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Advertising
Ad Campaigns of the Wizard Who Got Away
Just as there is a gap between knowledge and wisdom, there is also a gap between fact and truth. When you’re crafting your marketing plans, what do you rely on? Do you seek to present facts, or do you aim to deliver truths to your audience? As Frank LLoyd Wright once said, “The truth is more important than the facts.” What did he mean, and how does this apply to advertising?
Here’s an excerpt from Chapter 17 of Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads:
_“No house should ever be on any hill or on anything. It should be of the hill, belonging to it, so hill and house could live together each the happier for the other.” “Frank Lloyd Wright designed buildings in his head, later committing them to paper for clients and contractors. When Edgar Kaufmann arrived unexpectedly in Madison, Wisconsin, and phoned that he was driving to Taliesin to see the plans for his house, Wright sat down at a drafting table and, in 140 minutes, filled sheet after blank sheet with the plans for what became known as Fallingwater, considered by many to be the most influential house of the 20th century. Finishing his work just as Kaufmann entered, he stood and said, “I’ve been waiting for you.” Though he never penned a single word of advertising, Frank Lloyd Wright remains a legend among the wizards of ads, who know him simply as ‘The One Who Got Away.’ ”Frank Lloyd Wright made it his mission to create unique structures for unique people and circumstances. He sought the truth with his designs, rather than relying on conventional architectural techniques and procedures. With your ad campaigns, you’ll need to do the same. Without this level of specificity, then you might reach everyone, but move no one. Instead, with focus and clarity, you can move your ideal customers to act on your offers. Let’s go over the basics of ad campaigns, first, though.
What Exactly are Ad Campaigns?
Ad campaigns are series or sets of advertisements that fit together to convey one central message to an audience. That message should be aimed to drive a particular business goal, such as increased sales revenue or improved conversion rates. All aspects of the campaign will align to compel your audience to take a particular action. They tend to work as funnels, or paths. One ad leads to the next, and so forth. By capturing your audience’s attention with the first step, you’ve grabbed them. Then, your content and offers need to propel them through the rest of the funnel. Each step needs to be strong, and the process needs to move quickly. Otherwise, you’ll lose prospective clients along the way, which is a waste of your time and money. Marketing resources ought to be used effectively, but this is as much of an art as it is a science. We’re here to guide you through, though, so fear not.
What are Good and Bad Ad Campaigns?
It takes a lot of market research and understanding to craft a good ad campaign. If your ad campaign fulfills your business goals, then you can say it was good. And if it doesn’t help you meet your goals…well, then it probably was bad. By bad, we just mean that it didn’t serve you the way you needed. It doesn’t mean your marketing ideas are bad, or that there was something inherently wrong with your thought process. It might just mean that you got caught up somewhere along the way. The implementation, the presentation or many other aspects could have failed your campaign. To figure out what it was in particular might take some time. But we’re happy to help guide you along the way to ensure your first attempt is more successful. And you can always test, revise and re-implement. Generally, the more focused an ad campaign is, the more effective it is too. The goal is to reach the customers who are most likely to buy your product or service. To do that, you’ll need to identify who benefits from your business and how you can show them that benefit. If you’re having a hard time creating and implementing an ad campaign that works for you and your business, then let’s connect. With Wizard of Ads, you’ll get the support and expertise you need to drive your sales up and achieve the growth your business deserves.
Why Doesn’t a “One Size Fits All” Ad Solutions Work?
It’s important to highlight what’s unique about your company, product or service. That means you can’t use a “one size fits all” approach. Since all solutions aren’t equally effective for your audience, you’re going to want to show them why your solution is ideal for them. Compelling an audience to take action on an offer requires a creative approach, which means setting yourself apart from the competition. If you don’t have a fresh take on your advertising efforts, then your message will feel stale to your customers. To make the most of your ad campaigns, make them unique and engaging. That’s how you can make them as compelling as possible. Otherwise, your brand will get lost in the noise.
Characteristics of Good Ad Campaigns
Even though much of this is creative, artistic work, there are definable aspects and actionable steps you can take to achieve success. Good ad campaigns have some things in common. That’s why we’ve gone through the process of identifying the eight most important characteristics of a good ad campaign. Ready to get started? Here we go.
Noticeable
If no one notices your campaign, then it’s guaranteed to fail. For an effective campaign, you first need to grab your audience’s attention. And you’ll need to hold onto it, too. If there are multiple steps in your campaign, then each step needs to re-grab the client’s attention.
Holistic
When you craft your campaigns, make sure you’re taking a holistic approach. That means you’ll want to touch on all of the different aspects of your service or product that are relevant to the campaign. By leaving out information, you might be lowering your conversion rate. To make sure each part of the campaign is concise enough, though, you can spread this information out over multiple ads. Your campaign needs to be more holistic than each individual step. The individual steps need to be focused enough for clarity, and then your ad campaign as a whole should leave a holistic impression with your viewers.
Fully Represents the Brand
If your clients are going to trust your brand and stick with you, then you’ll need to represent yourself accurately and fully. Show them who you really are, and don’t leave anything out. The core principles your company adheres to should be distilled down enough to include in your materials. You don’t need to write your mission statement in your ads, but you do need to ensure your brand comes through in an accurate and compelling way. Your values matter, and your audience should think so too.
Creates Emotional Reaction
Propelling your prospective clients through the steps of your ad campaign, and eventually your sales funnel, requires emotional reactions on their part. If they don’t feel something, then they won’t act. They need to care, and you need to show them why they should care. By addressing their desires, motivations, fears, pain points and more, you can fuel something inside of them. When your audience is passionate, they’ll act on your offers. Make sure you can deliver what you promise, though, or else those emotions will quickly change to be negative. Negative reactions will hurt your brand.
Delivers Clear and Strong Message
If there isn’t one central takeaway, then your campaign won’t achieve the goals you seek. Without the focus of one, clear, strong message, your audience will be confused. And a confused audience doesn’t take the action you’re offering them. To decide on your central message, look back on your goals. The goal you have in mind should inform all aspects of your ad campaign. It’s especially important for the central message you choose, though, which will determine the ways in which you communicate your offers.
