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Wizardry in Ad Strategies

Ryan Chute
Ryan Chute
October 20, 2022
Wizardry in Ad Strategies

Ad strategies have been a prevalent societal force for centuries.

From the printing press to the internet, advertising has played an important role in how people communicate and consume information.

With the advent of digital marketing, however, the landscape of advertising has changed dramatically. No longer are advertisers limited to traditional channels like television, radio, and outdoor.

…and this is arguably marketing strategy’s greatest problem.

While we have come a long way from traditional advertising, the basic principles of advertising remain the same.

But where did it all begin?

Ad Strategies of Ancient Civilizations

Advertising has been traced back to ancient civilizations. In 4000 BCE, Indian rock paintings were used to communicate about political and religious events, and even lost items.

Additionally, outdoor billboards date back to ancient civilizations. In Pompeii, for example, stone walls were covered with commercial and political messages.

And while these ancient advertisements don’t look like the ads we see today, they did share some commonalities. Over time, however, the purpose of advertising had shifted from conveying information to persuasion. By the Middle Ages, for example, many manufacturers had trademarks, town criers, and sign boards.

The reason for this was that many people during this time could not read. To identify a particular product, symbols were commonly used. Similar to logos, these symbols helped people to identify a product or merchant without having to read the name. This would eventually become more popular some time after Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1439.

At Wizard of Ads®, we understand that to be effective, advertising must be new, interesting, and different. Utilizing ad strategies old and new, our experienced team of Wizards can help you create ad strategies that get results. If you’re looking for distinctive, disruptive ads that will break through the noise, we’ve got you covered. Book a call with Ryan Chute at Wizard of Ads™ today to get started.

Ad Wizards of 16th – 18th centuries

Ad Wizards of 16th – 18th centuries

While advertising can be traced back to Egyptian hieroglyphs, modern advertising’s early beginning showed up in newspapers and magazines in the 16th century.

In fact, Gazettes, the first recorded instance of what we would call “advertising” today, dates back to 1563.

Gazettes, or small, printed newsletters, contained information on upcoming events or announcements and were circulated throughout a town or city. While they were not explicitly created to market or sell products, they did serve to promote available goods or services.

Gazettes were also used to spread news of new inventions and discoveries.

It wasn’t until the 17th century, however, that advertising took a more modern flair. This was primarily due to the increase in literacy rates and the development of printing technologies. The Daily Courant, published in London in 1702, is often considered to be the first newspaper to include advertisements. Though, earlier advances in printing allowed retailers and manufacturers to print what we know today as flyers, business cards, and brochures.

Advertising usage expanded rapidly during the 18th century due to the popularity of newspapers and colored illustrations. By the late 18th century, print advertisements promoted various goods and services, from books to medicines to fashion.

With the rise of print advertising, however, came some drawbacks. One of the earliest criticisms of advertising was that it was often misleading. This was especially true for so-called medical ads that promised miracle cures for all sorts of ailments.

This, however, would not be the last time concerns about advertising ethics would arise.

Ad Wizards of the 1900’s

In the 1900’s, ad wizards from all over the globe began to form ad strategies that are still used today. From the creative minds of early ad writers like Helen Lansdowne Resor and Albert Lasker, ad strategies began to form.

In fact, Helen Lansdowne Resor is often credited with being the first female copywriter. Her ads for Woodbury Soap became one of the first to utilize sex appeal in advertising.

Similarly, Albert Lasker is considered the father of modern advertising. He is responsible for many firsts in advertising, including the use of psychological appeals and celebrity endorsements.

Ad strategies using sex appeal and psychology would continue to flourish in the hands of other copywriters throughout the 1900’s. Advertisements would also feature other strategies such as nudity, logic, and fear in order to sell their products.

Advertising became even more prevalent with the advent of radio, television, and the internet.

Radio, TV, and Early Internet Ad Wizards

In the early 1920’s, the invention of radio broadcasting gave advertisers another avenue to reach consumers. This new medium allowed for ads to be heard by a mass audience all at once, however, it didn’t last.

