How A Great Marketing Idea Fell Short

A message from Art Publisher Eric Rhoads

Sorting through the mail, my wife, Laurie, discovered a postcard from a chiropractor with a real Band-Aid stuck to it. It stopped her in her tracks -- enough to make her read it and save it. After all, we had recently moved and knew we would be in need of a chiropractor.

Two weeks later, I heard Laurie screaming in agony. She had sprained her back, and we began a search for the card with the Band-Aid. We couldn't find the card, nor could we remember the doctor's name or location. A quick Google search of our town + Chiropractor + Band-Aid didn't give us an answer, nor did the Yellow Pages.

This chiropractor blew it. Though the creative message (the Band-Aid) cut through the clutter, there was no followup. Had this doctor sent more cards, three or four weeks in a row, she would have gotten our business. Instead, we just picked someone else at random.

Marketing requires repetition. People lose things, they don't notice things, and they need reminders. Plus, when we started looking for clues elsewhere, we couldn't find the chiropractor with the Band-Aid.

Message Unity: How The Band-Aid Could Have Worked Better

The idea of the Band-Aid on the card was effective enough to get us to stop for an extra second to read the card while sorting the mail into the trash. It was clever. But if this chiropractor had been extra savvy, she would have done a few more things so the Band Aid was used in all of her marketing efforts to reinforce her campaign:

1. More mailings with Band-Aids (repetition). I'd mail a Band-Aid-shaped sticker with the phone number for future use and put messages in front of the consumer several times.

2. Search terms and keywords, so if someone searched "Band-Aid + Chiropractor + our town," her page would have popped up.

3. A special website landing page showing the mailer and the Band-Aid and linked to vital information.

4. A Yellow Pages listing showing the Band-Aid. (Though I'm no longer big on Yellow Pages because Google has replaced them.)

5. A clever, memorable phone number. 1-888-Band-Aid might have been remembered if we couldn't find the card.

6. A small map on the card showing the location. This might have helped us remember where this doctor was.

7. A giant Band-Aid on the office sign so I could see it when driving by.

8. o (business cards, booths at the home show, TV campaigns, etc.). The Band-Aid becomes her marketing message at every touchpoint.

A great creative message was not enough. Though it generated attention one time, it failed to get our business when we were in the market. Marketing messages are erased with time, which is why you need repetition and why your creative theme needs to be carried into every touchpoint you make with customers.

Like most collectors, I receive postcards from dozens of galleries. They all look alike, and most don't get my attention. And I rarely get a second or third card (or e-mail) selling the same show. What can you do to stand out, get noticed, and increase your frequency? It will pay dividends in everything you do.

Eric Rhoads
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PS: Is Your Marketing To Art Galleries Effective?

Are you getting the attention of galleries? Are your mailings or e-mails getting noticed? Gallery directors have told us they trash most unsolicited artist portfolios and e-mails. The also tell us they read Artist Advocate Magazine, which is like a catalog of available artists.

If you want to sell more artwork, perhaps you need to add more art galleries. Artist Advocate can put you in front of over 6,500 galleries four times a year (plus art licensing and art publishing people). Let us help you sell more art.

You Could Be In A New Gallery And Selling More Artwork By Early Spring

There is still time to get into the next issue of Artist Advocate. If you want to sell more artwork, you probably need more galleries. Artist Advocate puts you in front of galleries four times a year, so you're always there when they decide to add new artists. To learn more, go to www.artistadvocatemagazine.com.

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Roger: Brilliant ideas start with intent. What do you hope to accomplish? What point do you want to make? What can you do, that will make that point and get attention?

[Roger Whiting]

I agree that the Band aid idea is brilliant...how does an artist come up with said brilliance for their marketing?

[Lindy Gruger Hanson]

That is such a great example! Having a successful ad campaign takes thought and planning and consistency. I like your suggestions on how the band-aid chiropractor could have been more successful.

Thank you for reminding us about how important repetition is too. This came at a good time as I'm doing my art newsletter now.