Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

Advertising For Multiple Services

Posted by Anonymous on 12/14/2009 at 9:47 AM ET 250 Points
What is the best way to get the biggest bang for you buck in advertising when you have multiple services? Our company provides several services including: computer repair (any computer but only co in the area that can service Apple), hardware and computer sales (including Apple), and electronic document management sales. We want to try and play up the fact that we are the only company in the area that can service or sell Apple computers. However, our efforts in the past have led the area to believe we only work with Apple when in all actuality we work on any computer and will sell other brands of computers also. So we tried switching our angle to let people know we do more than Apple and now people don't realize we work with Apple. We now sale an electronic document management software too. How do we advertise all of this effectively without spending a lot of money? We are a small business desiring to grow.
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  • Posted by Gail@PUBLISIDE on 12/14/2009 at 10:10 AM Accepted
    You can do a series of ads that focus on your strengths. One series can highlight Apple but also mention at the bottom you service all makes/models...another can focus on the electronic document management software highlighting what it can do for you, while including at the bottom of the add, you are specialists in...

    You may also want to create an all-inclusive tag line.
  • Posted on 12/14/2009 at 10:15 AM Accepted
    Why are you trying to go in so many different directions?

    If you're the only Apple repair store in town, that makes you remarkable and worth talking about, "Hey, they're the Apple guys. Thank goodness! I can get my Mac fixed."

    If you're also doing PCs and document software, well that's just what everyone is doing. It's ordinary.

    I would recommend you focus on the Apple stuff. Establish yourself as the Apple experts. People will come from miles around to do business with you (since you're the only ones in the area).

    Too many things at once also confuses people (as you've found out). They don't know how to "classify" you.

    However, if you're set on both, you'll have to set up different areas on your site to direct people to the right place. Have different tabs:

    Click here for Apple!
    Click here for PC!


    Hope this helps.

    Jodi
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 12/14/2009 at 1:52 PM Accepted
    I suspect that you're best served in an ad by either focusing on the hardware (Mac / Windows / you-name-it) OR document management software. Each ad would use different language and speak to the different needs of the target audience. Also, images of startup screens would quickly help the hardware ad audience see who you help.
  • Posted on 12/14/2009 at 7:19 PM Accepted
    If you try to be everything for everyone, you'll end up being less-than-the-best for all of them. Focus on the positioning that you think has the greatest potential, and do a great job of communicating it.

    When you are really successful, you can build on that with an expanded promise.

    I know it's tempting to want it all immediately, but if you have a limited budget, it's going to be all but impossible to do a good job if you go after a broad positioning that applies to everyone ... and you'll end up spending what little you have inefficiently and not delivering the results you want and need.

    You're always better off getting a large share of a small market than a small share of a large one. (It costs a lot less too.) Pick a very narrow target where you have a shot at getting a 90+% market share. That will be a lot easier and more profitable than trying to get a 0.0001% share of an enormous and diverse market.
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