Simple but Suggestive
You don’t need to say something to imply it. Suggestive implications can be very engaging for people. When you drop breadcrumbs for them to follow, they’ll be much more pleased when they get to the end. People enjoy this process, as it engages their sense of curiosity and wonder. Craft your content and design your funnel to really play into this sense of discovery that your clients can achieve by following your trail. If you can get your audience members to enjoy each step along the way, they’ll be more likely to convert to customers. Make them wonder, but make sure you give them enough to work with.
Contains Lines That Are Easy to Remember
Your ads need to make an impression. That impression needs to be not only significant, but also long lasting. Maximize the impact of your words by crafting lines that are easy to remember. Play around with different one to see what sticks, and remember that the longer a line is, the more clever it needs to be.
Creates a Sense of Trust
When your audience trusts you, they’ll be more comfortable engaging with you. To facilitate the sales process down the road, show them your expertise now. And when you establish a strong relationship with your clients, they’ll be more likely to come back for continued purchases or contracts with you. With repeat customers, your sales will steadily increase, and the cycle will snowball. How do you create trust with your customers? Do you need help designing your ad campaigns to convert more sales and increase your company’s revenue? If any of the information here is intriguing, but you need help implementing it for your business, then let us know! At Wizard of Ads®, we’re here to serve you. Contact us today to learn more!
Advertising
Out of Style Ads
It's 2022 and the world of advertising is evolving and transforming at a rapid speed. As we shift from traditional advertising to digital, we are finding new ways to advertise and are developing new ideas that have never been done before. Whether it’s targeted ads while playing a mobile phone game or a podcaster giving a shout-out to their sponsor, we see advertising in all realms of the digital universe— and it’s only going to expand from here. As marketers and advertisers, the possibility of having “out of style” ads may sound like your worst nightmare, but what does out of style actually mean? Is it really a bad thing? We’re going to challenge that very concept right here in this article and go over the biggest advertising trends to look out for in 2022.
What Do “Out of Style” Ads Mean?
When we think of “style” we think of a thing or idea that is popular and aesthetically pleasing to the masses. After all, we human beings at our core naturally just want to feel like we fit in and are accepted within our community. We would rather hear someone tell us that our red boots are stylish than tell us they are weird or different— it’s just the way it is. Even so, do you think the most successful entrepreneurs and brands got to where they are today from staying in style? No. They broke the mold and paved a new path to their success; and eventually, everyone got on board. See, “style” is the unmistakable mark of a follower, and those who are bound by it are fated to be eternally average. Followers have a continual fear of breaking the unwritten rules, but they are unwritten because they can always be challenged. So do we think having “out of style” ads is a bad thing? Absolutely not. It means you are owning your creativity and individuality to trailblaze your way to success, rather than just being the average follower. Yes, having out of style ads will always stir up snickers and criticism from somebody somewhere, but remember, that person is only average.
Why is Being Confident in Your Products Vital to Every Business?
As a business owner, you must be confident in your brand, what it stands for and the products you sell. If you aren’t confident, it will show in every facet of your marketing and advertising and get buried under the brands that break the mold. For instance, business owners rarely speak on behalf of their own company as it is deemed to break an unwritten rule and an out of style advertising tactic. Yet, some of the most successful brands have done this such as KFC’s Harland Sanders, Chrysler’s Lee Iacocca and Men’s Wearhouse’s George Zimmer. These business owners rejected the idea of being average and gave out of style ads a chance and it provided outstanding results. How about you? Do you have what it takes to look the world in the eye and tell your brand’s story with confidence? Or do you fear what people might think? At Wizard of Ads®, we can help you build the confidence you need to make your brand both innovative and successful. Contact us today to learn how to create out of style ad campaigns that will break the mold of your industry.
What is the Out-Of-Home (OOH) Style of Advertising?
Out-of-home advertising (OOH) is the marketing of brands or products through billboards, signs, placards placed in public transit vehicles/stations/ferry docks, etc. The main goal is to advertise a brand/product to the target audience members who are out of their homes and happen to pass by or stop for a moment near the sign or poster installed at sites such as bus stations, ferry terminals and train stations.
Advantages of OOH
OOH advertising is an effective way of promoting your product as it can reach the consumer when they're on the go and able to take notice. Research has shown that 69 percent of consumers took some type of action after seeing an OOH ad whether it was visiting the business in person, searching for an advertiser online or posting about them on social media. Other great advantages of OOH include:
- It’s cost-effective: OOH advertising is one of the most affordable ways to advertise in the industry. Even the highest exposure areas are cheaper than digital advertising prices.
- It generates an immediate impact: When your target audience is in the market for a product or service of yours and sees your ad while they are out and about, they are more likely to take an immediate action than when they are in the comfort of their home.
- It incentivizes impulse buying: OOH ads are placed particularly in places where someone will impulsively buy your product— i.e. when there’s a tired driver on the highway, they will see signs for restaurants and hotels that will give them the impulse to buy.
Disadvantages of OOH
Just as out-of-home advertising comes with its various advantages, it comes with its disadvantages as well.
- Success isn’t guaranteed: With OOH advertising there’s no guarantee that someone will be interested or even notice your ad if it’s not strategically placed.
- The ads aren’t targeted: OOH ads are displayed to the general public, so instead of it targeting a specific audience, it targets everyone which can make lead generation more difficult.
- It’s harder for consumers to remember contact information: When people are out and about, they might not have time to write or type down your ad contact information. Instead, they might make a mental note that they will likely forget.
What are the New Ads Trends of 2022?
To be a trailblazer in the advertising industry, you still need to be aware of what is currently trending and use that information as inspiration or a point of reference to create an even better idea. Here are the Top Ads Trends for 2022.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Advertising
Artificial Intelligence is changing everything from how we communicate with one another to what products we find are most efficient in our daily lives. The global AI market has been predicted to snowball into a $190.61 billion market value by 2025 with a forecasted annual growth rate of 33.2 percent between 2020 and 2027. There’s a multitude of reasons why AI has become such a top dog in the advertising game. They are able to process extremely large data sets which allow them to target customers in ways that no other "traditional" marketing strategy can do. It’s more accurate than any human could ever be, yet still maintains the ability to customize itself for each customer or user based on their prior preferences. This is why AI has been such an effective machine; it can find patterns within inconceivably large amounts of data.
