Fighting FOG in the Hospitality Industry

Fighting FOG in the Hospitality Industry

Have you ever noticed how an answer to a problem sometimes presents itself out of nowhere? Some people might put these sudden, surprise solutions down to luck or superstition. You’ve woken up to find a boiler broken, not a drop of hot water in the house and are desperate to find a plumber to fix it. On the way to work you suddenly spy one driving past, with contact details boldly emblazoned on the side of their vehicle.

The reality is and it’s one that has long been recognized in the advertising world, that our brains do a lot of their problem solving in either ‘off-mode’ (when we’re asleep) or when we’re thinking about something else (like avoiding getting knocked over by that plumbers van, on the way to work). Solutions to problems don’t appear out of nowhere and even if we’ve walked past a store a thousand times and barely noticed it, the day we need it, even in our rush to get to work, it’ll stand out in glorious 3D. For those running businesses this is something worth understanding and it’s something that the online giants such as Google and Amazon have already built into their ways of advertising, albeit rather unsubtle.

The Fine Art of Persuasion

Advertising is a fine art or put more specifically, a fine art of persuasion. However, not every individual is easy to sell too and advertising is far more effective if it finds its target the very moment that the target is looking for the service or product that you provide. For giants like Google this is basically the approach they’re trying to take. They collate our browsing history and pass it through complex algorithms, ensuring that every time we browse their search engine adverts for products that we’re almost certainly going to desperately need pop helpfully up. But for small firms, located more in the real world, how can we ensure that our firm’s visibility is where it needs to be and more importantly, when it needs to be?

Not-so-Prominent Business Locations

A prominent location on the high street helps; passing trade has long been the lifeblood of many firms. However, with an increasing number of small firms being run by only one person and business premises meaning, garage, shed or spare bedroom, this can be a problem. Large advertising boards are not always welcome outside residential properties and upsetting the neighbours with them probably won’t generate a lot of positive interest in your goods or services. While there is a great deal of advertising opportunities available online, making the most of real world advertising is still possible for these businesses.

The Modern Day A-Board

In the past before technology took over, an A-board wearing individual was the equivalent of high-visibility, search engine optimised advertising. Some firms still use it, but by far the most common form of mobile advertising is that found on the signs of vehicles. Public transport vehicles often display paid advertising and no self-respecting plumber, builder or grounds-maintenance firm would be without their business details clearly displayed on their vehicles. For small firms this option is a simple, easily achieved method to ensure that the public gets to know about your firm, wherever you travel. Traditional methods include the permanent application of designs and contact details to your car, but by far the more affordable option comes in the form of car magnets by LogoMagnet.

The Mobile Solution

Advertising your firm on your vehicle is a passive kind of advertising. It invites people to ask about your firm, which can provide leads surprisingly effectively. What is perhaps most important about this technique is that it won’t generate interest from people who aren’t looking for what you provide, unless your design/wording is totally obscure. In general, the approaches you get will be from people looking to buy a product like yours (or a service you supply). This type of advertising works well because it jogs people into action; they may have been planning to access a service you provide, or buy a product you supply for some time, but it may not have been a great priority. Seeing your advert displayed in front of them can prompt them to make an enquiry, and then follow up with an order. Thanks to modern technology, this more traditional form of advertising may, in fact, be more effective than ever before. With mobile phones offering easy browsing and email contact, displaying your details as you travel gives potential clients simple access to your firm and can generate a bigger buzz than even the best online advertising campaign.

About the Author

Author Alan Rosinski takes a look at how traditional marketing and advertising tools can be just as effective as modern, technologically powered ones.

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