With the Great Depression in 1929, advertising budgets were slashed, and many agencies went out of business. It was not until the end of the 1930’s that radio advertising saw a renaissance.

By the 1950’s, television had become the dominant advertising medium. In fact, by 1955, over half of all American households had a television. This gave advertisers a whole new way to reach consumers and sell their products, primarily through networks such as MTV.

However, television was not the only medium that would drastically change advertising. In the 1980’s, the advent of the internet changed everything once again. For the first time, advertisers had a way to reach consumers all over the world with just a few clicks. And as we all know, the internet is where businesses unknowingly waste most of their advertising budgets today.

Channels such as email, online banners, and pop-ups allowed companies to bypass traditional advertising channels and directly target consumers at an enormous cost. This gave rise to a new era of marketing known as digital marketing.

The same nonsense that the Yellow Pages told us about “targeted advertising” is the same snake oil being peddled by digital advertisers today.

Wizards of Today and Their Work (Ad Strategies)

Today, great ad strategies have become more sophisticated and intelligent than ever. Utilizing the massive leverage of mass media marketing to the validation of competency using search engine optimization; businesses now have many techniques to reach their audiences for different reasons. This new landscape is challenging to navigate, but there are specific ad strategies that are effective, depending on what you sell.

Ad wizards of today, however, don’t rely on a single tool or technique. Instead, they use a combination of different tactics to build effective ad strategies.

But what exactly are these ad strategies? And how can businesses use them to their advantage?

Ad Strategies Ad Writers use Today

Ad Strategies Ad Writers use Today

Modern ad strategies are not very different from the ads of yesterday. Today’s ads are carefully thought out to fit the most popular channels that we have at our disposal.

The fact is, the principles of communication haven’t changed. While communication channels come and go, rise and fall in popularity, the human brain stays relatively consistent.

That why the best ad strategies start with telling a story about people and the problems they overcome, like they have for a millenia.

And while weak ad strategies are focused on targeting audiences, spreading their boring message so thinly that no one even remembers them, today’s ad wizards are telling delicious stories to a small group of people repeatedly, creating loyal fans.

Despite ongoing creativity and innovation, you will find the tried and true ad strategies that ad writers at Wizard of Ads® use today still outperform trendy tactics because human psychology doesn’t change.

Here are some of the most common ad strategies:

Empathy Strategy

The empathy strategy is specifically used to help people understand the experiences and perspectives of others. In other words, it’s meant to foster understanding and communication. This strategy can be used in several ways, but one popular method is for non-profit organizations. When people can see and feel the reality of others, it’s easier for them to connect and empathize. This can lead to donations or other support for the cause.

The key to using this strategy (and any strategy) is to be authentic. Don’t try to force people to see things from your perspective. Instead, let them come to their own conclusions by sharing stories and experiences that are relatable.

Competence Strategy

The competence strategy persuades the target audience using a credible sources including testimonials and reviews. This strategy is effective in that it overcomes resistance by building authority. Oftentimes, brands such as Nike will use celebrities to sell their product. This is because the target audience perceives the celebrity as someone with high status and authority.

The testimonial and review strategy can also feature regular people that have used the product and had a positive experience. This is effective in creating social proof and making the target audience more likely to purchase and believe the product. Advertisements that lack credibility are often ignored or disbelieved by the audience. Thus, the testimonial and review strategy is a great way to make an advertisement more believable and trustworthy.

Transformation Strategy

The transformation strategy is a simple and effective way to show consumers that your product or service will improve their lives. This is often done by depicting a negative before image followed by a glowing after image. This strategy is often used in weight loss and beauty advertising but can be applied to many products and services.

This strategy works because it taps into our natural desire for a quick fix or easy solution. If done tastefully, this strategy can be a great way to show customers the value of your product in a relatable way. Depending on what you sell, this strategy can be considered controversial if  manipulative in nature.

When using the transformation strategy in your marketing, be sure to avoid any offensive or crass imagery. Instead, focus on showing the positive transformation your product or service can provide for your target audience.

