Advertise Here! (and other ways to kiss your money goodbye…)

1700 Zulu Time.

If you are looking to spend your advertising money, you will never find a shortage of places to spend it.

I picked up a couple of steaks to fire up on the new BBQ I received as a birthday gift. As I was putting my goodies in the car I saw this ad in the shopping cart:

Advertising on the inside of a shopping cart. Not the worst idea I’ve ever heard… I think…

Advertising always comes down to getting the right message in front of the right market. Years ago I had a real estate agent come to me for counsel. It turns out he was contacted by the salesman that sells the advertising space on shopping carts. The agent was told that the store was very particular about who they sell the advertising space to. This agent had been referred to them as a good, honest agent with solid integrity.

I refer to this as priming the mark…

It was several hundred dollars a month with a 6 month commitment. It seemed to me that he was looking for my blessing, not actually interested in what I had to say.

Immediate Response Advertising requires that the message you are putting out will impact someone to the point to where they can’t help but pick up the phone and call right then. It also requires that you get that message in front of the right prospects. Most people are not thinking about buying or selling a house when they go to the store. There are also a ton of people that shop there that are not idea prospects for a real estate agent. This is not a good use of your money if you are selling Real Estate services.

Now, there is an ad on the shopping cart that is in front of the right market (though message needs improving). It’s not the Ford ad (that again is a waste of money). It’s the Ralph’s ad for their club card. It is an excellent time to get people to registered for your club program when they are walking into your establishment. The audience is there to spend money and many would be receptive to “a good deal.”