Personalized Content Ads
Personalized content advertising is the method of creating ads tailored to individual consumers based on their online activity and interests. You can personalize them through Google ads, Facebook ads, Bing ads, Gmail ads and more. The emergence of personalized content ads is naturally a result of the increasing number of mobile users and marketers' efforts to enhance web experiences for target audiences to increase engagement and customer loyalty. In fact, it is becoming more difficult than ever before for marketers to create custom content that will attract people's attention and stand out from the crowd. This is why they are constantly looking for new ways to find buyers in this "content jungle" by setting their sights on personalization tools such as machine learning, data mining, predictive analytics and contextual targeting.
Micro-Influencer Advertising
Micro-influencers are people with a large following on social media that monetize their popularity by providing brands advertising services under a contract. This is a form of advertising that has been trending recently and working well for brands because of the more relatable and social influence these micro-influencers have on their followers. Micro-Influencers have an engagement rate as high as eight percent. A survey from Linqia showed that 48 percent of marketers said influencer marketing is one of their top three growth strategies. Not only that, 58 percent indicated they plan to increase spending in influencer marketing over the next 12 months.
Instagram Reels and Tiktok Ads
The way we digest media has completely changed and has become more bite-sized than ever over recent years. A great example of this is Instagram Reels and Tiktok. Instagram Reels and Tiktok ads are short video advertisements that can be anywhere between 15 seconds and three minutes long and play automatically when viewers scroll through their feed. These site’s algorithms are like your best friend to ensure your ads are going to your niche target audience. Many brands are using Instagram Reels and Tiktok web advertising for not only running ads on their own products but also for products of other brands that they collaborate with.
Personalized SMS Ads
Personalized SMS advertising is a relatively new trend in online marketing, but it has been fairly successful. In fact, according to Savio's SMS Trend Report, over 60 percent of marketers have tried personalized SMS advertising and 79 percent of them believe it is a very effective way to reach customers. This method of advertising has risen in popularity due to its highly interactive nature and effectiveness at reaching hard-to-reach audiences who have little to no interest in traditional advertising methods. The whole idea behind personalized SMS advertising is that a business or brand can create a database of their customers' cell phone numbers and then send them custom-tailored text messages that include promotional information related specifically to their purchase habits.
Games and Apps Ads
More and more people are putting down the console and playing games on their mobile phones. This offers up a whole new platform for businesses to advertise their products and services with mobile gaming ads. In 2015 alone, revenue from mobile games topped $25 billion. In fact, one in every three minutes spent on a smartphone app relates to a game. With mobile gamers becoming one of the top new target customers, it’s no wonder why businesses have capitalized on pushing banner ads and video ads through this channel. Studies have shown that more than 70 percent of gamers actually prefer watching video ads because they are set up with the incentive of more game points or other kinds of rewards to redeem for your game. Now that you have discovered the magnificent hidden power that out of style ads can bring forth to your business, it’s brand and your target market, you have all the tools and resources you need to not be an average follower, but an advertising trailblazer. Be sure to use the top 2022 advertising trends as your foundation in creating a newer, better way of advertising that paves a new and lucrative path for your business. At Wizard of Ads®, we are right here to help you every step of the way. We have helped countless clients create engaging ads that are both innovative and legendary. Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you and your business.
Advertising
Creative Advertising and the Power of Imagination
Creative advertising stems from the advertiser’s ability to engage with their own imagination. Instead of retracing the steps of those who have come before you, use your imagination to follow in their footsteps to places unknown. It’s up to all of us to improve on the discoveries and creativity of the past. To start, practice and develop your sense of imagination. Only then can you drive your advertising to new creative heights.
The Wizard’s Seventh Law of the Advertising Universe
“Engage the imagination, then take it where you will. Where the mind has repeatedly journeyed, the body will surely follow. People go only to places they have already been in their minds. ”Since you can’t go to a place you haven’t yet seen in your mind’s eye, use your imagination to think of and picture the countless possibilities. It’s essential to have this mental flexibility that stems from being comfortable with the unknown. If you’re comfortable with the unknown, then you can journey in your mind to any place that could ever be. And you can do so without the internalized judgment that would slow you down otherwise. Let’s look at a real life example of how the mind and imagination can work to chart new paths. Here’s an excerpt from Chapter 18 of the book Secret Formulas of The Wizard of Ads: “Ludwig van Beethoven was capable of hearing music in a silent world, but his ability to hear symphonies in his head was nothing special. Beethoven’s brain was no more capable than those of the people with whom you deal every day. Physiologically, each of us is Beethoven’s equal. You can hear Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony in your mind right now, if you’d like. Remember how it begins? Just like you and me and Ludwig, your customers have the amazing ability to see with their eyes closed and to hear when there is no sound. They can touch what isn’t there and taste what they have not yet eaten. In your advertising, don’t speak to the world outside your customers, speak to the world inside their minds. Give them a taste of the experience you have waiting for them in this meeting place we call Reality.” Let’s look at how you can engage with your imagination to achieve creative advertising ideas. It sure worked for Beethoven!
How Does Imagination Influence Creativity
Strong imagination comes from curiosity and practice. If you can find interest in a subject, you can let your curiosity guide you. What do you wonder about? What makes sense? What doesn’t? How have others thought in the past? How could you think differently now? First, learn what you can, and then see where your curiosity takes you. The more curious you are, the more you can imagine answers to the varied questions you think of. In turn, you’ll improve your facility with engaging your imagination. The more facile you are with your imagination, the more you can draw on it during the creative process. If it takes half of your mental energy to give yourself permission to imagine, and then the other half is spent trying to tap into it, you’ll be drained before you know it. When you make a habit of falling back on your imagination regularly, it’ll become comfortable, just like anything else in life. Ask yourself…How creative could Beethoven have been if he had never developed his sense of curiosity or practiced using his imagination?
What Makes a Creative Advertisement?
