Don’t assume that people know who you are, what you do, and why they should care.
It’s a lesson I have learned over and over. People I’ve known for decades have confessed that they had no idea I am a graphic designer, that I work mainly with nonprofits, or that I design and develop websites.
It can be easy to forget that we’re not as well-known as we think. I talk about my job with people I care about regularly, so it feels like everyone I know is probably tired of hearing about it.
The same can be true for nonprofits and businesses. The assumption is that people know about us and just don’t care or aren’t interested. That’s not always the case. The old Marketing Rule of Seven tells us that people have to hear a message SEVEN times before they’re spurred to action. And if your messages are spread out across months… or years… that number goes up.
The old Marketing Rule of Seven tells us that people have to hear a message SEVEN times before they’re spurred to action.
We can all see this “seven times” strategy at work in the repetitive ads from every angle as we head toward the election in November. I could probably recite some of the political ads by heart at this point, and I have the urge to end every paragraph with “My name is Laura Kline, and I approve this message”. Unless you’re rivaling the major political parties, there’s room for you to repeat yourself a little!
So, tell your story.
Re-introduce yourself to your target demographic—seven times! Not sure where to start? Answer these questions in your marketing:
- Who are you?
- What do you do?
- What is the best thing about your business or organization?
- What should I do now that I know about you? And when should I do it?
P.S. My name is Laura Kline, and I approve this message.