Authority Strategy

The authority strategy serves as a reminder to consumers that you and your solution can help them. In other words, it states, “If you have this problem, here’s what you can do about it. If you’d rather it go away, I can do it for you.”

There are a few different ways to structure an authority strategy; however, many include a simple call to action to make the problem go away. Furthermore, many authority strategies will also use celebrity endorsements for added social proof.

While you’re creating your authority strategy, keep in mind that you need to be careful not to come across as needy. Instead, focus on how your solution will help consumers get back to everyday life again.

Demonstration Strategy

The demonstration strategy explicitly shows the benefit of your product or service through a demonstration. In other words, the strategy is to show, not tell.

The best demonstrations focus on solving a specific problem for the customer or target audience. When done well, a demonstration is incredibly persuasive, especially if the person is experiencing the problem.

It must be your goal to help the customer understand the value of your thing clearly. Thus, the demonstration should be direct, simple, and to the point.

Comparison Strategy

Comparison Strategy

The comparison strategy works to compare your product or service with a competitor’s offering. The goal is to show how your product or service is superior to the competitor.

This is oftentimes done by directly comparing features and benefits or discussing the overall advantages of your product or service. When using this strategy, it’s important to be honest about the capabilities of both your product and the competitor’s. You don’t want to oversell your product or make false claims about the competition.

Furthermore, it is extremely important to avoid coming across as arrogant or belittling towards the competition. This will only make you look bad and damage your own reputation. Instead, focus on promoting the positive aspects of your product or service respectfully.

While this strategy is wrought with danger, it is especially powerful when done correctly. By speaking about your distinctive differences that competitors would be afraid to take on themselves, you can quickly become top of mind when buyers need your thing.

Vulnerability Strategy

The vulnerability strategy is used to reverse the argument of a preconceived negative attribute. The purpose of this strategy is to turn a potential weakness into an advantage or opportunity. This can be achieved by simply re-wording the original claim or describing the situation more positively.

For example, suppose an individual is trying to sell a product that is not the newest model. In that case, they might use the vulnerability strategy by stressing that the product is vintage or affordable.

This strategy can also be used in its opposing form, in which the proposed positive turns negative. This is particularly useful for small companies competing against giants in their industry.

In any case, this strategy aims to increase the audience’s perception of the situation, making it more favorable to them. Thus, you can increase the chances that your audience will see things from your perspective.

“The most fascinating characters in any story are the ones with flaws.” – Ryan Chute

Traditional Ads of Today

Throughout the history of advertising, many different techniques have been used to grab (and keep) attention and sell products. Today, traditional and digital media must be combined to deliver messages in creative, attention-grabbing ways that convert.

And while modern technology has changed the advertising landscape, traditional techniques are more valuable than ever. Thus, it’s important to understand both traditional and modern advertising strategies to best connect with your target audience.

The history of advertising, however, is much more extensive than most people realize. With the overload of advertising that people experience daily, it can be challenging to break through the noise. Due to this, many businesses are turning to professional agencies to assist with creating and placing their ads.

At Wizard of Ads®, we use traditional and modern storytelling techniques that’s proven to be highly effective in today’s market. Whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, our ad wizards can help you generate industry-specific advertising that sells. To learn more about how we can help your business break through the noise, book a call with Ryan Chute today.

(Online)
(Offline)
(Lead Gen)
(Ad Strategy)
Ryan Chute
Ryan Chute

"My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard, And they're like, it's better than yours, Damn right it's better than yours, I can teach you, but I have to charge." -Kelis Yeah. This is what I do for Home Service Companies.

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Frequently asked questions

Questions? We’ve got answers.

Who does the Wizard of Ads® for Contractors work with?

Wizard of Ads® for Contractors work with healthy and growing Residential Home Service Contractors hungry to grow by multiples, like you.

You are ready, willing, and able to grow your business. You are open to change and are seeking a distinctive angle of approach to gain the time and attention of a too-busy public.

You know that lasting relationships take time, patience, and good energy to nurture and cultivate. We carefully enter into every arrangement with the intention of working with you for as long as you own your business. You prefer lasting partnerships.

