Lather, rinse, repeat: Getting noticed in today's crowded market

By: Amy Lewis

Posted on 08/02/2011 - 10:06am | From the Communications Blog

 Times have certainly changed in the 20 years that I’ve been in marketing communications. In that day, mainstream media were the primary conduits – and gatekeepers – of information. Turning off marketing messages was as simple as turning off the television or radio.

Fast forward to the advent of the Internet, e-mail and social media, and now commercial messages are everywhere. In our inboxes. On our Facebook pages. In Twitter posts. On our Internet search results. Even yard signs and vehicle graphics are more prevalent.  Some sources indicate that Americans are exposed to 3,500 to 5,000 marketing messages a day compared with 500 to 2,000 in the 1970s.

The result of the inundation? Consumers have learned to filter out messages and businesses need to be more persistent and creative to get their messages heard.

Here are a few suggestions for breaking through the marketing mayhem to get your company’s marketing heard:

1. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Your prospective customers need to experience your message between 3 and 8 times before they become aware of your company or product and move toward action. You can’t just place a single ad in a magazine and wait for the phone to ring. Prospects need to be exposed to your messages in multiple ways, multiple times. There is a tipping point though when your marketing messages become annoying. Know where that line is and respect it. Your prospects and customers will often let you know when you’ve crossed it.

2. Mix up your marketing. Using several marketing tactics to deliver your message will increase the effectiveness of your overall efforts. Consider how publicity (earned media), Facebook advertising, e-mail marketing and face-to-face networking can work together to carry a consistent messages to your prospects.

3. Get creative. Develop a marketing strategy that breaks away from the tried-and-true. Perhaps a community partnership may help further relationships with your prospects and customers. Incorporating video or social media into those efforts may give your desired audience a look inside your company and build a stronger sense of trust. It may be time to get a little bolder. Instead of bumper stickers, maybe it’s time to wrap a bus?

4. Leverage social networks. Two clichés ring true in today’s marketing environment: 1. “It’s not what you know but who you know;” and 2. People buy from people they trust. I often choose vendors, smart phone apps and even restaurants based on recommendations from people I know and trust. That’s the draw behind marketing through online and offline social networks. Consider what valuable commodity or service you can provide to your customers who allow you to leverage their network. Can you host a private event for them? Is there a giveaway you could provide to help a blogger build his comment traffic while leveraging his readership?

Question: What other ways have you found helpful in cutting through the marketing mayhem?

Amy S. Lewis is principal of Renown Marketing Communications, which helps mid-sized businesses define, articulate and communicate its messages to people important to their success. You can follow her on Twitter @renownmktg.