How advertising and marketing communications work – Sales activation vs Brand building

How advertising and marketing communications work

It’s important to understand marketing and branding works in two distinct ways over the short and long term; Sales activation and Brand building

Sales Activation

We call the short term “sales activation” The short terms of advertising are easy to understand. This is any type of marketing activity that’s expected to produce an immediate response from the consumer.

Sales activation produces short term spikes that decay away over time.

Brand Building

For long term growth you need brand building. The effects of brand building are much more long term. They decay more slowly and they accumulate over time and as a result, they drive long term profit. Everything needs to be memorable.

In the short term, most of the sales you see are driven by activation but in the long term, most of your profit comes from your long term branding.

About 60% of your marketing budget should be devoted to long term brand building and 40% toward short term sales activation.

In a digital world, emotional brand building is more important than it’s ever been. Share of mind is why someone buys or doesn’t buy a brand. At the top level, you have “fame.” Campaigns that reach a fame level have clients acting as an extension of your sales force. Aim for Fame and use both short term and long term marketing that’s memorable and you will influence sales over the long term.

To schedule time to discuss your specific marketing needs, please email me at Keith.Hanshaw@Cumulus.com and I’ll help you put together a plan for your brand!