I have always been curious about advertising. It’s always amazed and delighted me. Those of us who work in advertising spend our time telling stories and painting pictures. Our canvas is short spans of time, filled with imagery designed to illicit, intrigue and motivate. I often tell clients that successful marketing is part science, part art... It can be entertaining, informative, emotional, or, in some cases, just downright awful! Every now and then you represent a client who believes that advertising is anyone’s game. Anybody can do it. This is simple stuff. “here’s what I want to do…” invariably, I am forced to step these people down from their lofty marketing perch, sometimes gently. At other times, I simply use blunt force. My wanna-be-marketing proficient clients often say “I want to make sure i’m in the commercial. I want to tell people how long we’ve been in business. Let’s talk about ten different things in thirty seconds. That’s what works!” Suddenly, all my years of marketing immersion are turned into “I can do this as good, or even better than you!”

Years in marketing have taught me this:

• Clients are not qualified to tell the consumer about their products or services. The client is too close to their business…as they should be! • clients speak the language of “their business.” we help them speak the language of the consumer, and what matters to consumers.
• Clients can rarely market their business to consumers, successfully. They are great at marketing their business to themselves….
• When my client doesn’t “like the commercial”, I smile and say “great! If you like it, i’m speaking to the wrong audience.” This is normally where i get that blank stare…if that stare is followed by a brightening of the eyes, i have made the connection.
• Eureka! Here we go! If that stare remains, our relationship will be short-lived. The key to helping your business grow? Let go, and let us. You’ve brought us to this point, now let us help get you to the next level. Let go. Let’s grow!

Mark storie