You are already a solid operator. You have successfully grown your business and appreciate the impact the right brand story will have to get to the next level in your operation. You know a strong relational message takes time to gain momentum, but it’s worth the one-time short-term discomfort for the long-term gains.

Marketing cannot fix a failing business.

We accelerate what’s already happening in a business. If your business is on the rocks, marketing will only speed up the inevitable.  

You’re focused on lasting change that leads to exponential, profitable growth, not just sales at any cost. Intuitively, you know that communication that enhances every element of your customer's experience and your employee's culture is the key to your success.

How does the Wizard of Ads® for Contractors charge?

Traditional marketing agencies are designed to capture the greatest amount of revenue from a client, regardless of results. Every last item is billed and expensed to the client. Typical agency fees can represent a whopping 55% of the entire advertising budget. That means a $5 million dollar advertising budget, you would spend $2.75 million on agency fees.

Think of Wizard of Ads® for Contractors as the Anti-Agency.

Our income is not tied to your advertising budget. Our income is exclusively tied to your growth. Our goal is to maximize your advertising impact with the lowest reasonable spend. This allows you to spend only what is necessary or to put extra horsepower into aggressively growing in your market.

The genius of this model is that it perfectly aligns our motivations as true partners for exponential profitable growth without the pain of being unaffordable. Ultimately, we are confident in taking the risk of being underpaid in the first few years because we know the results always speak for themselves.

Next, we do not accept commissions, referral fees, kickbacks, or other compensation from any service providers we recommend or engage for production work. Most agencies do. This includes the 15% agency commission for media buying. This approach is considerably different from the compensation plan employed by most advertising agencies, as it eliminates any potential conflicts of interest and allows us to focus our entire attention on helping you grow your business profitably as a true partner. For example, a $500,000 annual media buy would involve a $75,000 commission that we would have removed directly from your media providers' invoices.

This is the perfect pricing model for Residential Home Services.

By tying ourselves to gross revenue, we only have one motivation. Your motivation. We have no motivation to convince you to spend more money on marketing than what is necessary, and since we are a variable expense to sales, we NEVER become too expensive to have us on your team.

In almost every case, we end up lowering the amount of money you spend. We will stay within your planned marketing budget, including your media spend, production, and our Annual Fee. Add on the fact that you get any and all commissions back for media buys and various services provided by outside providers, and you will actually save money having us on your team.

Don’t forget, we have the largest buying power in North America for media buying, meaning for every dollar you spend buying media, we only spend 27 cents on average. This stretches your reach, impact, and frequency in a way no other agency (or yourself) can achieve on your own, saving you hundreds of thousands of dollars, eventually millions, every single year.

Clients who heed our advice and embrace our Marketing Strategy quickly add $1 million in incremental revenue to their business, making your investment a smart bet and a bit of a no-brainer.  

There is no longer any guesswork, hope, or fear that our marketing strategies are going to work. If our client’s are able to abandon any limiting beliefs about marketing, deliver operational excellence, and play the long game, our marketing strategy will accelerate their profitable growth.

Wizard of Ads® for Contractors pricing model is based solely on the topline revenue of your company. It consists of an Upfront Fee and an Annual Fee. These fees are inclusive of scheduled travel, services, and all other expenditures as outlined in the Consulting Agreement.

The Upfront Fee covers the intensive Uncovery Process, the first year’s Media Buy, the Creative Process, and the Market Research while the Annual Fee goes toward implementation, ongoing creative and consulting, and next year's media buy. You get a team of 3.5 people, with direct access to a top tier Creative Lead and Media Buyer, and on-demand access to me as your Master Strategist. You will also have a full-time Account Manager keeping everything on track.

While the upfront does have an initial pinch, it is easy to amortize the investment over the many years we will be working together to grow your business. Wizard of Ads® retain clients for 10 years, on average. The sale of the business is the number one reason for termination. We actively terminate the bottom 1% of clients who are unwilling or unable to follow our strategies.

