Advertising is all about getting your message across and making it memorable. You’ve heard the messages, you know the taglines – Maybe she’s born with it. Taste the rainbow. Just do it. Where’s the beef? We’ve all seen cavemen, frogs, and pink rabbits hawking everything from insurance to batteries. Sometimes we remember the taglines more than the product. Great advertising brings the customer in and captures their attention, but you don’t have to be a nationwide company to make yourself memorable.

Here at Data Age, we draw inspiration from a lot of national companies that have made an impact over the years. GEICO is a marketing powerhouse. They’re constantly turning out new commercials and spokes people (and pigs), but the message is always the same; 15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance. I bet you even heard the voiceover when you read that. A gecko has absolutely nothing to do with car insurance, but if you see it once you’ll never forget it. Deciding on a message and sticking with it is 90% of the struggle, the other 10% is presentation.

Let’s say you want to be known as the go-to shop in town for everything from car tires to power tools. You’re not going to want to run an ad listing out for every single type of item you have to offer, instead think of a tagline that encompasses it into a single idea; Joe’s Pawn, We’re Your One-Stop Shop! Pretty soon this starts catching on, and you’re known around town as The One-Stop Shop. Your advertising has morphed into an identifier for your shop and now people know that no matter what they need, Joe’s Pawn will have it.

Don’t be afraid to have a little fun with your advertising. Believe it or not, people love cheesy! If one of your employees is known as a real no-nonsense kind of person, play that up in your advertising; Joe’s Pawn, Your One-Stop Shop! Make Mike smile and get 15% off your order! Now when people come in, they’re trying to make Mike smile, you’re creating engagement and a one-of-a-kind experience for your customers.

Engaging with your customers and making your shop a place people want to come (and return) to is the bottom line for all advertising. Whether it’s print, radio, or tv, make your advertising memorable and most importantly, HAVE FUN WITH IT.