Break Through the Clutter: Make Your Message Stand Out by Having Everything Revolve Around Your Consumers

© 2018 by James Bahm

Take a moment and recall some of the commercials you saw/heard over the weekend, or on your way to work this morning. Which ones stuck with you? Why did you recall one over another?

As consumers, at any given time we each are in the market for something and what prompts me to purchase brand A will be completely different than why you opt for brand B. If I may venture a guess, I'd say that at the core of most every purchase that came about as the result of an advertisement, the message touched the consumer in such a way that they saw the product/service as a benefit entirely from their perspective.

the message touched the consumer in such a way that they saw the product/service as a benefit entirely from their perspective.

Almost 250 million people listen to the radio each week, according to Nielsen. With all the streaming services and video on demand, the number of consumers engages with television will vary week to week (network viewership is typically lower in summer than other times of the year); however, according to Nielsen almost 15 million Americans watched primetime shows on a recent Sunday night in mid-June.

Then let's add in how many of us see billboards while stuck in rush hour traffic, or behind a city bus. And then all the product placement in movies, TV shows, internet videos, and everyone reading this sees multiple ads a day online. Not to mention what we see someone wearing at work or at the market, what car they drive or coffee they drink.

Meaning, every day millions of consumers are inundated with thousands upon thousands of messages advertising one product or another.

every day millions of consumers are inundated with thousands upon thousands of messages advertising one product or another

Break Through the Clutter

If you own or operate a business and are among those who decide what you want market and subsequently advertise, and where to deploy said marketing/advertising, remember this: it is essential that all elements of your message involve and be delivered exclusively from your target consumers perspective. Otherwise your message will likely be lost among the clutter.

Too many times I hear commercials that say "We're the best...", "The Number one...", "Family owned and operated....", "Our staff of knowledgeable and eager...", and on, and on, and on about the business with nothing at all geared toward the consumer.

Owners/Operators you yourselves are consumers. How would you want to be approached? if you had thirty seconds to talk with your best friend, what would you tell them about your business? Would you waste it on your staff, your many locations, or that you were locally owned and operated? Or would you say something so meaningful and impactful that they would remember your name and look you up online and do their own research to learn more?

Nike, Apple, Whole Foods, and other very successful brands have grown because they connect with consumers and their messages speak to the consumers they target. Most smaller, community-based businesses may not reach the level of the companies I just referenced; however, many are able to grow, thrive and even expand tremendously with the right message.

Consider the Following:

I've driven across the country several times, lived in all four time zones, and seen many a personal injury lawyer on billboards, and local television (with horrible looking graphics, smiling and sometimes joking) all of which has nothing which speaks to helping injured people.

In Vegas, there are several PI lawyers advertising on the radio with great success; and by contrast, the best series of commercials I heard were by a two-person firm who said, "When you're in a wreck, call our office, we'll show up at the accident site, document everything and even file your report with your insurance company - even if you don't hire us to represent you."

Several messages which had nothing to do with helping injured people, the other simply saying call us and we'll be there to help. This is one of several examples I could have chosen to use here.

Think about where you live.

What are the good commercials you hear? What makes you respond to one and not the other? What do you want to hear most about a prospective business or company whose products/services you're in the market for? Share this post and comment on what matters most to you. Maybe more owners will take note and start crafting a message for you and not one to satisfy their ego.

Bottom Line: Your business revolves around the Consumers who buy from you; make sure your marketing and advertising does as well.

Questions to consider: What are you tired of hearing in commercials? When you tell a friend about a great buying experience, what do you tell them?

James Bahm is a Marketing Professional with Summit Media and owner of the Bahm Consulting. For ways to learn how to reach engaged consumers wanting to know who you are and what you do, please send him a message via LinkedIn.