Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

Good advertising starts with a good understanding of your target audience. Who are they? Commercial or residential? Where are they located? Interior or exterior, or both? New construction or existing? Change of owners or current owner redecorating? Etc. Etc.

The more narrowly you can define your audience the more likely you are to be able to advertise effectively. Not only will you need to reach fewer people (and thus spend less), but you can craft a message that speaks to their specific and unique needs.

There are a few different considerations: What you advertise, and to whom. And how you reach the target audience, which media. There are a number of good options, depending on how you define your audience. You can use direct mail, radio, local cable-tv, outdoor signage, etc.

You need to match your message and your medium with your target audience. That's the secret to success.

Dear Remingtonsbrush,

First of all, you're not a painter. You might think you're a painter, but you're not. You're a marketer.

This means not advertising. It means marketing.

Think about it. When your customers walk into a space you've painted, do they think "Wow! What a nicely painted wall?" No. they think "Wow, what a beautiful room to relax in*, eat in*, sleep in*, cook in*!" (*whichever room it is they're in).

This means they're not buying painted rooms, they've buying a lifestyle. So give them a lifestyle. It's not the bottle, it's the wine.
It's not the party, it's the guests.

Change your thinking and you change your results.

I hope this helps.

Gary Bloomer
Wilmington, DE, USA

They start by making their new customers into evangelists. People that love the look of their new room will naturally share the look with their friends and family.

They build up a list of testimonials, so that prospective customers know that others are extremely happy with them.