Our attention spans are short. Our memory is faulty. Heck, I tell my staff that I am not responsible for anything they tell me. Write it down!

So how can we expect a customer to remember more than one point in any of our ads?

We can’t. And they won’t. So why bother?

Unclutter Your Ads
When you know exactly what your message is, make sure you don’t clutter that message with other messages or information that is unnecessary. You don’t have to include your exact address and phone in your ads. If you make your point powerful enough, they’ll find you. You don’t have to give your hours, unless they are the hours for the event you are marketing.

The reality is that the person receiving your message is likely to remember only one point at best. So the more points you try to make, the less likely she will remember any one of them, and the better the odds she’ll remember the least important of those points.

Make Only One Point
Here is an example of a print ad that makes only one point. See how uncluttered it is? And if that point resonates with you, you’ll remember that ad.

Another example is a bra shop called Bras That Fit. They advertise on the local sports radio program – yeah, advertising bras to guys. Their message?

“Hey guys, are you tired of hearing your wife complain about her bra not fitting? Send them to Bras That Fit to get the right size that makes them feel better.”

They don’t clutter their ad with their hours, or talk about swimsuits or other services they offer. It’s all about getting a bra that fits so your wife won’t complain.

You’d be surprised how many guys tell their wives where to go bra shopping.

Concentrate, Concentrate, Concentrate
Think of your marketing as a bottle of perfume. If you mix one perfume with another, you won’t notice either (and the result might be toxic). You can add water to your perfume to stretch it out and make it last, but that just dilutes it until the scent is gone. Everyone knows that the more concentrated it is, the more powerful the scent, and the less you need to use.

Your ads are like that bottle of perfume. Keep your marketing concentrated on one message and more people will see it, hear it and remember it.

-Phil