Take the Voodoo Out of Advertising

"I know half my advertising budget is wasted.  I just don’t know which half.”
 — John Wanamaker, Department Store Magnate

Retailers of every size and stripe share Wanamaker’s frustration.  Because some retailers don’t understand advertising, they try a variety of advertising approaches throughout their business lives.

• One is simply to refuse to play the game. Those people quickly become former retailers!
• Another approach is to look upon advertising as a necessary evil, and simply throw money in the direction of a few advertising media, hoping to attract some customers. These people usually have to take solace in the size of their advertising budgets, since there is little comfort in the results.
• A third approach is jumping in with both feet, controlling the process from start to finish. These people should hang pictures of themselves in their stores to remind their employees and customers what they look like. Absent from the store, they’re forever immersed in the details of the next ad.

These are broad generalizations, but chances are you fit one of them. In fact, you’ve probably fit all three at some point in your career. And, most likely, you’re as confused and frustrated now as you were when you first met the advertising beast.

Advertising need not be confusing and frustrating. If you use the same dispassionate, objective approach to advertising that you do with financial management, you can achieve very satisfying and rewarding results from your advertising efforts.

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