Yesterday I was browsing through my drive way coupons (you know the ones; they are part of the flyers and the local paper insert thrown in your driveway once a week). Flipping through I was forced to stop by an adorable cartoon dog and cat. It said “Purina Be Happy Brand Pet Foods” with a coupon for both dog and cat food and text that said “at Target”. I thought the ad was unique and adorable. The colors used and the style of the cartoon dog and cat were nothing like I had ever seen in a coupon insert.
I decided then I would purchase the food for my pets the next time I went shopping.
Later that night, I had to run to Target for laundry soap and thought I’d look for the Be Happy food, what I found was surprising, all the Be Happy cat food was gone and there was only two bags of the Be Happy dog food left. Obviously, the ads stood out to more people than just me.
Marketing your product or service is not all about the amount of money you spend, it’s about knowing who your customers are and what they like. I advise my clients to take the time to think about their present client base and ask themselves these questions:
1. Who has purchased from me in the past?
2. How did they find me?
3. What solution were they trying to solve?
4. What products do I sell the most of?
5. What product have I been asked for but do not have.
It is very important to ask yourself these questions before you begin your marketing campaign. Otherwise, you could spend a lot of money advertising in the wrong place, to the wrong people, and in a format they do not see, understand, or respond to. Our training programs offer detailed plans on how to define your target customer.
Be Happy got my attention, and now, my babies are enjoying the new food! I think my pup looks like the Be Happy cartoon doggy.
