Why You Shouldn't Market The Way Big Brands Do

When it comes to marketing, what works for big brands differs completely to what will work for every other type of business out there.

Large corporations can spend hundreds of millions on mass marketing campaigns in the name of brand recognition, but smaller businesses need a more targeted, results-driven approach. 

I’m going to tell you why you shouldn’t be copying the big players in your industry, and how every business can make their ad budget work smarter, not harder.

Why You Can’t Mass Market

Mass marketing is about carpet bombing your message to as many people as possible, hoping that anyone and everyone will go buy your product.

Think about the last time you saw an ad on the TV for a global brand like Apple or Coca-Cola. 

These brands don’t need to drive immediate sales; instead, they focus on staying relevant and maintaining top of mind awareness.

With billion dollar ad budgets, the big guys can afford to pay for David and Victoria Beckham to do skits for Uber Eats in the name of a Super Bowl commercial.

They can afford to take this gamble.

Every Dollar Needs To Count

Most business owners can’t do this.

If you’re going to spend money on advertising, you better be sure that you’ll make a return.

This is where direct response marketing comes in. 

Unlike mass marketing, it focuses on targeting a specific audience and prompting them to take a clear, measurable action — whether it’s signing up for an email list, clicking on a link, or actually buying your product.

Spending money on broad, untargeted campaigns rarely brings the best return. Instead, it’s more effective to run ads that generate actual results and are easy to track. 

You don’t need to reach everyone; you just need to reach the right people - your perfect customer.

Get Immediate Results

The best thing about marketing in this way is that you can measure your results.

Every action a customer takes—whether it’s clicking on a Facebook ad, filling out a form, or purchasing a product—can be tracked. 

This can give businesses valuable insights into what’s working and where to focus their efforts.

A fitness studio for example, could run a direct response campaign offering a free class to new customers. 

The campaign is laser-focused on a group of people who are most likely to respond—those interested in fitness within their local area. 

Instead of wasting money advertising to anyone you can find, this strategy ensures the studio’s marketing budget is spent on people actually interested in getting fit.

Balancing Branding And Direct Response Marketing

You can still invest in building your brand. But your approach should be completely different. Offering free value and showing your expertise in the field is a great way to build a personal brand.

Meanwhile, your direct response efforts can push for immediate sales and engagement. 

This blend of tactics ensures you’re not only generating leads today but also growing a following that will come to trust you and your advice.

Focus On What Works for Your Business

At the end of the day, big brands have different marketing goals and budgets to most other businesses.

Large companies focus on mass marketing to maintain their status.

If you’re a small business, focus on targeting the right audience with clear calls to action, track your results, and don’t get distracted by comedy skit marketing campaigns that won’t work for you. 

When done right direct response marketing can deliver proven results—no celebrity endorsements required.

If you’d like to see how we would implement direct response marketing in your business, get in touch by clicking here:

pkcmarketing.co.uk/free-marketing-analysis