One-off advertisements aren’t as effective as repeated messages. But repetition can make customers tune out as well. Here’s how to hold your customers’ attention.
Unless you are incredibly lucky, there is a good chance that the first email advertisement you send out will not garner any sales. Most often, a shopper must be shown a product or service a few times before he or she wants to purchase it. In fact, in the advertising world it’s thought that consumers need to see an advertisement seven times before they even remember it.
Repetition is key
In order to catch potential customers’ attention in your email marketing campaign, it’s vital that your message repeats itself. But in order to hold their attention your message needs to evolve with each new advertisement.
An effective seven-step email advertisement campaign involves three levels of message:
- Why you need the product
- How to use the product
- Reiteration of the why and how
Let’s look at an example of a seven-email series advertising personal security products. What follows are the central messages of each advertisement.
1. Always pay attention because the world isn’t safe. If you want to stay protected, then you are going to need the newest and most innovative security products available.
2. Around every corner lies danger. It’s no longer safe to walk alone in the park at night.
3. The world is extremely dangerous. You need to be safe. You need to buy security products like Product A so you can be prepared for danger.
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Here is where the messages become more instructional – informing listeners about how to use the products.
4. If you have Product A, then you can protect yourself from the world. You should use Product A in theses circumstances, in this way. It’s best to use Product A in these places.
5. For more protection, you’ll need Product B, and here’s the best way to use it. Product B has saved many lives, including the time Product B protected a customer from almost losing her life.
After the messages have been repeated, it’s time to follow through with a summary and a reminder.
6. Return to the sales pitch originally used in the first two messages. Review your main points from the very beginning, while also emphasising the most popular products.
7. Send your follow-up email newsletters at least two weeks to a month after the sixth message. This final message is directed towards consumers who were hesitant to buy the product at the very beginning, but who – now that they’ve had time to think – might be interested. This email should review your main message with your customer.
Repetition is the only way to make advertising truly successful. But if you’re growing tired of saying the same thing over and over in your email marketing campaign, it’s guaranteed that your customers are tired of hearing it. If that’s the case, then it’s time to get creative. By evolving your messages in an advertising series, you’ll get a better response from customers.
Has repetition worked in advertising and email marketing campaigns for your business?
