miss if it was gone.”
The Takeaways
- Invest in your product, program, or service! Be willing to invest the time and money to make it
- Stop going for the quick numbers. While advertising may give you a temporary boost, the truth is, you must win your audience and this takes time.
- Just because you think it’s a great idea doesn’t necessarily mean other people will be interested in it. Research your market and carefully determine what people actually need. Focus your product, program, or service on this need!
- Word of mouth is one of the best things you can have on your side while launching a new product. When people are so excited about your product that they tell others, this personal review is worth more than a million advertisements!
- Stop obsessing over the mounds of data. Find out what is important and exactly what pertains to you and those you wish to serve, and then focus on that.
- If you do consider advertising, align it with the product you are selling. Again, knowing your audience is key to developing beneficial advertising.
- Occasionally, advertising is a form of art for some media properties. There are a few advertisements we would miss if they were gone, and this is a sign of truly great advertising.
If you are considering launching a new product, program, or service, consider this list. So many are inclined to throw their money and efforts into advertising promising quick growth and large profits. These promises typically start to dwindle quickly. Know what your audience wants and develop a product they will value.
