Aloha, Nick Ponte here. I own a digital marketing and web design agency in beautiful Maui, Hawaii. I love helping local businesses boost engagement and drive revenue through comprehensive advertising strategies. I recently shared six important elements of effective web design in Maui.

After business owners set up shop, they quickly find themselves wondering how to approach the next big step: Advertising. They wonder, “How do I advertise? What’s my message? How do I tap into my target audience?” As any successful business owner will tell you, a rock-solid advertising strategy makes the difference between a thriving business and a pipe dream. 

Think of the classic “If a tree falls and no one hears it” analogy: If your business has the greatest product or service in Maui and no one knows about it, is it really the greatest? That’s why owners should focus on advertising, no matter what they sell.

Also read: How Businesses Benefit from Localized Hawaii Advertising

Make Your Maui Advertising Matter

For a market like Maui, how do you advertise so your messaging stands out? How do you create a message that resonates with your audience and attracts long-term customers? First and foremost, understand why you sell what you sell. What motivated you to make certain offers? As you fulfill a need in the market, your advertising should reflect and showcase what, why, and how you fulfill it. 

Moreover, make sure you specify your advertising for Maui’s unique market. Bland, generic advertising will yield unenthusiastic responses, which quickly spells death for your business. Don’t settle for less—make your Maui advertising matter! The more you create an impact, the more traffic you’ll attract.

In a place like Maui, time really is of the essence. Our small, concentrated local market means that every second of attention counts. Every piece of content or letter of copy must create an impression.

Want to know how to make your Maui advertising matter? Let’s dive in.

Also Read: The Definitive Guide to PPC

3 Ways to Level Up Your Maui Advertising

Check out these three major ways to boost your advertising results:

1. Define Your Avatar

If I asked you to kick a soccer ball into an invisible goal, could you do it? Most people would say, “No way.” But say you magically make the goal the first time you try. Could you do it again? How about over and over, with at least 90% accuracy? At this point, you’re probably thinking about the impossibility—and you’re right. 

When businesses try to advertise for an undefined audience, it’s like kicking a ball into an invisible goal: virtually impossible and a waste of effort. That’s why, before you bother creating any advertising for your brand or business, clearly define the customers you want to serve.

I love the approach of defining your “avatar”—your ideal customer. Can you define this person’s age, income level, location, hobbies, dreams, fears, and family life? The more detailed you get, the clearer that goal becomes, which makes scoring easier.

2. Build a Brand

Once you define your avatar and you know exactly who your business serves, the key to advertising is building a brand behind that advertisement. What do I mean?  If you create memorable content that gets shared without establishing a brand presence online, people quickly consume your content and click away because it leads nowhere. Avoid this loss by building a brand around your target avatar.

When advertising your product or service, make sure your message and presentation speak to your avatar. For example, if you offer landscaping for upscale suburban homes, every piece of content should cater to the needs and interests of affluent homeowners. Show photos and videos of nice neighborhoods with pristine landscaping. Talk about how your services save homeowners hours of worry and headache. Speak the language of the people who live that lifestyle. Don’t settle for simply grabbing their attention with an ad—show them you understand their needs with your brand.

3. Focus on Follow-Through and Fulfillment

Getting a customer is hard, but keeping a customer for years  becomes a different ball game. Most people get picky about the businesses they trust with their hard-earned money. In today’s saturated market, you have to appeal to that mindset. 

So, defining your avatar and building a brand isn’t enough—everyone does that.

What separates you from the crowd is your commitment to fulfilling your promises. Do you always follow through and deliver on what you promise? 

According to a study from 2018 on customer experience, 32% of consumers would consider walking away from a trusted brand after only one bad experience. That’s striking—and it reminds us why follow-through distinguishes you from your competition.

I run into this when working with small startups and local businesses. They devote their attention and resources to advertisements, but they don’t have the resources to fulfill promises. Don’t be that business. Your advertisement is useless if you can’t keep the customer. Focus on follow-through and fulfill your promises.

Consumers search for and reward businesses that seek them out, have a brand behind them, and fulfill every promise they make. Practice this “secret trio” to create advertising that stands out, attracts customers, and keeps them for life.

Our Maui advertising agency offers a FREE audit, if you’d like to see how your online presence measures up to your competition. If you want to learn more about how we can help you crush goals, reach out to us today!

Further Reading: Maximize Your Business ROI with a Marketing Partner in Hawaii

Photos Courtesy of Jacob Schmidt, Matthew Sichkaruk, & Julien Rocheblave