We have worked with scores of retailers and retail chains to create their advertising programs for them. While we are not always right, we are tried and true advertising professionals and have learned a lot about retailers and how they operate.
Here are five big mistakes that retailers make. And they make them time after time. We can see it in lots of retailers who are not our clients.
These are the big five.
1. Running redundant messages to the manufacturer or chain
2. Putting their Ego ahead of business results
3. Buying media by announcements instead of their target audience
4. Ads filled with tons of information but no message
5. Fear of professional help
There may be others, but we will be posting blogs on each of these topics and explaining what these mistakes are, with examples, and showing how retailers can learn to have more effective advertising. After all, advertising is our expertise.
Advertising should be something that drives people to the retailer. It doesn’t get retailers any customer satisfaction. That is the retailer’s job and one retailers are constantly struggling with.
Don’t know why they think they can do advertising, just serving customers is really a big enough job. Here’s a quote we heard from a franchisee of an international food service chain, “These people, they keep coming into my store asking me for this, asking about that. What’s the matter with them? Can’t they see I have a business I am trying to run!”
Advertising’s job is to herd people into the store. That is also challenging. It is surprising to hear all the advice we get from people who don’t know our job and have never even tried to do it. So this is our way of sharing back with some advice for retailers.
Come back over the coming weeks to see what we have to say.
September 23rd, 2010 on 4:47 pm
This is a great series. All retailers should be required to spend 15 minutes to read your comments. It would pay back with really significant improvements in their advertising.
September 25th, 2010 on 12:32 am
I read this and the other five entries in this series. You make some strong points that I will use in my store advertising.
When you have a store, you are not an expert in advertising so tips like these can help. Keep them coming and thanks.
September 27th, 2010 on 9:42 pm
Interesting article.
Professional help has become all the more important with the cutting edge competition and tight economic situation these days.
Advertising and a good one, can certainly makes a big difference.
I would be looking forward to read the rest of the articles on this.
June 23rd, 2011 on 9:56 am
Great, great, great blogs. I work for a clothes store retailer. We already do some of your ideas. But there are a couple we have never thought of. Lots of information and no message – wow – so obvious we never imagined.
Thanks
sharonne