It’s good to remind people who you are and how you can help them

An ad ran by McGraw-Hill Magazines many decades back summarises the need for advertising, especially in the business-to-business field.

The ad showed a very stern looking man sitting on a chair, looking straight at the reader. The text was quite short and stated:

• I don’t know who you are.
• I don’t know your company.
• I don’t know your company’s product.
• I don’t know what your company stands for.
• I don’t know your company’s customers.
• I don’t know your company’s record.
• I don’t know your company’s reputation.
• Now—what is is you wanted to sell me?

Moral: Sales start before your salesman calls—with business publication advertising.

When a sales person calls on a prospect, if the latter has never heard of the company, or its products, the former is automatically at a disadvantage.

Having been a sales representative in a previous life, I know that feeling. It’s not really a good one, comparable I suppose to being behind the eight ball from the start.

Now let’s add to the mix a fallacy that I’ve come across with some marketers: Everybody knows us! Yes, I have had a client of two tell me this.

Unbelievable, isn’t it? Many people, maybe. Most, again, maybe. All, I don’t think so.

One doesn’t market in a vacuum. Products come and go. Marketers come and go. As well as do customers. And, the newcomers who maybe newbies to your industry or just fresh out of university. Can, you really say that they know about your company and its products.

I must admit that most of the advertising material I prepare for clients is brand awareness stuff. Flying the flag, putting the company name and brands out there. Reminding the market place that “Yes, we’re here and we want to help.”

So, even if most people know about you and your products, remind them of who you are and what you stand for. Oh, and that you are after their business.

Ignore at your own peril.