You may have heard the phrase “first impressions are everything.”
While the first impression is important, it isn’t everything. In fact, it may not even be the most important thing in marketing.
Are First Impressions Everything in Marketing?
It’s like when you’re at a party, and you meet a friend of a friend for the first time. He introduces himself as John, and you talk about football for a while.
And then you completely forget his name.
A few months later you go to another party and see him again. You reintroduce yourself, and you leave the party remembering his name.
It’s not until the third time you see him, however, that you finally exchange numbers with John so you can watch the next game together.
Now let’s apply this scenario to marketing.
The first time your audience comes across your business, chances are they’re not going to buy. They don’t know who you are or what you’re about yet. This is your chance to wow them, to stand out, and to stay memorable.
Here’s why your marketing should aim to make a lasting impression and how to rise above the noise of a saturated market:
The seventh time’s a charm
Ready for a marketing rule that we nerd out about? The rule of seven.
Marketing experts compiled research and found that it takes an average of seven different points of contact or exposure for a buyer to remember your brand.
When a consumer has ten different choices in dog food, sometimes all it takes is remembering your brand name over the others to make the decision easy for them.
Seven is just a rule of thumb, of course. Consumers can press that “buy now” button after fewer contacts, or it might take them more than seven to convert.
The more effectively you target your specific audience, the fewer contacts it will typically take to see conversion because they’re already interested in what you have to offer.
Not all contacts have to be ads or emails. It’s a good idea to vary where and when your brand pops up for the buyer. Some buyers will pay more attention to ads, and others to social media posts, but either way, Good JuJu ensures that you market to your target audience in multiple ways that will reach them.
Make a good impression with your unique selling point
In this immense market, buyers have more choice than at any other time in history, which means it takes a lot for customers to notice you.
Getting your audience to remember your name is a lot more than a numbers game, however.
The best impressions in marketing happen when you get down to the nitty-gritty of what makes your brand different from your competitors, and put that at the forefront of your messaging.
If you’re at a bridal expo, you won’t stand out by simply saying you’re a wedding planner. But if you highlight, for example, that you plan Star Wars-themed weddings, every nerdy bride in the place will take a business card with pride. (Now that’s a wedding we’d love to attend!)
Every impression is someone’s first impression
When you’re putting together a marketing campaign, it’s easy to imagine a linear journey for the customer. It starts with the Facebook ad that you run or the first email you send out. It ends when the buyer finally buys your product.
In reality, buyers can first come into meaningful contact with your brand at any point in your campaign. Maybe they didn’t open the first three emails, or they Googled your business and then started getting Facebook ads.
Make sure that every step of your marketing campaign gives that wow factor, because it very well may be someone’s first contact with your business and first interaction with your brand. Their initial touchpoint – wherever it happens or however they find you – is the first impression you’ve got, even if it’s not the first impression you intended to make…so make it count!
Want to cut across the noise and make a lasting impression with your marketing?
Good JuJu Agency is a full-service marketing agency that will create a creative and innovative marketing strategy for your business. Outsource your CMO with Good JuJu.
Shoot us a message and let’s talk about improving your first (and seventh) impression.
Good JuJu Agency. Marketing worth smiling about. 😃
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