Creative advertising requires a fresh take on an existing or new situation, problem or solution. To make your advertising efforts work for you, you’ll need to make an impression on your audience. Encourage a new frame of mind or a more nuanced understanding of an aspect of your industry or services. When you can elicit an emotional or intellectual response in your audience, you’ll start to hit home with your advertisements. Otherwise, your audience will see your commercial or billboard and then promptly move on with their life. But by encouraging them to reframe their mind or reflect on what they feel, then you’ve planted a seed in their mind. Eventually, with enough seeds, sales will sprout when your messages resonate with your audience.
Does Marketing Require Good Imagination?
It requires imagination to market originally and to your maximum effectiveness. You might be able to copy the campaigns of your competitors, but you’ll never chart your own path or achieve your potential. Think of it this way: if you only do what has already been done, then how can you achieve more than before? You can’t. In order to rise to the top of your industry, you’ll need to market your products or services in a fresh way. If you’re having a hard time crafting creative marketing solutions, then you’ve come to the right place for help. At Wizard of Ads®, we understand the creative process and how much of an art marketing can be. With our help, we can foster your sense of imagination and achieve previously-unknown goals. Contact us today!
How to use the Power of Imagination in Creating the Most Effective Advertising?
Powerful imagination can spark your advertising creativity. In turn, watch your sales figures grow as you achieve previously-unknown growth. That sounds great, right? But maybe you’re wondering how, still. Don’t worry, we’re not done yet. Read on for actionable steps you can take to engage your imagination, spark your creativity and improve your business’ marketing methods.
Explore your Passion
It starts with passion. Do you care about the problem your product is solving? Are you passionate about the solution you’re offering with your services? If you don’t believe in your passion, then you won’t be able to market effectively. It might work okay, but it’s not going to pique much interest or change many minds. It’s okay if you don’t know what you’re most passionate about yet. Start by reflecting on what services or products you offer, how they help and who they help. For example, imagine you sell mittens, which help people keep their hands warm. What about that moves you? How is your product unique? Does the idea of providing comfort matter to you? Maybe they’re the coziest mittens around. Or do you care about offering safety to those who spend time outdoors in the cold? Maybe they’re the most protective mittens. When you know what matters, you can show people why it does. If you can grow to understand what you feel moved by, then you’re well on your way to identifying the most important aspects of your business to focus on.
Learn to Focus
Speaking of focus, we recommend finding some. If you’re using too many different ideas to create your ads, then they probably won’t feel very convincing or moving. Without a narrow-enough focus, the takeaways will be unclear to your audience. Messaging needs to be clear in order to drive sales. Hone in on the core principles that matter, and then dive deeper into those. It’s more effective than merely glancing over many different aspects, which tends to be surface-level and unaffecting.
Be Observant
Artists observe and reflect on their surroundings. Whether it’s a painter soaking in a landscape, a poet reflecting on the human experience or a dancer interpreting an emotion, it starts with keen observation. The same is true in the world of advertising, which draws from its surroundings to inform its content. Some of the best ads are reflections of the most common experiences that consumers in their space go through. By noticing what others have already done, you can take it from where they left off rather than repeating the past.
Enhance Your Visual Marketing in Promoting Ideas
You can explain your product or services in nearly-endless ways, but you’re still putting words in your audience’s mind. With images and graphics, the words will come to the viewer from their own subconscious after they begin to interpret the image. That’s part of the reason why people say “a picture is worth a thousand words.” With visual marketing, you can engage your audience’s creativity more easily, allowing them to do some of the creative work for themselves. If you’re having a hard time thinking of how you can put words together in a new and interesting way, try to lighten that burden with visual marketing efforts.
Learn from the Experts
It’s important to achieve some level of originality when you’re trying to be creative. If it’s already been done, it’s not very creative for you to do it the same way again. Instead, you’ll need to put a twist on it somehow. That all starts, though, with learning from the experts. Their experience is invaluable, since you can build on their work. Beethoven could never have written the musical compositions he did during the Classical era if Bach hadn’t first set the stage during the Baroque era. Don’t just copy the experts, but do try to emulate them before you start re-inventing the wheel. Once you understand where your industry has already been, you can decide where you want to take it.
Research and Ask Questions
Be curious, and ask questions. Research, and find answers. And if there isn’t already an answer, then discover the solution yourself. Creativity is generally thought of as an art, and it is. But it’s also a science, which means you have to drive your creativity with information and data. By doing market research, you can find out about trends to see what might work for you. Focus on understanding what your audience wants and needs, and then tap into the psychology behind them. With a constant cycle of asking the right questions and discovering viable answers, your creativity will infuse all aspects of your marketing efforts.
Listen and Never Stop Learning
Don’t forget that asking questions isn’t the end. You have to listen to the answers! And once you hear what other sources are saying, you’ll need to think critically. What are you convinced by? What do you still need more information about? Are you able to make an informed decision yet? What else do you need to know? Learning is a life-long process, so you’ll need to keep your ears and mind open. Otherwise, you’ll become stagnant, which is a death sentence for creativity.
Tell Your Story (Create Ads)
When you create your ads, think of them as a story. Each ad is a chapter, and they all fit together to paint a picture or tell a story to the viewers. You can use sequences to funnel your audience down a particular path, or you can have stand-alone campaigns that relate back to your company’s core passions. Either way, your marketing content is going to offer an impression for your potential customers. The way you present your products and services will mean something to your audience, and it will have a large impact on whether they’re moved to act. When advertisements tell a story, they come across as authentic and compelling. An important part of creativity is originality, and by focusing on your story, you’re tapping into that originality. Since every company has its own story, yours is guaranteed to be unique. If you’re having trouble telling your story, then let us help you. With Wizard of Ads®, you can increase your advertising creativity to best compel your audience. Contact us at today! We can’t wait to help you give your business the boost it needs.
Leadership
Decision-Makers: Selling The Inside Champion
Life is full of tough choices. Some are easy, such as what kind of coffee to order (cappuccino please!), and others are more difficult like choosing a career path that will affect everything moving forward into the future. Being able to have great executive decision-making skills can help at any point in your life when times are confusing, overwhelming or difficult. For decision-making to become second nature for you, you’ll need to learn the key principles that make great decision-makers and how to identify how your customers are making decisions when it comes to buying your product, or, another company’s instead. Once you’ve done that, you’ll have a process that you can utilize, and a method in which you can truly get attuned with your audience and what makes them tick. These will be concepts that you can leverage throughout the rest of your personal and professional career. After all, “It’s not who you reach, it’s what you say that counts.” Or as my friend Rich Mann says, “It’s not who you know, it’s who knows you.” So let’s dive into what a “Decision-Maker” is, how they interconnect with the “Inside Champion,” and how to become a master decision-maker so you can improve how you approach your biggest personal and business decisions without being any stress or regrets.
