After years of collaborating with various businesses, we have amassed valuable insights from our clients’ marketing endeavors. These clients encompass a wide spectrum, ranging from small enterprises to large corporations, each offering unique products and services and approaching marketing strategies differently. Our focus today revolves around the diversity in their marketing strategies, particularly concerning a common question posed by many of our new clients: “When should we advertise, and how frequently should we do so?”
Our clients typically adopt one of two approaches to address this question. Some opt for the “Drag Race” strategy, launching short, high-budget ad campaigns sporadically throughout the year. Others embrace the “Road Trip” strategy, maintaining steady, smaller-budget ad campaigns on a monthly basis.
So, which strategy proves more effective?
The Drag Race strategy entails prolonged periods of minimal marketing activity, with clients waiting for what they perceive as opportune moments to launch ad campaigns. In this model, clients allocate a substantial budget and run the campaign for 30 days or less. While this approach can generate traffic and leads during the campaign bursts, it assumes that little to no opportunities exist in the non-active months. Unfortunately, this assumption has a critical flaw, as it overlooks potential opportunities. Data reveals that businesses maintaining a consistent presence throughout the year steadily gain traction and experience spikes in ad engagement during peak times, all while utilizing a smaller proportional budget compared to those attempting to time the market.
The drawback of the Drag Race strategy lies in missing out on opportunities during dormant periods, failing to sustain brand recognition among potential customers. Consider the purchasing behavior of customers, particularly “plotters” who take their time to make a decision. Suppose they encounter your ad in May but don’t intend to make a purchase until August. If they continue to see your ads in June and July (following the Road Trip strategy), they will remember your brand and either act on your next ad or simply search for your name when the time comes. However, if they don’t see your ads after the initial encounter (as in the Drag Race style), they may opt for a competitor’s offering when the buying moment arrives. There are likely numerous potential customers in this category.
On the other hand, consistency in marketing is a fundamental principle of the Road Trip strategy. It resembles a year-long journey, continually showcasing your brand in various ways, such as new ad copy and promotions, always visible to your target audience. With this approach, you build brand recognition among potential buyers, enabling them to learn about your product or service and become familiar with your brand name and logo.
Maintaining a constant brand presence ensures that your audience can easily recall your brand when considering your product or service. For instance, we’ve observed clients gaining new customers through word-of-mouth referrals, even from individuals who never made a purchase but remembered the ads and the brand.
In conclusion, we’ve witnessed numerous clients who experienced disappointment when following the Drag Race method, as timing it correctly can be challenging. Their brands often struggle to gain traction. Conversely, Road Trip clients view advertising as an ongoing, essential component of their journey, creating a powerful, recognizable brand. By maintaining a consistent market presence, you can establish a robust brand and be visible when potential buyers are ready to make a purchase or use your service.
ABA Simple is a marketing agency specializing in serving ABA Service Providers, located in Rocky Hill, CT. To learn more about how ABA Simple can benefit your clinic, please contact us at contact@abasimple.com or call 959-200-4252.
