Using Advertising To Keep Customers Happy

Auto dealerships are offering a year of free gas with the purchase of a new car. Restaurants are advertising dinner for two at under $20. "Buy One, Get One" has become a common phrase plastered across storefront windows. Added value is a necessity during tough economic times.

While the primary goal of advertising is generating new business, it's vital to keep your current customers happy and coming back for more. Take a minute to consider how you can utilize your advertising investments to give back to your customers.

With the flexibility that digital outdoor provides, I can think of lots of "added value" opportunities. Flower shops and candy stores could have each customer fill out a special message that could be displayed for the recipient of the bouquet or box of chocolates. Car dealers could take a picture of each buyer next to their new ride and post it with a "thank you" message on the billboard. Restaurants could post a message for patrons celebrating a birthday or anniversary.

Experts recommend that businesses maintain or increase their ad spend during tough economic times. Allow your advertising dollars to achieve multiple goals by reaching out for new business and enhancing your current customer's buying experience.

Combining Two Emerging Forms of Media

Yesterday, the digital out-of-home media company Adcentricity announced that it will offer an in-house mobile marketing solution. The move is creating a lot of industry buzz because it helps to legitimize the prediction that over the next few years, digital outdoor, internet and mobile will combine to create a "triad of emerging new media."

I've been pondering this idea for quite some time, actually. We created a partnership last spring with a local mobile marketing company that allows our advertisers to combine the two mediums. The picture above shows how the two could work together by allowing a car dealership to send special offers or "digital coupons" to interested customers. It's important to note that the target audience must be pedestrian traffic or passengers, since drivers can't be expected to remember the prompt until they have a chance to respond.

For the first time, billboards can create dialogue with consumers and extend their message beyond the small window of time a consumer has to view the billboard itself. Insurance companies could send local rates for customers who text in their zip codes. Sports teams could hold contests by posting a different trivia question each day on the billboards, prompting fans to text in their answers. It's a concept that is just begging to be explored by advertisers looking to reach out to customers in exciting new ways...