What are “Decision-Makers?”
A decision maker is an individual or group that makes important decisions regarding the future of a given company, project or product. They are also the individuals who make decisions every day on what products or services to buy and from which business they want to buy them from. Whether it be a new hire decision, buying decision or changing decision — whoever has the authority to say "yes" or "no" is considered a decisionmaker. It's important to note that not every decision made, customer-based or seller-based will have an immediate result on your company's success. Some may take months or even years before they yield positive results. However, this isn't something that should concern you if you are carrying out the right types of decision-making at your company. When you can effectively persuade your prospects to make the decision to buy your product over the competition, you will build loyal customers who can do all the free advertising for you.
Why are they called “Decision-Makers?”
A decision-maker might sound self-explanatory, but there's a lot more to it than just an individual who makes decisions. A decision-maker answers questions like why, how and when. Key decision-making factors are budget, resources, available timeframes and other variables. A decision can be made by an individual decision-maker or by a group involving several people with decision-making abilities. Decision-makers also need to know the best decision for everyone involved in the decision. This includes stakeholders that might be affected by it or companies that will carry out their plans or systems that will be used under the decision to name just a few of the entities involved. On top of all this, they also have to consider things like ethics (whether decisions should prioritize profit over environmental costs), risk (whilst avoiding impulsiveness) and consequences (the impact it has on various factors). Are you looking to build your decision-making skills and establish a supportive team that encompasses these strengths? At Wizard of Ads®, we can help!
Who are “Inside Champions?”
We all know the clown named Ronald who has launched a world-famous fast-food empire, but what you might not realize is that he’s been winning the hearts of “inside champions” all across America. Inside Champions are essentially your broad marketing audience. When you successfully market to these people, they become your inside champions— customers who will vouch for you and be their own decision-makers to buy your product and convince others to as well. Making the job of selling easy as a McDonald’s apple pie. Ronald discovered his champions were watching Saturday morning cartoons. He wowed them with the idea that every happy meal should include a fun toy. Ronald knew that each little inside champion rode in the back seat of a car driven by a decision-maker and when those golden arches came into view, he knew that his inside champion would spring into action to persuade the decision-maker to make a decision that resulted in a sale. When identifying inside champions, it’s important to understand that although they’re your target audience in some cases, they could also be the social circle that surrounds your target audience:
- The secretary.
- The file clerk.
- The husband.
- The wife.
- The golfing buddy.
- The friend of a friend.
These are just to name a few, but the main point is to ensure that your brand is finding its way into the minds of consumers everywhere. This can be done with consistent, engaging and seamless advertising that not only enters your consumer’s minds but stays there— and stays there so well that word of mouth will do all the work for you. It’s never a good idea to push your inside champions to make a decision, instead just focus on telling a compelling story to anyone willing to listen, as you never know who a person might know and recommend your product to.
Top Traits of a Good Decision-Maker
Now that we've gone over what a decision-maker is and how they interconnect with your inside champions, let's talk about the best decision-making techniques every decision-maker should inhabit:
- Recognize your personality traits and qualities: When you have a better understanding of who you are and what you value most, you’ll be able to make decisions based on those elements.
- Identify your goals: Having a clear picture of what you’re striving to achieve will help you make decisions that will be best to get you there.
- Take a look at all of your possibilities: Locate all the options that are presented to you and weigh out all of their pros and cons. The option that can provide the most benefits will likely be the right decision.
- Consider a variety of possibilities: There could be more options available than you realize. Try thinking outside of the box, sometimes you can create your own path.
- Keep an open mind: Avoid limiting yourself because you haven’t given other options a chance. You may be surprised how you feel about something when you take the time to learn more about it.
- Recognize that not all options are created equal: Whichever decision you make, know that each one comes with its own challenges and rewards.
- Make the most of your time: Don’t feel the need to rush your decision-making process, but also avoid spending too much time deliberating as it can cloud your judgment.
- Accept the ramifications: With every decision comes its consequences and it’s important to accept them and adapt accordingly.
- Take note of your previous choices: Analyzing how you’ve made decisions in the past will help you to see patterns and determine what strengths and weaknesses you have as a decision-maker.
These traits are relevant to not only help you as a business leader in your decision-making process but also get a deeper look into how your prospects and customers make decisions before purchasing your products.
Conclusion
Decision making is part of the fabric of our everyday lives. Some decisions are easy with minimal consequences and some are more serious and have a lot at stake, making it challenging and stressful to come to any sort of conclusion. Making good decisions is important in life, and it’s even more important when it comes to your business. Your team’s future depends on the decisions you make, so be sure to take your time and think things through before jumping into anything. A great way to start when facing any kind of major decision is to go through the various types of decision-making strategies we’ve highlighted in this article. They may require more of your time, but the risks that come with making the wrong decision, or a decision you may come to regret is far greater. If you need help making effective business decisions and to understand how your customers are making decisions, contact us today. At Wizard of Ads®, we create ads that generate an army of powerful inside champions that will help move your business forward.
Advertising
Top 6 Advertising Trends To Watch in 2022
Explore the latest marketing and advertising trends for 2022, including personalized marketing, AI content optimization, voice search, and more to keep your business competitive.
Evolution and change are perpetual parts of our existence, so it would be naive not to expect that to emerge within all aspects of our lives— including the wondrous world of marketing and advertising. Since the start of the pandemic, you can probably guess that much like how our quality of life has taken a hit, the marketing and advertising realm has taken a bit of a hit as well. However, as we learn to adapt and improve from the past (after all, it’s in our nature), new and exciting innovations in marketing begin to emerge from the ashes. In 2022, the future of digital marketing is showing a lot of promise. There was a time when artificial intelligence and data-driven marketing seemed like a far-fetched idea, but now, we are seeing it become more and more of a trend amongst companies both large and small. But what do even the richest companies worry about? Becoming irrelevant. Trends are trending for a reason— they deliver results and change perspectives. The last thing you want to do is fall behind and become dust in the wind. Therefore, if you want to remain a solid competitor in your industry, we recommend you keep an eye out for these latest and greatest marketing and advertising trends.
