A common problem in Uzbekistan: most people see marketing only as advertising. No sales? Then the ads must be bad, or there aren’t enough of them. In reality it’s a bit more complicated.
Advertising brings someone to the company, but it doesn’t decide whether they buy. They’ll compare the product with competitors, check the price, see if it’s easy to buy. If anything feels off, they’ll just leave — no matter how much was spent on ads.
Byron Sharp’s 7 rules for sales growth
Professor Byron Sharp has spent years studying why some brands grow and others don’t. His main conclusion sounds almost offensive: people usually don’t buy the best product — they buy the one that comes to mind first and is easiest to buy.
Talk to everyone, not just your regulars
Regulars already buy from you. Growth comes from people who buy from you rarely — or haven’t bought at all yet. So advertising has to reach everyone who might need your product. And it shouldn’t disappear for long stretches.
Suggest when to buy
People don’t always realize they need your product right now. Prompt them: for breakfast, on the road, as a gift, when guests come over. Every such situation is another reason to buy.
Be noticeable
Boring ads get scrolled past in a second. If no one notices — the money is wasted.
Keep reminding
People forget faster than you’d think. Advertising isn’t only there so people learn about the company — it’s also there so they don’t forget.
Make sure you’re recognized at a glance
People recognize Coca-Cola red without even reading the label. A company needs something of its own: a color, mascot, sound, style. Otherwise someone sees the ad and can’t tell who it’s from.
Don’t change what’s working
A new logo every two years, a new color for every campaign — that’s how customers stop recognizing the company. Refreshing is fine, but without sharp turns.
Make buying easy
The price is noticeably higher than the neighbors; the item is out of stock; payment is cash only. Any such detail — and the customer leaves for a competitor.
What this means for your business
Advertising covers only part of these rules. The rest depends on the brand, where the product is sold, and how easy it is to buy. So if sales drop — don’t rush to raise the ad budget. First walk through the seven rules and find where the customer gets lost.
Sales aren’t growing even though you’re running ads?
A Lokals Marketing audit shows where the company is losing customers: in advertising, in the brand, or in the purchase itself. You walk away with a plan of what to fix first.
