Golly, I Wish I Had ED

Erectile Dysfunction drug advertisements are plentiful on television, at least here in the U.S. These ads have been successful at selling to consumers. They're so plentiful that they're starting to work on me...and I don't even have ED.

I find the many lovey-dovey couples they show on these ads interesting. Look at how happy they are! They look at each other with smiles as big as footballs, and they can't keep their hands off each other! What happy lives they lead!

My wife and I smile at each other only occasionally; and we usually keep our hands to ourselves.

Maybe an ED drug would help our relationship?!? (Don't get me wrong; my wife and I have an awesome marriage; it's just that we're pretty much over over the "smile at each other" stage of a relationship, and we're also pretty much over the "put hands on each other" phase, too).

These advertisements succeed (even to consumers who don't need their products) for two reasons: (1) Their frequency allows them entry into consumers' active attention; (2) They unabashedly present their product with confidence.

We can all learn from the ED drug ads. If we advertise, we should make sure the frequency of our advertising is sufficient to break through all the advertising noise our market is regularly exposed to. And we should present our product with poise and confidence and with no apologies.

I wonder how much money the pharmaceutical industry makes off of ED drug sales to customers who don't have ED. I bet there's some profit there...thanks to the power of [effective] advertising.

Flickr photo by John Worsley. Share your comments by clicking on "comments" below. If you you use Digg or Stumble Upon, please consider using the Share This button (below) so others can find this post.

Skip Anderson is the Founder and President of Selling to Consumers, a B2C sales training and consulting company specializing in sales training in retail, in-home selling, and services. Subscribe to the free Sales Tips newsletter.

Comments

[tony cole]

Too bad there isn't a drug for SD. Sales Dysfunction. Pharmaceuticals would make a killing with that little pill. And the user wouldn't have to call a doctor if they experienced prospecting or selling symptoms for 4 continous hours.

[Skip Anderson]

LOL Tony!

[Tim J.M. Rohrer]

right you are about frequency, Skip. In my business, radio advertising, we are always preaching frequency. People learn through a series of repetitious acts that include hearing, seeing and doing. Without sufficient frequency, advertisers will not be able to teach the listener or viewer about the unique features of their product or service. Then, the consumer doesn't know if "it's for them" or not.

[Skip Anderson]

Tim, you are the media expert, so nobody knows what I'm talkin' bout better than you. Frequency!