Have you heard of the “Rule of 7?”
In the 1930’s, the movie industry discovered that consumers saw advertisements for a film an average of seven times before purchasing a ticket. This notion, which is typically referred to as the “Rule of 7” in advertising, has stuck around for nearly a century because customers still usually have multiple interactions with a brand before a conversion takes place.
The vast majority of these interactions cost you money in advertising costs and operating expenses. This means you may not know that your advertisements are ineffective until after you have wasted a significant amount of money trying to rapidly reach the “Rule of 7” for the wrong target audience. Additionally, your goal should be to cultivate conversions as quickly and efficiently as possible, and outdated advertising techniques can be ineffective and expensive.
So, how can you save time and money, and beat the “Rule of 7”?
#1. Get to Know Your Customers
When you are trying to understand who your target audience should be, customer feedback is invaluable. Get to know your customers not just by observing what they buy from you, but instead who they are as a whole. Find out their likes and dislikes, lifestyle, household composition, and what they consider important. Never make assumptions; the more in-depth you can be when gaining insight into who your consumers are, the more effective your advertising campaigns will be.
Utilizing basic customer service strategies, such as responding promptly and professionally to negative reviews, can give you immense insight into what is compelling to your customers. Ask for customer feedback through direct interactions, surveys, and creative marketing. By putting in the effort to get to know who your customers are as a whole, you are better able to gain their trust and create compelling marketing campaigns that stand out and make a memory.
#2. Stay Up-to-Date on Social Media Trends
Social media has taken over the advertising world, and the way in which it quickly evolves and changes can be overwhelming when trying to design a long-term marketing strategy. It’s important to stay on top of social media trends, platforms, and influential figures in your target market. Outside of targeted ads, influencer marketing is booming, but it can be difficult to navigate such a new way of advertising.
Social media campaigns and influencer marketing are a great way for your brand to not only increase your following, but also earn trust and build your reputation. While traditional marketers may get hung up on the difficulties of determining the return on investment from influencer campaigns and partnerships, they are still universally acknowledged as being increasingly important, especially as advertisers’ focus shifts from Millennials to Gen Z.
#3. Evoke an Emotion by Telling a Story
No matter what platform or advertising technique you’re using, the importance of storytelling is at an all-time high. Consumers are bombarded with ads so often, that they are getting better and better at tuning them out. This means that what was once the “Rule of 7” is now often the “Rule of Hundreds” and beyond.
By telling a story that evokes a compelling emotion in your target audience, you are able to generate organic growth as people share and talk about your campaign to people they know, as well as on their own social media accounts. The emotion you evoke doesn’t have to be happiness, either. Passion, nostalgia, comfort, love for their family, and even panic, heartbreak or anger can all be used if your story is compelling and is presented in a way that people want to share.
#4. Be Consistent, but Avoid Repetition
When building your brand’s reputation, you want to be consistent in your messaging and aesthetic. If you aren’t careful, however, this can quickly lead to repetition, which can cause people to ignore your messaging and advertisements, as well as make your brand appear outdated or out of touch. Staying consistent and fresh while avoiding repetition is a difficult balance, but is one of the first things you should address if you see a dip in your conversions.
#5. Use Creative Imagery
Videos are quickly becoming one of the most effective types of ad campaigns, and for good reason. They are often the most compelling imagery a company has, which results in a higher conversion rate than other types of ads. While moving images are quicker to gain attention, just as much work should go into other images that represent your brand.
In addition to videos, product photos, web design, and even social media posts should all be taken into consideration. Is your imagery not only a good fit for your brand, but also creative enough to be eye-catching? Does it convey a story that your target audience would want to know more about? Many companies want to “play it safe” when it comes to their images and video, but that typically leads to advertisements that bore the consumer and have a lower conversion rate.
#6. Personalize Your Campaigns
The more you can personalize your campaigns, the better. Since people are inundated with so many ads on an almost constant basis, being able to appeal to them as an individual is incredibly effective. While some companies are going so far as to make personalized home pages on their websites, or developing apps specifically for certain niches, personalized email campaigns are the most common and easiest way to create an advertising strategy that is automated, yet seems to be created specifically for each individual. By planning ahead, you are able to segment your email list, just by creating a short user profile when they sign up. This allows you to target each segment strategically, increasing conversions, and boosting your brand’s reputation.
#7. Don’t Overlook Your Website
It is almost shocking how many large companies have websites that are not optimized for mobile use. With the astronomical rise in digital and social media marketing, it should be obvious that nearly everyone is surfing the web from their phones. This seems to be overlooked by many businesses, who are losing out on sales by using outdated websites that are not well designed, and not optimized for mobile users. Your website should be aesthetically pleasing, easy to use, and work seamlessly across all platforms.
Let us Help You Break the Rules
When you are creating your ad campaign, there are two main elements: the copy, and the imagery. By enlisting the help of a professional copywriting agency, you are able to ensure that your brand’s style stays consistent, and you can be confident that your campaigns are effective and compelling for each target audience.
Amplihigher employs a team of experienced copywriters who specialize in copywriting for ad agencies. We can create a personalized, seamless campaign for your brand across platforms and for multiple audiences. Contact Amplihigher today to get a quote on your specific project.