Wizard of Ads® for Contractors believes that all rewards should be directly correlated to the success of our clients. This means that the Wizard of Ads® for Contractors only receives a raise when the company achieves growth. For example, if your gross sales for the year have increased by 25%, the Annual Fee you pay us in the following year will also be increased by 25%. Likewise, if your gross sales decrease, our Annual Fee will decrease by the same percentage during the following year.

This is an exceptionally easy and fair way to track and reward success. This model was developed by Wizard of Ads® over 35 years ago and has served us well because it serves our clients well.

As a rule of thumb, we take the risk of working for considerably less than our actual value in the first few years as we help accelerate growth. This means you need to be willing to pay us exceptionally well when you start doing even better.

When should I engage The Wizard of Ads® for Contractors?

There are four key revenue stages for engagement with the Wizard of Ads® for Contractors.

  1. Under $3.6 million in revenue
  2. Between $3.6 and $10 million in revenue
  3. Between $10 and $20 million in revenue
  4. Over $20 million in revenue

Under $3.6 million in revenue is an investment in your brand. This will serve you well in establishing your brand story early on and help you with your name, logo, and truck wrap design. It's easier to create pictures from a story than it is to make a story based on pre-drawn pictures. You'll be glad you did. Everyone on a fast path to growth is.

Most clients start with Wizard of Ads® for Contractors between $3.6 and $10 million in revenue. They have often seen a natural ceiling with their leads for demand service and are looking for ways to push past the ceiling. This can only be done with a properly executed brand strategy, specifically in mass media with a sticky story.

Between $10 and $20 million in revenue, Wizard of Ads® for Contractors has some natural economies of scale. This is a sweet spot where Wizard of Ads® for Contractors can offer some added value in getting the ball rolling.

Over $20 million in revenue is actually the lowest cost point of entry as a percentage of revenue, but not the cheapest time to start with the Wizard of Ads® for Contractors. Leveraging all economies of scale aside, we have been left out of the upside along the way, so engaging when over $20 million in revenue means we have to mend a lot of fences damaged along the way. This is also where clients see significant savings in their media buys and production costs.

There are also three market sizes to consider.

  • Primary Markets are the top 50 cities in America.
  • Secondary Markets are the smaller cities in America.
  • Tertiary Markets are the more rural trade areas in America.

When considering an engagement with The Wizard of Ads® for Contractors, consider what size market you are in. For example, a $3.6 million company in a Primary Market will struggle to get the necessary reach needed to make a splash. You either have to be more patient than a larger company or spend more money to accelerate your reach.

Alternatively, a $5 million company in a Secondary Market will look like a pretty darn big fish in a medium-sized pond.

A $20 Million company in a Primary Market will feel like a $50 million company using our strategies to potential customers.

The key to remember is that the earlier you start with the Wizard of Ads® for Contractors, the lower the investment to get started. As they say, the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today.

Are production costs included in your fees?

The Wizard of Ads® for Contractors Creative Lead will create the ad copy, cast the voice actors, source the production house, direct the performance, pick the music bed, manage all the edits, and provide you with the completed ad for final approval before sending to air on your behalf. This is included in our fees.

You pay for the production house, actors, royalty-free music, and jingles directly to avoid any potential for markups, commissions, or management fees.

We have many friends in the industry that give our clients good deals due to the large volume of work we provide them. We will introduce you to them.

How long before a brand-forward strategy starts working?

In approximately three months of activation, we’ll just be getting live on air. In six months (3 months on air), you’ll be getting anecdotal feedback from people that you are being heard, but there will be no direct line to revenue.

After 6 months on the air, you’ll think you made the biggest mistake of your life signing up for this branding nonsense. After 9 months on the air (12 months in) you’ll see the light at the end of the tunnel.

At 12 full months on the air, you’ll know why you did this branding thing. Two years from now, we'll be clinking champagne flutes as you wonder why you didn’t do this sooner.

How long before we’re live?

The general guideline is 70-120 days, depending on the level of production needed and if there is a name change to your business.

This includes an onsite visit, a deep dive into research, and getting things created, negotiated, approved, produced, and live on the air.

