I encourage you to drive around and look at the billboards near you. Are they mostly generic messages or do they attempt to do something more? I once spoke at a Casino Marketing Conference where a fellow speaker said billboards were only for branding. I disagreed with that statement then and I still disagree now. The real issue is most people do a really poor job with them.

This morning I passed a billboard for a small restaurant I like and it said “Best Service.” Do you go to a place for service if it’s a restaurant or do you go for food? There’s a legendary steakhouse in New Orleans that has the worst and borderline rudest service you can imagine. Guess what? It’s packed every night because of the food. The food transcends amazing. And the service; it has become part of the atmosphere, almost like dinner and a show.

Have you ever driven somewhere and been distracted the entire time, but when you arrive you’re not sure how you made it? That’s the power of your subconscious mind taking over. When you see an advertisement your subconscious mind asks the questions why and is it for me. It’s the old WIIFM theory – What’s In It For Me.

I encourage you to take a look at all of your advertising. Does it answer the question why? Why should I attend the event? Why should I visit your restaurant? Why should I visit your Casino? And, ultimately, why should I spend my money with you?

Once we answered why, we need to focus on the what. There’s a billboard near my office for a bank that touts some new service with a name that means nothing to me.

Are there so many amateurs doing advertising these days that the basics have been forgotten? It’s all about the benefits and what it means to the prospect.