To the average consumer of media, ads are little more than tiresome interruptions we force people to sit through before they can get back to their entertainment.
But in crowded marketplaces, advertising is an essential part of a company’s survival – you won’t be able to cut through the noise and reach your audience without it. If you’ve got an innovative product that can truly help people, it could be argued that you have a moral obligation to advertise effectively and let as many people know as possible.
Bad advertising can break a business just as surely as good advertising can make one. If your messaging is regarded as irritating or too persistent, you might repel prospects who otherwise would’ve been interested in your product. Finding the balance between too much and not enough is just as critical as nailing the messages you want to spread.
So where is it? How much advertising is too much, how much is too little, and how do you find the sweet spot?
For starters, you need to understand what your communication flow looks like to your audience. If you have emails in your series, print them out – same goes for landing pages. Print out (or take a screenshot of) each communication that your audience will receive, and then map them out based on when and under what circumstances your audience receives them.
Do this depending on device (mobile, desktop, tablet), segment (random Facebook surfers who might see a pop-up, repeat customers) and whatever else might be specific to your business. The more comprehensive you get, the more answers you’ll uncover.
Then, you’ll be able to take an honest look at your “customer journey”. This is where the fun begins, because now you can identify holes in communication that need to be filled, double-ups or redundancies that need to be eradicated, and much more.
The key thing to remember with advertising is this: As long as it’s relevant to them, your audience will engage with whatever message you send. If the benefits of what you sell require a comprehensive 10-part email series to explain, then commit to a 10-part email series.
Just make sure you do it right. Avoid repeating yourself, give people the right information at the right times and make sure to cater to anyone that falls out of your funnel due to disinterest or other reasons.
Once you’ve mapped out your journey, here are some questions that’ll help you figure out where the balance might be:
- Do we repeat ourselves anywhere?
- Is any particular segment getting the same messages in more than one spot?
- Do we cover all the important information regardless of segment, device or other considerations?
- Do we do a good job selling while still providing value?
- Are there any “black holes” where we should be nurturing leads?
Striking the balance between too much and too little is a matter of personal preference, trial and error, and expertise. Assuming you’re testing as much as you should, you will never be finished landing that balance.
If you don’t know where to start or simply want some advice, try our free media audit. We’ll take a look at your marketing funnel for free – and help you figure out ways to improve your business and take it to the next level.