  • Uncovery - 15-30 days based on travel. 1-2 days onsite.
  • Research - 30-60 days based on the scope of work.
  • Creative and Media Buy Process - 45 to 60 days
  • Offline Production - 15 days for radio. 30 - 60 days for television.
  • Online Production (if switching) - 60 days

This means planning for roughly 90 to 120 days in the proper development and production of a completely unique Marketing Strategy before anything hits the airwaves.

Are you exclusive?

Creatively, yes. During the term of this Agreement, all Creative Partners assigned to your Account shall not engage, directly or indirectly, as an employee, officer, manager, partner, consultant, agent, owner, or in any other capacity, in any competition of the client, including any company engaged in marketing consulting.

For clarity, the Creative Partner is defined as the individual Wizard of Ads® Partners who is responsible for creating your creative strategy and ongoing creative copy. Competition is defined as companies that engage in the same industry and business units (e.g., HVAC, Plumbing, etc.) as you. The market area is defined as the area where the marketing message naturally reaches through DMA or 60 miles from the city center of the client's service area(s).

Naturally, we exclude any potential future competition in markets where you are not currently active at the date of signing.

We do not limit Media Buyers in any market. Media Buyers get better deals for larger volumes, making it beneficial for the client to have the Media Buyer available to do as many buys as possible to secure the best deals on the client’s behalf.

Do you do digital marketing?

In rare circumstances, Wizard of Ads® for Contractors will provide specific digital marketing solutions. Wizard of Ads® has very specific Partners that provide digital services that serve Residential Home Services effectively. Under no circumstances will digital marketing services be offered without Wizard of Ads® for Contractors' core solution.

It is most likely that Wizard of Ads® for Contractors will work with your existing digital partners and suppliers. If you do not have a reliable digital provider, we would be happy to introduce you to a number of great providers that play nice with Wizards.

Do you do jingles?

Wizard of Ads® for Contractors can assist you in getting a jingle for your business. Like any other tactical element of a marketing strategy, we do not produce a jingle for the sake of a jingle.

If you do not have a story or a strategic reason to have a jingle...or an ad campaign to tie it to, do not waste your hard-earned money on a jingle. You are wasting your time and money.

When you do build a single unified marketing strategy that incorporates a jingle for a specific (often scientific) reason, we have a Jingle Wizard who has studied the art and science of jingle design.

He will score you an original, royalty-free jingle, including professional singers, musicians, and producers. He will not knock off a generic jingle from a publicly available music bed that sounds like everyone else's jingle.

Your jingle will serve a very specific reason and produce a very specific result. Have you guessed how much we love jingles yet?

Who owns the copyrights?

Wizard of Ads® for Contractors owns your copyright for two very specific reasons. We also provide a fair use clause in all contracts to ensure you are in no way limited to the access of your creative works, whether you are working with us or not.

The first reason we own your copyright is to ensure that we do not have to go up against our own creative works in other markets we serve. This means you are not allowed to lend, give, borrow, tweak, rent, lease, or sell your creative works to any other company at any time.

The second reason we own your copyright is that we can establish a one-time value for your creative works in the event that someone steals the content. Upon selling you the copyrights, you can go after the perpetrator for theft and make a considerable bounty in a slam dunk case.

Here is how Wizard of Ads® word the fair use of your copyright for as long as your business is in operation:

All writing and/or marketing materials we create for you are not works-for-hire. Wizard of Ads® for Contractors hereby irrevocably grants you, and your successors in interest, the non-exclusive, royalty-free, non-transferable, and worldwide right to use the Works in connection with the marketing of your business pursuant to the Marketing Strategy for so long as your business is operational.
How do I measure brand results?

There are a number of interesting ways to measure results. Some people like to get unique identifying telephone numbers, or create branded URLs that redirect to landing pages or the website. However, much of this is a waste of time and energy as it never tells the true story of the brand journey and how it affected the decision-making process.

Other indicators of brand effectiveness include tracking new customers, reactivated customers, or running a brand equity survey to get a sense of your share of mind. Digitally you will see direct search increase, which cannot be affected by anything digital, as well as branded keyword inquiries increase. You’ll, of course, need to get your digital people to add these to your campaigns if you hope to see an increase in conversions.

