Here’s a question for you.

Are you a problem solver?

Do you have an expertise that provides a solution other people could benefit from?

Of course you do. You’re an expert gardener, dog trainer, computer programmer, social media marketer, advertising sales rep, dentist, florist, teacher, banker, and in all those capacities and thousands more, you have solutions to a multitude of problems and challenges faced around your neighbourhood and the globe.

You’ve been doing this for years and you’ve become quite good at it. But you’ve been going to ‘work’ for 8 years and you know your job backwards and forwards. You could do this in your sleep. It seems so easy…and it is…because in the majority, you have devoted experience, time, training to get to the expertise you have now. But because YOU do it everyday, it doesn’t seem that special to you anymore. Heck if I can do it, anyone can do it—or so goes the self deprecating commentary.

BUT YOU have amassed enormous knowledge, talent, expertise and you can solve problems that perplex thousands of others. This is EXACTLY what advertisers are doing. (and you can too!)

I would venture to say dear reader, that if you’re a good banker, there are thousands of people who would love to know what you know to improve their financial situation. Many large and small companies continue to offer their expertise in the form of products, or services we see and use everyday.

Maybe you will use cereal or toast or mouthwash everyday. Those manufacturers have sustained their presence in multiple media to make sure you’re not forgetting them and always put them in your grocery cart when shopping.

Maybe you need to see your dentist two or three times per year. His (or her) expertise is in demand and especially prized when you’re in pain. Chances are, you won’t see them advertising in the same channels as your mouthwash provider. But they likewise have the need to market themselves as a pain reliever.

Perhaps this is among the biggest challenges companies face and that is, who can best use their expertise on an ongoing basis and how can we best position (Mr. Ogilvy) ourselves to be the solution to their problem.

Importantly, it will in all likelihood take more than one media channel to reach them on an ongoing basis. Which channels, well that’s where the continual testing comes in to play.

Many advertisers have used one media as a stepping stone to the next. Starting with local newspapers, then local radio, then regional magazines, then a larger newspaper ad, plus they add another radio station, then they jump to local television – you know- to try it out, and when that’s worked, they invest more in bigger TV and Outdoor campaigns...and we applaud these behemoth corporations who grew from nothing to an omnipresence seemingly overnight.

In fact, as smart problem solvers like you, they have recognized the service they are delivering relieves pain or delivers pleasure, and they are bringing that expertise to wider and wider audiences and they have been testing all along to see what is working and what they can discard.

But what’s happened here?  Why are they growing the way there are?

Because they have taken the time to understand the commonality of their audience, and used the media which consistently, persistently and efficiently reach them, and deliver the triggers which cause their audience to purchase.

They have learned what works and what doesn’t. They have discarded or minimized the underperforming media and put their dollars into vehicles which deliver positive return on investment, and they continue to put their muscle behind them.

Remember please, not everyone uses every product in the same way or for the same reason or motivation. We are all different. But we all have some commonality that compels us to use mouthwash (we hope so anyway!).

Remember, the knowledge you have should be put to use in your media planning. You should have some presence of your expertise in front of your customers and prospects on an ongoing basis. It gets harder to be forgotten or dismissed when you are in contact with your customers everyday. After all Dear reader, you’re a problem solver.

Stay tuned.

P.S. Earlier in this series I’ve mentioned the importance – especially when you’re starting out- of picking one media and testing it to see how well it works. Then replace or enhance as necessary.  Ideally you want to have more than one marketing vehicle out there at any time.

If you needed some reinforcement to that idea, you may want to take a peek at this article by Mary Ellen Tribby.



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