Classic example of series advertising - Burma Shave Signs on Route 66:
You might remember the old Burma Shave billboards – from 1925 to 1963, series of six small billboards would appear along a roadway, usually rhyming and with a punchline:
You’ve laughed / At our signs / For many a mile / Be a sport / Give us a trial / Burma-Shave
More modern companies have copied this tactic with billboards, and usually with better results than a single large one.
Series advertising works well in print and online media as well, for several reasons:
- They get attention! (The most difficult task in marketing!)
- The potential customer starts to look forward to the next one.
- They establish a relationship over time – it takes time to develop an idea of needing a product, being able to afford it, picturing its use, getting questions answered, and so on.
Series don’t have to rhyme, or even be entertaining, although that’s always a plus. They could be informative, useful, friendly, reassuring, or even scary (raising concerns about a problem your product solves.)
Series can be delivered in many media. Here are some to consider:
- A series of small print advertisements in each issue of a magazine rather than a single large one.
- A series of postcards rather than a long sales letter.
- A series of blog posts rather than a static web site.
- A series of emails (delivered by an autoresponder, if you like) rather than a single email blast.
- A series of press releases over time to a selected group of media contacts, rather than a single “shotgun” to every publication you know.
Need some help?
If you contract with ABCI during July for 5 writing tasks, we’ll give you the sixth or equal value (up to $1500) for free.
Here are some ideas for using this offer:
- A series of blog posts
- A series of emails for your list of prospects or customers
- A series of newsletters
- A series of sales letters
- A series of case studies, white papers, press releases or product sheets.
Note – you can use your series over time. As an example, if you have a monthly newsletter we can contract now for five months to receive the sixth free.
The summer is flying by, August will be here before we know it!
Write us today to get started on your series! [email protected]
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