Who hasn’t used the phrase “I was at the right place at the right time” at one point or another? Sometimes the planets align and magic happens. The same can be said for effective advertising. The difference between success and failure is being in the right place at just the right time.
We intuitively think that we need to do more. Say more. Be in more places. More channels. More content, more ‘eyeballs,’ more reach. We associate more with effective.
But truthfully? Most of the time, more just means more noise. But we think that if we show up everywhere, someone has to notice. If we post enough, email enough, spend enough — we’ll end up hitting something. But that’s not how effective advertising works.
Where should we start?
Here’s where we should NOT start — don’t ask, “Where should we advertise?” Instead, ask, “Who are we trying to talk to?” Who are they? What interests them? Where can we find them? What will really get their attention? If you can answer these questions, the channel will almost pick itself.
Once we’ve done that, we need to resist the temptation to do too much. Just because everyone else is on Instagram doesn’t mean you should be. The same goes for podcasts. Or Facebook. It’s easy to fall into the latest trend. Let everyone else make that mistake. You’re looking for the right fit. Right place. Right time.
Here’s another truth…
Every platform has a unique personality.
A rhythm.
A vibe.
If you shove the wrong message into the wrong channel, it doesn’t land. Or move. It gets skipped. Ignored. Forgotten.
How do you avoid all that?
By focusing.
Picking a lane.
By showing up in the places that matter to the people you’re trying to reach. Then forgetting about the rest. You don’t need 10 posts or 10 platforms. You need the one that works.
But what then?
You work it.
Test it.
Watch it.
Listen to it.
Tweak it.
You play the long game, because when you’re in the right place, with the right message, at the right time, you don’t need to be everywhere. You’re exactly where you need to be.
And that? That’s when advertising really works.