Wizard of Ads® for Contractors tracks the simplest of indicators. Top line revenue. When your branding takes effect, and the company responds in kind from the phone call or form fill-on, top-line revenue will increase. Efficacy is plotted on a T12, and total lead volume from all sources is tracked.

12 things you should know before signing up.
  1. Quality relationships take time. Branding is a long-term strategy. That’s why most contractors do it wrong, or not at all. There is always a lag between the start of the new campaign and the time it takes your customers to connect the dots. You MUST BE READY, WILLING, AND ABLE to endure this lag period. In our experience, the lag is typically 6 to 9 months, depending on how competitive the marketplace is, your company’s reputation, your budget in relation to reach, and the eight uncontrollable environmental factors. During this time, we will be helping you implement a transition plan to ease the pain. The good news is that this lag only happens once.
  2. Decisions by Committee. We completely reject the notion of decisions by committee. We work with a single, courageous decision-maker. We welcome decision influencers, but we only look to the Owner for the final decision. All decision-makers and influencers must be involved in the Uncovery and Marketing Strategy Presentation if they want to offer input in the future. It is critical that we have a 100% fully approved plan that can be defended and championed by all leaders in the organization.  
  3. Proven Strategy. That means we are not the low-cost provider. With nearly 200 home service clients and a book of strategic devices, tools, and tactics, this isn’t a guessing game for us. We know what to do to make your externally triggered grudge purchase appealing to your potential buyers. If you can deliver the goods, we can continue building relationships. If you are uncomfortable with the idea that you are paying us less now so that you can pay us considerably more once revenues allow, please do not commit. We intend to be your true partners, in sickness and in health...so long as you own your business.
  4. Automatic Payments. Everything is on automatic payments. If you struggle with managing cash flow, figure that out in your business first. We accept all major credit cards and ACH payments.
  5. We Cause Problems. If you don’t have a capacity issue now, I promise you will in about 9 months. Let’s deal with recruitment out of the gate as part of your comprehensive marketing strategy.
  6. We Own the Copyrights. All writing and/or marketing materials we create for you are not works-for-hire. We irrevocably grant you, and your successors in interest, the non-exclusive, royalty-free, non-transferable, and worldwide right to use the Works in connection with the marketing of your business pursuant to the Marketing Strategy for so long as your business is operational.
  7. Brand Building. We will be steering you to limit the use of discounts, rebates, coupons, and sales to attract clients. We know this feels counterintuitive to many, and we will clarify our reasoning. Rest assured, we have considerable experience in creating similar offers that are not damaging to your profitability, your brand’s integrity, and your preferable long-term client relations.
  8. Creative Authority. We must have creative authority over the words. You can accept copy as written or reject it outright, but you cannot modify the words yourself. If you do not like something as written, we are happy to discuss it and make the necessary change to maintain the integrity and intention of the words chosen. Alternatively, we will scrap the concept and create new copy that you are happy to get behind 100%.
  9. Proprietary Algorithm. The media buy must be structured in a very specific way, including running a full 52-week schedule. It is based on brain chemistry, not P&Ls. Once we have committed to the buy, it’s important to avoid adjustments unless they are calculated additions.
  10. Knucklehead Factor. You should expect knuckleheads. For example, when you start running ads that are certain to get attention, you need the courage to continue running those ads, even when you receive complaints. We celebrate complaints. It means we’ve made people feel.
  11. Digital Weasels. In about three months from the time your advertising campaign hits the airways, your digital marketers will show you a marked increase in direct and organic traffic. Some Digital Marketers will mistakenly claim this success as their own. Done properly, you can continue to spend less and less on digital lead generation by increasing your branded keyword online presence.
  12. Annual Marketing Meetings. Travel permitting, we prefer to hold Annual Marketing Meetings (AMMs) outside your city. Years of experience have taught us that we get better results when decision-makers are outside their sphere of influence, away from the day-to-day distractions of the office.

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