How to explain to my company the importance of spending money on marketing?

Question

I work for an internet company and because I spend money on marketing they expect a huge traffic boom, and I am trying to explain that right now we are in a branding phase of marketing. Anyone have any resources that talks about this so I have some back up proof?

Answer 1

You know Jenn the biggest problem we have is explaining to people that because you run an ad or do something the phone isn't going to ring off the hook.

Let me give you an example that maybe you can use.

If you are watching a football game on TV and you see an ad for Toyota do you jump up out of your seat and run down to the nearest dealership and buy one? Of course not. Does Toyota think that will happen.? Of course not. They are putting their name in front of you, branding, so when you do decide to  purchase a vehicle they are considered.

OK So staying with that same example you are Chrysler. That same person watched the game and needs a car. They didn't see any ads from Chrysler. Now unless somewhere in the past they were exposed to this 'brand' Chrysler won't prob be considered.

Another example is McDonalds. Do they need to advertise at all? Prob not to the extent they do. Do they have the best hamburgers you ever ate? I doubt that! Yet if you ask someone to write down or name their top 5 hamburger places, I'll bet MD's is in that 5. If that's the case why do they continue to advertise?

Because perception is reality.

Everybody thinks Microsoft is a monopoly and unless they lived in a cave within the last 30 years they know who they are. If that's the case why do they advertise?

I'd point out to your company that in advertising size is irrelevant. In fact, the smaller you are the more you're getting your name out is more important.

The key thing to tell them is that your work is only a small part of the larger picture. If you have an inferior product, it's overpriced, or lousy salespeople, then nothing you do by itself will matter.

Selling a company is everyone's job at the company. If one section isn't holding up their end then no amount of money plowed into another section will matter.