.png)
Ever notice how after you browse a certain product—maybe a lawnmower or a power drill—it suddenly follows you around the internet for a week? It’s everywhere, haunting you on every platform. This is called ‘retargeting,’ and while it often feels annoying and invasive, when done right, it can be one of the most effective tools in your marketing arsenal.
Let’s talk about how to use retargeting without being creepy—and how it can deliver some of the highest ROI on your marketing dollars.
This Slightly Fancy Term Will Make You Money
Unless you sell impulse buys like chocolate bars or chewing gum, your clients aren’t going to buy from you on a whim. There’s usually some lead-up time, where they weigh their options and think things over.
In marketing speak, this process is often called a ‘customer journey.’ It sounds a little fancy, but the concept is simple—and important.
Why You Should Care About This ‘Customer Journey’ Stuff
Here’s the basic process for almost every product or service:
Prospect becomes aware of a problem or need.
Prospect decides to do something about it.
Prospect looks up possible options and solutions.
Prospect picks an option and checks out different suppliers.
Prospect buys from a supplier.
Seems simple, right? So why bother with all the fuss about the customer journey?
Because the earlier you can get in front of a prospect, the better your chances are of converting them into a customer—and it’ll cost you less to do so. It’s a win all around.
Think about it: if you only find them at stage 5, they’re already price shopping, and you’re entering the race late. Ideally, you want to catch them at stage 3, just when they’re starting to research solutions. That’s where retargeting comes in.
The Power of Retargeting at the Right Time
If you’ve been following the advice in this blog and doing your marketing right, there’s a good chance you’re already catching your prospects around stage 3.
But here’s the catch: the average attention span these days is abysmal. The chances of them remembering you later on, after they’ve clicked away from your site, are pretty slim. That’s where retargeting works its magic—reminding them that you exist, keeping you top of mind, and nudging them toward a decision.
So let’s fix that weak attention span problem with smart, well-timed retargeting. Solving the Attention Span Problem
If a potential customer is thinking about buying your product or service, imagine if you were the only supplier who was always available to answer their questions. You’d probably convert them into a customer, right? That’s the power of retargeting when used strategically.
Instead of bombarding people with the same ad over and over again, here’s what we’re going to do differently. We’re going to show them fresh content and new information they haven’t seen before. Maybe you record three, four, or five videos, each highlighting a different key point your future client needs to know—real, useful information that actually helps them out.
Then, retarget the people who saw your ads previously and present them with this new, helpful content. You’re engaging with them long before any money changes hands, building trust and authority.
Exploiting the Reciprocity Reflex (In a Good Way)
When someone helps you out without asking for something in return, what’s your first reaction? Most people think two things:
Why is this person helping me?
What are they trying to get?
But once you realize they don’t expect something back, another instinct kicks in:"This person did me a favor. Now I kind of owe them."
Now, that doesn’t mean you’re going to bail them out of jail or help them move furniture. But deep down, you feel a subtle sense of obligation. This is called the reciprocity reflex, and it’s wired into our brains.
In marketing, you can (and should) leverage this—by genuinely helping people. It sounds simple, but it works. When you provide value before asking for anything in return, you build goodwill and trust.
The Power of Helping First
When done right, this approach makes selling a lot easier. No “hard close” is necessary. By the time potential clients are ready to speak with you, they already trust and think highly of you because you were there for them when they needed guidance, not just a sales pitch.
This is just the beginning of using reciprocity effectively in your marketing. For now, start experimenting with retargeting and see how you can apply it in your business.
Talk soon, Ed
P.S. Wondering how I’d handle retargeting for your advertising? Do this:
Get in touch with our agency today. If we’re a good fit, I’ll personally review your company and marketing strategy. We’ll discuss what I’d do differently, and I’ll break it down with you during a call.
No cost, no obligation. If you want to work together, great! If not, no worries—no hard selling or pressure.
Sounds good? Fill out this form: https://www.nexalate.com/book-online
Comments