With each campaign, media buyers strive to reach more of the right people, more often, and with a relevant message.
But, this isn’t always as easy as a numbers game. The optimized mix of reach, frequency, and relevancy depends on a number of factors:
- The price of the product being sold,
- The stage of the buying cycle a prospect is in,
- The industry or type of product being sold,
- Whether the message is passive or intrusive, and
- Whether it’s a brand message or a call-to-action.
Reach and the Buying Cycle
Early Consideration – Create awareness through an advertising campaign targeted to the audience segment deemed most likely to want or need the product or service.
Search to Fill Need or Want – Invest in paid search and organic search, and have the appropriate technology in order to gather, route, and measure lead sources.
Evaluation – The longest stage, nurture marketing, the proper frequency of messaging, and the right content are critical to moving prospects through this phase.
Purchase Decision – Blogs, website, and collateral materials need to offer the appropriate amount of credibility via customer value proof points (case studies), testimonials, and positive viral chatter/messaging.
Again, the right mix as aligned to the buying cycle depends upon the product or service being advertised, and the immediacy of the need being filled—someone who needs a fancy latte to jumpstart their day is just as qualified a prospect at the Early Consideration stage as a person evaluating life insurance options would be in the Purchase Decision stage.