Buyer Beware

Jose will talk about some deceptive strategies being utilized in West Texas.

You know your business. You know your services, offerings or the core goal of your organization better than anyone else. That’s why it can be easy for companies to target and take advantage of your marketing and advertising budget. Here are a few red flags to look out for. These are all deceptive tactics we’ve seen first-hand here in the basin.

# 1 – A 12-month contract. Any company that insists on a 12-month contract, especially for advertising services is not looking out for your best interest. If you’re not getting the results you want from a campaign, you need the flexibility to step back and look at all options. Am I reaching the right people, at the right time in the right place?

# 2 – Overpromising Technology. Technology is great. The ability we now have to target and serve digital ads in particular is a promising new avenue to get your message out. However, many local companies are selling digital offerings that aren’t even possible from a technical standpoint. Many local salespeople don’t understand what they are selling. They end up over promising for you and under-delivering.

# 3 – Withholding information. If you’re buying an ad in a newspaper, magazine or even an e-mail newsletter, you need to know the audience you’re reaching. If a local salesperson is unwilling to reveal a subscriber base with a specific number, stay away. “Let me check on that for you,” is a good indication that the numbers you want to reach aren’t there.

It can be downright confusing. That’s why you can rely on a trusted partner like Red Pixel Marketing. If you find yourself in a situation where you have doubts – pick up the phone, give us a call. We can at least try to help you keep your company or organization from making a costly mistake down the road.

-Jose Gaona, Red Pixel Marketing.