This one is just in time for football season, where marketing budgets are through the roof – but far too many people aren’t taking steps to accurately measure advertising performance. This is information that stands the test of time…
If you’re a football fan, you’ve likely found yourself frustrated in recent weeks.
This aggravation, however, has nothing to do with your favorite team’s play on the field. Instead, it likely builds during commercial breaks.
You see, I have a feeling you probably noticed two startups saturating the airways with advertisements (to the point it’s almost annoying)…
According to iSpot.tv estimates, the fantasy sports companies have combined to funnel $107 million into the networks’ coffers – just since Sept. 1.
Nearly half that spending was during national NFL broadcasts on CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, and NFL Network.
DraftKings ads alone aired 16,259 times last month. Add up the airtime, and it comes to 135 hours and 25 minutes of 30-second spots (or more than 5 ½ days of commercial messaging). Again, this is just during last month…
One thing is clear:
The advertisements used by DraftKings and FanDuel must be working. If they weren’t, we wouldn’t be seeing such relentless promotion.
Of course, the recent legal attacks have only enhanced exposure for both companies.
Here’s a look at the surge in Google searches for DraftKings (red) and FanDuel (blue) since football season started:
Although I’ve grown frustrated by the commercials, as a direct-response marketer, I appreciate the method the two companies use to monitor response.
Watch any of their commercials and you’ll see a couple factors that make it easy to determine whether the advertisements are working.
(In case you’re not a sports fan, here’s a link to a sample commercial: http://www.ispot.tv/ad/Ak1x/draftkings-fantasy-football-giant-check)
Most notably, each one ends with an offer and a specific promo code. These change all the time.
My guess is that both vary based on network, location, and the time the commercials run – so each company can monitor which channels, locations, and times bring in the most new customers.
It’s amazing how few companies put tools in place to monitor ad response, especially offline. After all, it only makes sense that you should know if your advertisements are making a return on your investment.
So, as part of your offer, take a tip from DraftKings and FanDuel – use a special code, custom URL, or unique phone number. Each of your ads should have its own tool for monitoring and measuring response.
Look around offline and you’ll notice most don’t. That’s because large amounts of advertising is done for branding purposes or “just to get the word out.”
As an entrepreneur or small business owner, your budget usually isn’t big enough to allow for this luxury.
Here’s a typical branding ad:
A general branding ad often includes a logo, slogan, text talking about the company or product, and maybe a website address.
On the other hand, a direct-response ad often addresses the needs of the readers/prospects more than the company. It includes details about a problem and solution, and always has a specific call-to-action.
Here’s a direct-response ad:
You’ll notice a direct-response ad usually has more text. Now, of course, that’s not always the case…
However, more text is often needed when you’re addressing a problem, introducing a solution, and persuading someone to take a specific action.
After all, you only have one chance to persuade in your advertisements, so as the saying goes: “The more you tell, the more you sell.”
When creating direct-response advertising, I use an 8-point checklist. You may recognize these requirements from a piece I shared earlier this year titled “8 Items That Make ‘Dangerous’ Ads Deliver Leads.”
Here they are:
- Would this piece attract attention if positioned near competitors (is it better than the ordinary)?
- Does this piece avoid the appearance of being an ad?
- Is the message focused on the prospect, instead of the business?
- Is the piece too valuable to throw away?
- Does the piece have a headline that lures in prospects?
- Does the piece target a single audience?
- Does the copy “talk” in a casual language that prospects understand?
- Does the piece have a compelling offer that makes the next step crystal clear?
American advertising pioneer Raymond Rubicam famously said, “The object of advertising is to sell goods. It has no other justification worth mentioning.”
Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs and business owners get too caught up in “building brand recognition” or “increasing awareness” to remember that your advertising should create measurable sales.
If it doesn’t, fix what you’re doing until it does.
So remember…
- You can’t get what you don’t ask for. Prospects will rarely do anything until you ask them, so a clear call-to-action is critical. Keep in mind: the next step doesn’t necessarily require your prospects to buy something. Have them take any action that moves them deeper into your sales funnel.
- Keep your conversations casual. If you wouldn’t say it during a discussion with a friend, keep it out of your advertisements. Write the same way you speak. Your “mission-critical, industry-leading solution for the next generation of vertically integrated manufacturers” is meaningless to prospects.
- Find the way to do it better. Almost anyone selling ad space wants you to believe your advertisement must be seen several times before prospects remember and respond to it. Don’t fall for this lie. If you’re not generating the leads (or sales) you need, keep testing different headlines, offers, and audiences until you find what works best.
By Tom Trush
