Advertising
Cross-Promotions Attract More Attentionby Kare Anderson
When is the last time you stopped and smiled at the advertising message in front of you? Do you no longer "see" most of the messages you encounter? Your customers may have developed similar blind spots. Ironically, as the technology used in advertising zooms up in sophistication and "targeting," our interest and trust appears to be sliding farther down.
Just because we have more options on the various screens of our lives doesn't mean we have more compelling messages. In fact, many of the early users of technology are spending less time "surfing" through their screens and more time getting reconnected to a simpler life, often leaving their portable phones, computers, and calendar keepers behind.
Then how do we reach our customers? Some of the best ways may be downright low tech but genuinely high touch; that is, truly centered on how and where and when the customer might most want to hear a message.
Your most valuable "marketing" assets aren't necessarily money but willingness to depend more on your observation, imagination, values, and collaboration with allies in your community whom you respect. Rely on these assets to show your customers you "walk your talk" and to demonstrate you care about serving them.
Simply put, cross-promotions are a way to reach out to people more imaginatively, respectfully, and with less waste. In fact, you can have more success and fun "marketing" your business, government, or cause when you cross-promote than when you embark on a traditional advertising, fund-raising, sales, political, or other promotional campaign.
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Copyright© 2002, Kare Anderson. All right reserved. For information contact Frog Pond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@frogpond.com.
