If You Are Awesome

If you’re awesome… you won’t need to worry about advertising.

WAIT! That’s not exactly true. Even if you are TOTALLY AWESOME all of the time, word only spreads so fast (or maybe it’s not as “spreadable” as you think it is).  So, if you’d like to grow faster than your good word of mouth helps you grow, then you need to advertise.

Then… then… then… what if your competition is also pretty awesome at a few things? That ALSO slows things down for you. And what if they are fierce advertisers? If so, then the people they’re advertising to might just be influenced twice as much by their relentless advertising blitz than by your good word of mouth.

This is all why there is never ever ever never ever ONE variable to your growth… or to your marketing success. There is never only one solution. It has to be looked at from 179 different angles and shoes (give or take 5 or 50).

Wanna grow?

1) Be awesome.

2) Know how you compare to your competition… for real.

3) Say better things in your advertising.

Of course, I think I could help people out with these, but I tend to do most of my work on #3 – say it better in your advertising.

If you don’t want to grow any faster… then, yes… you may say “No, thanks” to anybody trying to sell you advertising. But if you DO want to grow – and you’ve tried advertising – and nothing has worked – then you have a MESSAGE problem. You’re not saying anything that anybody really cares about.

Want your business to stick in someone’s brain? That’s not easy. Can you honestly say, your past advertising would give anyone a reason to remember you when they need you?

And if you say, you only want advertising that brings in people now… then isn’t that group of “now” people going to run dry pretty fast?

Sure, I’ll bring you a crowd or a telephone ringing barrage once or twice. But what’s it going to take to make that happen? Slashed prices over and over = no profits. Slashed prices over and over also = training people to only wait for your sale prices (= MORE slim profits). Gimmicky promotions and giveaways over and over = people never taking you too seriously (and you never attracting one of those really profitable customers that want a good experience instead of a circus).

If you are awesome, then tell people in unconventional and reverse ways about your awesomeness. Don’t try to slap them in the face with your awesomeness – they don’t like that and they won’t believe you.

If I want people to think I’m pretty darn awesome, I’m going to exhibit awesomeness at every moment I can. I’m going to tell a story about helping a young teenager (who has no parents and siblings who are criminals) stay out of trouble and drugs and get his life together and become a productive and caring person in his community who doesn’t torture kittens. I’m going to tell you a story about snow-blowing my elderly neighbors driveway and only accepting tomatoes from her garden as payment. I’m going to tell you a story about seeing two people pushing a car up a hill (out of gas) then I turn my car around and go help – just because it’s in my nature. THEN… I’d let you be the judge as to whether you felt I am awesome or not. (Oh… and those stories – almost 50% completely made up sort of)

It’s easy to get people to feel really good about your small business or large business if you’re good people. But you also have to get your employees to treat people (potential buyers) just like you’d treat them. No, that’s not always easy, but it’s possible. And it happens all of the time.

THEN, it’s really easy to tell your story and make your advertising kick some extreme tail.

Do you need to advertise? That’s up to you. But when you do… make an effort to make your advertising better than what some slick ad person has in mind for you … or what some glittery-creative-type proposes … or what an internet / social media “pro” says you just HAVE to do that will bring customers to your door like they’re following the sounds of a magic flute.

If you KNOW that people will 99.5% of the time have a good experience when they buy from you, then there is no reason your advertising can’t seriously be of rock-star caliber. So, start thinking of things you could say to people in your advertising that would give them the utmost confidence in contacting you when they need what you sell. Those “things” you say to them will also make them smile a little bit inside.

Mama! I need someone to help me stay on topic. What was it again? Oh yeah… if you’re awesome, you won’t need to advertise. But you’ll still probably need to advertise. Just do it better – what you SAY in your advertising is what will make all the difference. (When you do, you won’t have to spend so much on your advertising = super cool.)

Since, it’s Labor Day, I figured I’d make you read twice as much. Hope you’re having (or had) a groovy weekend! And I’m sorry I said “awesome” too many times.  : )

Duane Christensen

Non-Fat Advertising blog