Top Digital Marketing Trends for 2022
In this ever-changing competitive digital marketing industry, it’s important for your business to not only survive but to thrive. Here’s our exclusive inside scoop of 2022’s top new marketing trends and how they can be an essential asset to your business.
Personalized Marketing
Whether it’s a surprise to you or not, consumers love personalization. A study from SmarterHQ shows that 72 percent of consumers act on marketing when it’s customized to their personal interests. The biggest and most successful companies utilize the intelligence of algorithms to customize the user experience. They do this by filtering out irrelevant products and information and instead market what is most interesting and valuable to them. Take Netflix for example. They tailor movies and television shows to each individual user profile to increase the likelihood of them watching something on their platform. It elevates the customer experience and keeps them coming back for more.
AI Content Optimization
We are living in a world where Artificial Intelligence is changing everything from how we communicate with one another to what products become popular. A PwC survey found that there was a 52 percent acceleration rate to AI adoption plans across 1,000 different U. S. companies. Recently, chatbots, search engines and content creation have especially increased in popularity since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and don’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. There are many reasons why AI has become such a massive marketing trend. They can analyze search patterns and customer behavior as well as gather data from social media channels and blogs so businesses can assess how their customers come across their products and services. One of the best examples of a company utilizing AI extremely well is Google. Their AI functions to provide the most accurate search results which provide their users with the best content to find the information they need. At Wizard of Ads®, we can help you find the best AI software for your business and so much more. Contact us today and we’ll help make your marketing and advertising fresh and influential.
Voice Search
Voice search has increasingly grown in popularity through recent years. Products like Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant are examples of successful ways for companies to implement voice search. Google Assistant alone has one million actions and Alexa has more than 100,000 skills, giving users a vast variety of tools and resources. It’s no wonder why customers of all demographics are making voice search part of their home. If you are still wondering if voice search is worth utilizing in your business, know that voice-based searches take up 20 percent of all internet searches, 58 percent of consumers use it to find local business information and about one billion voice searches take place on a monthly basis. Keep in mind, this is just the beginning of what you can get out of voice search as companies are working to produce audio content to gain brand awareness and ad implementation is next. For instance, Alexa answers your question and then follows with an advertisement. Essentially, voice search is going to become an even more popular platform for companies to promote their brand and gain traction on potential customers. So, it would be wise of you to follow suit.
Predictive Analytics
Much like how it sounds, predictive analytics is a way to identify patterns and predict future results by using data mining and predictive modeling techniques. Take Amazon Assistant for instance. This Chrome extension allows customers to receive recommendations on products even when they aren’t using Amazon. It simply pops up when they are browsing elsewhere on the web. Predictive analytics has shown great potential as it has become more intelligent over the years and is being used across a variety of industries. With that being said, it’s in the perfect position to become one of the most popular marketing methods in the coming years.
Green Marketing
If you are looking for a way to be more sustainable as a business and attract more like-minded customers, green marketing is for you. Also named “eco-marketing,” green marketing is the process of augmenting and advertising your products or services based on how environmentally sustainable they are. This attracts people who are environmentally conscious and builds credibility and authenticity with your brand, which can be hard to achieve. Many companies are shifting towards manufacturing methods that are more sustainable. A few examples of how they are doing this are:
- Using recycled or recyclable materials to make their products.
- Restrictions on how much packaging is being used.
- Using renewable energy or materials.
- Developing products that are repairable so they aren’t just thrown away.
Who wouldn’t favor a company that cares about the planet over one that isn’t as thoughtful about how their products are made and their impact on the environment? With green marketing, you’ll attract new, younger markets and be sure to gain a strong competitive advantage.
Influencer Marketing
We see it everywhere on social media these days and for good reason. Hiring influencers to promote your product or service is the new effective way to market your business as it boosts brand awareness and lures in a more specific target audience. Influencers are people who have a large audience on social media and it is usually determined based on how many followers or subscribers they have. They can be found on various platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, podcasts and more. Consumers tend to trust influencers over celebrities or other marketing/advertising methods because they are more relatable as they are usually regular, everyday people and because they share the same values and interests as them (hence why they followed them in the first place). This is an excellent way for businesses to market to their ideal, target audience and fit into specific niches that would otherwise be more difficult to reach. It’s been a popular marketing method for a while but is expected to grow even more in the next few years.
Top 7 Digital Advertising Trends for 2022
Now that we’ve covered what marketing trends you should look out for in 2022, let’s now teleport into the world of advertising and learn about what 2022 trends you should consider using for your business.
1. Shorter HD Videos
As the world has become more and more reliant on technology, our attention spans have become smaller and smaller. Instant gratification is in style, and it will likely stay that way. This is why shorter HD videos have become one of the newest trends in advertising. Not only that, companies are catering their video ads to be more user-friendly for mobile phones as (shocker) we’re all addicted. In the U. S. alone, mobile video spending is estimated to hit $53.9 billion by the year 2025 and you can expect the majority of that to be spent on shorter HD video ads. Surveys have concluded that about 25 percent of adults close out video ads after ten seconds, and more than half close after 20 seconds. I’m sure I am not the only one who clicks the “skip” button on those pesky YouTube ads, right? With nearly 100 percent of today's video marketers pledging to use video strategies this year, it’s no wonder why this advertising strategy has become so popular.
2. Podcast Series
Podcasts have grown exponentially over recent years having a whopping 116 million monthly listeners in the U. S. in 2021. Therefore, it has become a breeding ground for sponsorships and advertising since companies have caught onto this new and trending media platform. If you’ve listened to a podcast before, I’m sure you’re familiar with the famous line, “and now a word from our sponsors…” This is the type of advertising many successful businesses are utilizing today, and many more are following suit. Additionally, based on the Super Listeners 2021 report, podcast ads have a high retention rate with 86 percent of listeners saying they remember hearing the ad. They also score high in engagement with 76 percent saying they’ve either visited the company website, made a purchase or subscribed after hearing the ad.
