Ad strategy for economic squeeze
Like the country as a whole, Hudson Valley has also been negatively affected by the recession. Retailers have disproportionately felt the effect of a shrinking economy. There’s less credit available to allow discretionary spending. The rest are saving for the uncertainty that lie ahead. So how does a retailer stay afloat, or even prosper with a lessening customer base?
“Creative” is what I always thought was the premise behind advertising. Getting someone to pay attention is hard enough. It’s especially difficult in today’s marketplace. And even when you got their attention, how do you make them act on your message? So, shouldn’t creativity be a prerequisite when employing the services of an advertising firm?
Quantity, Size or Quality?
Generally, there are two schools of thought as to how to advertise. The first is primarily focused on the frequency of your message. Which is to say that the more ad spots you buy, the better. It would make sense that the more often your message is delivered, the easier it is to recall. Of course the Quantity strategy would be great if money was not an issue.
The second, is the necessity for a more creative approach to advertising. This is the approach I follow for all of my clients, including Mother Earth Storehouse; a health food and organic foods retailer in Hudson Valley, New York. The Quality of their advertising meant:
- Improving the visuals used in their advertising
- Emphasizing proper placement of ad
- Targeting specific (narrower) audiences
- Refraining from placing ads based on “Specials”
- Preparing artwork and budget prior to negotiating ad space
- Changing ad designs and copy on-the-fly with a volatile marketplace
