Photo by Nathan Eal Photography

If you want to increase your miles per gallon while driving, use cruise control. Let the car’s computer adjust the throttle automatically to keep the speed nearly constant. The computer’s algorithm is simple – if the car’s speed is at or over the target speed, leave the throttle as-is. If the car is going slightly slower, increase the throttle slightly. If the car is dramatically slower, increase the throttle a lot. So, what does this have to do with your business marketing?

Pick a target. Do you know what your business goals are? If you don’t know what you’re aiming for, how will will know if you get there? So, make sure you’ve thought through your business target strategy.

Measure you distance from your target. If your target isn’t measurable, then pick a target that is. You need a simple metric to understand how you’re doing. This is why fund-raising campaigns show their progress with a thermometer (or other graphic). People will naturally help out in various stages of need (to get things rolling, to complete the goal, etc.).

Regularly measure your distance. While it may be tempting to measure your distance when things are looking good, you need to regularly assess your progress.

Track your progress. In addition to keeping track of time, keep track of your actions to achieve your goals. This information will be invaluable for your next effort – you’ll better understand the ROI (return of investment) of your activities.

By putting your business marketing on cruise control, you’ll be more focused on your long term goals than your short-term fluctuations, saving your energy for other things.

Photo by Randen Pederson

Have you stopped to think what marketing you stop and pay attention to? Was it a series of words, a color, an image, a testimonial, or a recommendation by someone you know? That’s why there’s a hierarchy of advertising imagery that you should be aware of (and use for the right reason for your target market).

Hierarchy of Marketing Imagery

Words Only. It’s ultimately the offer that’s in your marketing that sells your product or services. But people are unlikely to read something that’s strictly text unless someone else has told them to read it. Newspapers and magazines make sure to break up long text passages with graphics to draw the eye in. Words alone answer the question, “What’s in it for me?”.

Words and Images of Things. If you want to see a widget, it makes sense to show the widget and tell about it. That’s what you’ll see in a catalog listing and it answers the question, “What does it look like?”.

Words and Images of People. Having people use your widget gives your product “social proof”. If these people are enjoying it, then it would seem that you would as well. This type of marketing message answers the question, “How will it make me feel?”.

Words and Images of People Looking at the Reader. Psychologically, when we see groups of people, we think “pack”. If they are attractive, enjoying themselves, or being rewarded – we want to be like them. But we often think of “us” and “them”. “They” are “the cool crowd”. By having people look at the reader, it allows us to be “seen” and gives us a permission to be part of the crowd. This type of marketing message answers the question, “How can I invite myself into this lifestyle?”

When planning your next marketing effort, pick the right marketing message tool to get the business results you desire.