3. Automated Program Advertising
Circling back to the amazing benefits of AI, automated program advertising has become an increasingly popular tool in our current advertising industry. It has significantly improved the efficiency in how we analyze data today. Studies have shown that marketers are wasting about five hours and 36 minutes of their time improving their data processes but fail to see any success. However, with AI you can enhance how you optimize your impressions, bid levels, targeting and click-through rates. Utilizing AI’s automated programmatic advertising features will allow you to discover data patterns and help you determine what will generate the best performance within seconds. This is a huge upgrade from having to spend days or weeks doing the same on your own.
4. Online Game Streamings Ads
Mobile gaming has steadily increased in popularity, with downloads increasing by 45 percent in 2020. In fact, about 70 percent would rather exclusively play their mobile games than use any social media app or watch any television show. With mobile gamers being so invested, it makes sense why businesses have taken advantage— and studies show that gamers don’t really mind! Over 70 percent of gamers prefer to watch video ads as their preferred way to “pay” for their game content. What do we mean by “pay?” Well, many game ads offer rewards that you can cash into whatever game you are playing, all because you’ve watched their entire advertisement. These awards can be converted into currency, stamina etc. Typically, mobile game ads can take up the entire screen or are displayed as banner ads. Whichever method you choose, it will make a huge difference in brand awareness.
5. Pseudo-Influencer Ads
We’ve talked about the power influencers have on your marketing and advertising, but what about making your employees your influencers? Pseudo-influencer ads offer a cost-effective alternative to paying for a famous social media influencer. Not only that, they can provide your target audience with more knowledge and insight on your company, its brand and the products and services you have to offer. Additionally, allowing your employees to take over your social media accounts will enhance your authenticity as a brand. It will make your brand feel more personable and trustworthy because if even your employees are raving about your products, why wouldn’t they be intrigued? Having pseudo-influencer ads will also provide a platform for customers to ask common questions and get answers from someone who knows the most. Research has shown that customers spend about 37 percent more money on a brand that is referred by employee advocates. That is enough proof to tell you the power of human connection.
6. Amazon
At this point, we are all aware of the goliath that Amazon has become in the e-commerce industry, and it’s basically impossible to compete. So, you know the saying: if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em! Overall, more than 75 percent of e-commerce ads are bought on Amazon, resulting in the company accruing more than $7 billion in revenue. Businesses are buying advertisements on Amazon not only because it’s the worlds leading e-commerce company but also because the cost of ads runs surprisingly cheap compared to other sites. Additionally, they consistently provide better SEO ads and an increased ROI for many e-commerce businesses. Therefore, it’s clear why so many businesses are gravitating towards advertising on amazon.
Marketing and Advertising for the Modern World
We know that changing and adapting to new ideas and methods in your marketing and advertising isn’t easy. It can be challenging and exhausting to keep up with as the modern world is always rapidly changing. However, to prevent yourself from falling behind, we strongly encourage you to implement most of these trends that have proven to be successful from small businesses and large corporations alike. But you don’t have to take it all on alone. At Wizard of Ads®, we take pride in helping businesses within a variety of diverse industries put the magic in their advertising and marketing strategies. Contact us today and we’ll make certain your business gets off the ground and keeps flying high towards an endless sky of optimal success.
Customer Journey
How To Identify Your Customer's Pain Points (4 Key Tips)
Every type of business out there, no matter the size or industry has its own pocket of customers with their own specific needs. Whether it’s to lose weight, to feel safe in their new car or have a well-functioning vacuum cleaner, your customer's needs will vary depending on your market. When these needs aren’t met, in the sales biz, we call that a customer pain point. Maybe you already have an idea of what your customer pain points are, or maybe you are still trying to get to the bottom of it. No matter where you’re at, it’s important to not only have a general idea of your customer pain points but to also be able to identify them in as much detail as possible. When you know the ins and outs of your customer’s struggles and desires, that is when you’ll deliver them the exact results they need. In doing this, you’ll build credibility and acquire long-term loyal customers. If you don’t you’ll start losing customers left and right. There are a lot of ways you can better identify your customer pain points, and we’ll go over the most effective ones in this article. So, if you want to find a one-way ticket to your customers’ hearts, keep on reading.
What are Customer Pain Points in Business?
We’ve touched a little bit on the concept of customer pain points, but you may still be scratching your head. To make it crystal clear, pain points are the specific problems or challenges that your leads, prospects or customers experience. These pain points can vary significantly as there is never only one area in one's life where difficulties can arise. The level of severity of the pain point can also scale from mild to severe depending on what the problem is and the amount of value it holds for your customer. Essentially, pain points are your ally— they elicit a demand that drives potential customers to seek solutions at your business. Without pain points, your customers don’t need you.
Typical Customer Pain Point Examples
Even though your customer pain points can be unique to each individual customer, they typically fall under four main categories. This will provide a great foundation in the process of identifying your customer pain points and get you one step closer to finding that perfect solution.
Complicated Customer Service
The last thing customers want when trying to find a solution is to feel like they aren’t being supported. For instance, if trying to find an answer to their question on your website is more like solving a scavenger hunt, then you’ll want to consider redesigning your website to be more accessible and user-friendly. This lack of support doesn’t just come up during the customer journey. Your customers could also be struggling with complex tasks that they feel could easily be simplified or completed for them. That’s where your business can work to identify the pain point and jump in to save the day. For example, if your prospect is struggling with their current business phone system’s inefficiency, offer them your new prototype that easily syncs contacts and calendars. Quantify the value and go out of your way to meet their needs. Your customer will be elated and you’ll likely make the sale.
Products with Delivery Charges that are Too High
This is a common pain point for customers because a lot of the time they feel as if what they are paying for costs more money than what it's worth. Therefore, there’s a good chance they’ll begin to seek a different solution that will offer more bang for their buck. This particularly is found with food delivery services. Customers often complain about these businesses because the delivery charge can often double the price of the meal(s) they are ordering. A simple solution to this pain point is to offer discounts or deals every now and then. This will help soften the blow and make your customer feel more financially secure.
