So let’s say that you are a business owner.  You are male, 40-something, addicted to SportsCenter and the Simpsons.  Oh, and you own a women’s shoe store.  You decide to advertise on television and figure ESPN and Fox News are can’t-miss, so that’s the best place to advertise.  You’ll see your store’s commercials on air all the time!

Just one problem.  You don’t shop at your women’s shoe store.  You are a guy, remember?

Your ads should be on TLC, Lifetime, and the Food Network, so your customers (women!) will actually see your commercials.  If you never see them, that’s ok…because YOU DON’T SHOP AT YOUR STORE!

It’s time to touch on the mistakes—or the “botched experiments” as we like to call them.  Mistake #1: Get out of your own head.  It is irrelevant what you watch on TV, listen to on the radio, read (or don’t)…you aren’t your target market.  Take a moment and consider who would want or need your product/service.  What are they like?  Where do they live?  How old are they?  Where do they spend their time?  That’s where you want to be.
Selling hearing aids?  Don’t advertise on the radio.  Selling cutting-edge technology?  The newspaper is not the right place to market your product.  Do some research on your customers and then research each type of media…look for the common denominator.  Advertising for a place to sell used textbooks?  College newspapers are great for that.  Want to drive some traffic to your event?  Catch them on the drive home…via radio.

It’s not enough, however, to be in the right place.  You need the right content.  Think you are “the best dry cleaner in the state!”??  Or how about the “lowest prices in town!”  Or the fact that you have “the best food this side of the Mississippi!”  Guess what? Most people don’t care what you think…especially about yourself.  They want to know WHY you have the best food, prices, service, whatever.  What makes you different from every other dry cleaner/dentist/furniture store/repair shop/bistro/etc in town?  Sure, you believe that your customers want the best or the lowest or the fastest, but the truth is they aren’t going to take your word for it.  You have to show proof.  Do you have access to new or exclusive equipment?  Do you offer a product that no one else can provide?  Have you received awards, accolades, or testimonials?  Find what makes you different from your competition.  If you stand in the right place, you will stand out.