How Repetition in Marketing Affects the Customer Journey to You
“How many times do customers need to see my ads?” A lot. Brands must use repetition to touch their audience in multiple ways, across several platforms, many times, to win business quicker and more often. Here are several marketing rules to consider.
We understand every business owner’s desire for their ads to work like this: Customer sees ad, customer calls to say “I saw your ad in” and customer buys. But, the customer journey is not a 3-step process. Today, it’s more like a 27 steps period of consideration that could take place across 3 days or 3 weeks, leaving marketers even more confused on how their individual ads are performing…. because they’re all contributing.
To further complicate things, micro tracking methods like custom phone numbers, URLs and QR codes are often used to gain a macro view of the customers journey to sale because marketers like to link an advertisement to a sale (to ease the feeling of wasting money on advertising). But, the desire for this type of instant attribution only leads to doubt in ad placement because we live in an era where consumers are exposed to countless brand messages daily. Competition is at an all time high, which leads to decision fatigue and delay for consumers. Making sure your brand message breaks through the cacophony and imprints on the mind of the consumer is the ultimate challenge.
One, single ad won’t due the job alone. Repetition will get you there.
Imagine a customer journey where an individual:
Sees your ad in a local magazine.
Goes to your website in curiosity, but never calls.
The next day, scrolls past your Facebook ad, clicks but doesn’t take any further action.
Later drives past your new billboard on the their way home from work and thinks about calling you later.
A week later, hears from a friend who just visited your business.
Two days later, Googles your business name and reads your reviews.
The same day recognizes your radio commercial playing at the gym.
A week later, finally calls to make a purchase after receiving a promotional email.
Which of these touch points should receive credit for the sale?
All of them.
Enter the 7-11-4 Rule of Marketing
Research by Google suggests that a buyer needs 7 hours of interaction, across 11 touch points, in 4 separate locations before they make a purchase. Their 7-11-4 Rule of Marketing says that meaningful connections occur when potential consumers experience a brand message multiple times and through diverse touchpoints.
Seven Hours
The power of repetition has been a long-standing principle in advertising. The notion behind the 'seven hours' is derived from the concept that consumers need to encounter a brand's message multiple times before it truly resonates with them. This reinforcement is crucial, not just for recall, but for building trust. Today, with the sheer magnitude of messages bombarding consumers, the number might be even greater than seven. However, this number stands as a foundational benchmark in the industry.
Business owners can break down the 7 hours in these ways…..
Advertising: print ads, billboard ads, direct mail campaigns, TV and radio commercials, search, SEO
PR: earned media stories in print or appearances on TV and radio, podcasts
Content Marketing: Blogs, case studies of client success, whitepapers on your industry, customer testimonials, how-to guides, and email newsletters
In Person: This would be networking events, workshops, courses, interviews, meetings and social occasions
Social: social media posts, stories, and reels
Video and audio content: webinars, demos, podcasts
Every single one of these adds up. You just need to make sure you’re doing enough to add up to 7 hours to fill the top fo your marketing funnel.
Eleven Touchpoints:
The 7-11-4 rule suggests that potential customers should encounter a brand's message across eleven different touchpoints. Touchpoints refer to the various junctures at which consumers interact with a brand. The emphasis on diversified touchpoints ensures that the message permeates through the customer’s day-to-day life, maximizing the chances of engagement. For instance, a user might initially see an ad on social media, later read about your company and product in a local magazine, and finally experience it in-store. This interconnected web of touchpoints strengthens brand awareness and reinforces the message, thus earning trust.
Examples of touchpoint are:
Website Visits
Advertisements
In-store encounters
Brochures and sales material
Social media feeds
Events
Yard Signs
Four Formats
The rule also acknowledges the importance of varied content presentation. It suggests delivering the message in at least four different formats. The idea is that different formats cater to varied learning and consumption preferences. While a millennial might resonate with a short video clip on Instagram, a professional might deeply engage with a well-articulated article in a magazine. By leveraging multiple formats, brands can ensure that their message not only reaches a wider audience but also offers an immersive experience tailored to individual preferences.
This could be through…
Print
Radio
TV
Social Media
Search and SEO
Billboards
Consider the Rule of Prospecting
The “3-7-27” rule of prospecting shares similar sentiments. Forbes.com reiterates “if you can get your message in front of a prospect three times, that person will be able to recall who you are. After seven times, they will remember you or your brand. After 27 times, that person will develop trust in you and your brand.”
3 Touchpoints = Recognition
At this early stage, you're introducing your brand or service to the prospect. After three touchpoints, the prospect begins to recognize your brand's name or what you offer. This can be through advertisements, social media posts, emails, or any initial outreach.
7 Touchpoints = Familiarity
By the time you've reached out or made impressions seven times, the prospect has a general sense of who you are and what you do. They have moved from mere recognition to a stage of familiarity. They might consider exploring your products or services further, perhaps visiting your website or following you on social media.
27 Touchpoints = Trust
Building trust takes time. After roughly twenty-seven touchpoints, a prospect has had enough interaction with your brand to start trusting you. At this point, they might be ready to make a purchase, recommend you to others, or engage in some other form of deeper relationship.
Brand repetition builds trust, trust earns the sale.
Do you see the theme here?
If you advertise in more than one place, consumers see your brand in MULTIPLE WAYS, and they all contribute to the sale. Not just one.
And this is good because one single advertising medium cannot carry the weight of your company goals.
Business owners should take heed to remember instant attribution can be the death of a diverse, healthy marketing funnel. If you’re selecting verified, broad scale, top of funnel marketing channels, then mixing with micro medias to target more specific audiences, and have adopted a Linear Attribution model, you can stop asking the question “how did you hear about us” and start improving your customer experience to create true champions for your brand.
When executed effectively, these marketing rules ensures that a brand's message is not just heard, but also understood, remembered, and acted upon. By diversifying touchpoints and formats and consistently reinforcing the message, brands can navigate our cluttered marketing landscape.