Long Waiting Time for Customers
Just like you and I, your customers value how they spend their time. They don’t want to be left waiting around or feel like what they are wasting their time on something that could easily work faster and more efficiently. Let’s say a customer calls your company about an issue they are having with your product. They are then put on hold… for 45 minutes. Do you think they will stay on the line? Or do you think they are more likely to look into a different company and find their solutions elsewhere?Keep in mind, it is just as important to offer quick and efficient solutions to your customers as it is to have a quick and efficient customer journey experience. Customers are always searching for the most convenient way to get what they need as soon as possible. Whether it is a pre-packaged and prepped meal delivered to their door instead of cooking from scratch or a laptop with a higher broadband connection, it’s your job to find the best solution.
Low Sales Volume of Products and Services Offered
Many customers experience a scarcity of what they need. If there is nowhere to turn to in finding a solution, it can be quite disheartening for them. If you aren’t able to supply the demand, you’ll be leaving your customers high and dry. That is why it is so important as a business to have enough products and services to meet your customer's needs. For instance, if you are a supplier to other businesses, you must prepare for bulk purchases. The last thing you want is to run out and show your customers that you aren’t a reliable partner. Sure, creating a sense of exclusivity can be beneficial, but it can also become frustrating when your customers can’t ever seem to gain access to your great products. Understanding the big picture of the common obstacles customers face as a consumer acts as a great baseline. At Wizard of Ads®, we can support you in figuring out where your customers fit within these categories and help you narrow it down from there. Contact us today to learn more!
4 Tips To Better Identify Customer Pain Points
Now that you’ve gotten a better idea of what a customer pain point is and the common ones that your they experience, it’s time to learn how to pinpoint the dynamic problems your customers face within your niche market.
1. Start with a Survey Question
Want to know what your customers are struggling with? Sometimes it’s as easy as simply asking them! Come up with a list of survey questions and send out an email encouraging them to provide you with feedback. You can even offer incentives like a free product or discount when they fill out your survey to boost engagement. Here are some great sample questions you can ask:
- What consumes the most of your time during the day?
- What's the problem with your current process?
- What is the most difficult problem you're currently dealing with?
- You mentioned your dissatisfaction with X. Could you please elaborate?
2. Utilize Social Listening Tools
You can also more specifically identify your customer pain points by utilizing social listening software. Social listening is a way in which you can track what your customers have to say about various brands on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Essentially, social listening is like you’re a fly on the wall that has access to the opinions, values and pain points of your target audience. You’ll have an inside look to what they are complaining about and why which will be extremely useful in your quest of identifying their specific problems and making your business their number one solution. Some great social listening tools to choose from are platforms like Sprout Social and Hootsuite.
3. Add Chatbots To Website
Using real people to take care of customer pain points isn’t always the most efficient method in finding them a solution. Rather than piling more responsibilities onto your staff, add chatbots to your website to offer more convenience for everyone involved. Chatbots are easy to implement and are a great energetic way to answer customer questions, concerns, or— you’ve guessed it, pain points. Not only will it solve typical issues your customers face, but it will also help identify un-served pain points that haven’t been brought to your attention before. These discoveries will clue you in to what products you may want to promote as a solution as well as what products you also may want to consider adding to fill the void. There is a lot of great chatbot software out there, so make sure you go through all of your options to determine which suits your business and customer base best.
4. Align Your Marketing and Sales Teams
Aligning your marketing and sales department is important because if they're not on the same wavelength, there can be a lot of confusion about where potential customers are coming from or what their possible pain points might be. For example, your sales team can ask your marketing team for qualitative research to obtain specific data regarding customer pain points to better equip them in finding solutions. Alternatively, your marketing department can ask the sales team the most common pain points that arise during discovery calls with prospects. When you can keep a line of communication going, you’ll have better alignment with your data and provide the most accurate solutions for your customers.
Conclusion
Identifying customer pain points doesn’t have to be a complicated venture. As long as you can acknowledge and understand the common challenges your customers face, you will then be able to use both your resources and your intuition to guide you the rest of the way. The ability to just put yourself in their shoes alone will make your process way easier. If you think about it, finding your customers’ pain points is actually your own pain point in and of itself, and just like you, we are always trying to make our customer experience better and more efficient. At Wizard of Ads®, we’d be happy to find the perfect solution for you. Contact us today and receive even more information on how you can best serve your target audience— from potential prospects to even your most loyal long-term customers.
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Why Wizard of Ads®?
Are you ready to transform your business into a distinctive, emotionally resonant brand? Here's why hiring Ryan Chute and Wizard of Ads® Services is the game-changer your business needs:
Distinctiveness Beyond Difference: Your brand must be distinctive, not just different, to stand out. We specialize in creating emotional connections with your customers to make your brand unforgettable.
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Wizard of Ads® offers services that start with understanding your marketing challenges.
We specialize in crafting authentic and disruptive brand stories and help build trust and familiarity with your audience. By partnering with Wizard of Ads®, you can transform your brand into one people remember and prefer. We understand the power of authentic storytelling and the importance of trust.
Let us elevate your marketing strategy with our authentic storytelling and brand-building experts. We can take your brand to the next level.
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Our strategy drives everything we do, dictating the creative direction and channels we use to elevate your brand. Leveraging our national buying power, we ensure you get the best media rates for maximum market leverage. Once your plan is in motion, we refine our strategy to align all channels—from customer service representatives to digital marketing, lead generation, and sales.
Our goal is consistency: we ensure everyone in your organization is on the same page, delivering a unified message that resonates with your audience. Experience the power of strategic alignment and watch your brand thrive.
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Once we sign the agreement, we visit on-site to uncover your authentic story, strengths, and limitations. Our goal is to highlight what sets you 600 feet above the competition. We'll help you determine your budgets and plan your mass media strategy, negotiating the best rates on your behalf.
Meanwhile, our creative team crafts a durable, long-lasting campaign designed to move your brand beyond mere name recognition and into the realm of household names. With an approved plan, we dive into implementation, producing high-quality content and aligning your channels to ensure your media is delivered effectively. Watch your brand soar with our comprehensive, strategic approach.
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The Power of Strategic Marketing Investments
Are you hungry for growth? We explain why a robust marketing budget is essential for exponential success. Many clients start with an 8-12% marketing budget, eventually reducing it to 3-5% as we optimize their marketing investments.
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