Pinball Marketing

photo credit: Shawn Clover via photopin cc

I love pinball.

I hate multiball.

In case you’ve never (shame on you) played pinball, multiball is the dreaded moment during the game when multiple balls are unlocked and launched into play.

Multiball frustrates the bejeebers out of me.

When I’m playing with one ball, I can give 100 percent of my time, effort, and attention to that shiny silver orb. But when other balls start entering the fray, I lose my cool, my focus, and the game (in that order).

Unfortunately, a lot of the advertising you see and hear is like multiball.

Think of the pinball as the one main idea that you want to drive home in your marketing. Instead of making it easy for your potential customer to focus on what you want them to know, advertisers throw a bunch of other balls into the mix and cram as much information as they can into their ad.

Just watch or listen to any commercial and you’ll probably hear:

• But wait, there’s more… (ball!)
• And that’s not all… (ball!)
• Plus… (ball!)
• What’s more… (ball!)
• Be sure to ask about our… (ball!)
• And don’t forget… (ball!)

Multiball, yo.

Do you want your ads to fly past the flippers in your customer’s already crowded mind?

Stop lobbing balls at them.

If you have seven different ideas to promote about your business, don’t jam all seven into one overstuffed, inefficient message. Instead, commit to a campaign of seven different marketing messages with each message focusing on one of the ideas.

This concept isn’t limited to radio and TV commercials, either. Focus on one idea for every:

• Print Ad
• Blog Post
• Social Media Update
• Billboard
• Web Page
• Banner Ad
• Poster
• Article
• Brochure
• Email Newsletter
• YouTube Video
• Sign
• Coupon
• Direct Mail Piece
• Bus Board
• Text Message
• Vehicle Wrap
• Fliers
• Door Hanger
• Yard Sign
• Promotional Item
• Airplane Banner

One Ball = One Idea

Multiball = Bad Idea