Marketing

Is your business starving for attention?
By Ray Boucher

When we are young we starve for attention. Attention from our parents, from our siblings, friends, teachers, anyone that will notice us. We scream, jump up and down, bang on pots and pans, anything to get someone to notice. I can remember years ago as a youngster my friends and I would attach baseball cards to the spokes of our bicycle tires with clothes pins. The cards would make a rattling sound much like the sound a roulette wheel makes as it spins. The effect we were trying to emulate was that of a motorcycle. Basically we wanted to make enough noise that everyone could hear us coming and see us on our shiny bikes doing our wheelies and peel outs.

As we grew older we found different ways of getting attention. In our teens we joined clubs, played sports, started rock bands or maybe got into some mischief. Then as adults we continue the cycle by vying for promotions or awards at work or becoming leaders in the community, politicians, etc. But some of us become small business owners.

As business owners we become even more obsessed with getting attention. Now we want attention from the entire public that we are trying to reach with our products. We have to make some noise to get people to notice us - take a look at our products and ultimately make a purchase. As a small business owner you want to continuously get the attention of your customers and prospects and the general public. This is a major component of brand building: Putting your name out there in front of the public and communicating a consistent message in order to build awareness, recognition and retention. The more people see your message the more likely they are to remember your name and associate a particular product or service with your name.

Remember, we are still like the kid trying to get noticed except now our tools are different. Instead of cards in bicycle spokes or pots and pans we use tools like direct mail, P.R. campaigns, television, radio and print advertising, pay-per-click advertising, search engine optimization and business networking. But the philosophy is the same – make some noise and get noticed.

About the author:
Ray Boucher is a marketing professional, author and the founder of inthinktive.

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