Often, I encounter managers in leadership roles who lack the knowledge or expertise necessary to handle advertising and promotions, particularly in family-run businesses. While these companies might aim to emulate practices from countries where advertising thrives, they often stumble due to internal barriers.
Family Business Dynamics
Many of these businesses, which predominantly operate as family enterprises, appoint young family members fresh out of international education to managerial positions. However, alongside the desk they are given, they’re often handed a set of barriers.
The most significant barrier? Overcoming the challenges of being a family-run business and introducing new rules in the face of patriarchal traditions. Convincing senior management of evolving market demands becomes one of the biggest hurdles for these young leaders.
Market Challenges
Another major obstacle is the rigid market practices in Turkey. Why are young innovators forced to adhere to traditional norms, like insisting on “three quotes for every purchase”? The modern approach should be: “Get three quotes, but choose quality, not the cheapest.” Unfortunately, the deeply ingrained traditional structures often stifle progressive education and innovation in these businesses.
The Advertising Conundrum
When these businesses finally realize, often through consultants, that they need to tackle advertising and promotion to professionalize and build their brand, they rush to advertising agencies with great enthusiasm.
Wonderful! A great first step.
But then, the comedy begins. These businesses, unfamiliar with how advertising agencies operate, find themselves in a dilemma. Advertising is not a tangible product to “purchase,” and this often leaves them confused.
Here’s their thought process:
- “What exactly are we buying here? Air?”
- “Let’s invite a few agencies, see how it works, and maybe figure out what we’re supposed to do.”
- “We’ll work things out as we go.”
Once an agency is chosen, discussions begin. When it’s time to discuss pricing, the first instruction is usually, “Make it cheap!” The agency, trying to accommodate, provides a meticulously prepared quote.
The Outcomes:
- Rejection: The agency is dismissed because “the prices are too high.”
- Cancellation: Even after an agreement, the business cancels the project (I’ve personally experienced instances where my proposed work was later printed elsewhere).
- Partial Success: If the agency manages to persuade the client, they begin working together. However, advice from the agency is often not fully appreciated or implemented.
The Real Solution
Wouldn’t it be simpler to adopt the mindset of a savvy advertiser, evaluate options carefully, and make informed decisions?
Currently, chambers of commerce host countless seminars on “Why are there no global brands emerging from Turkey?” These issues will start to resolve when Turkey transitions from traditionalism to forward-thinking.
And when that happens, the happiest individuals will undoubtedly be those dedicated advertising professionals who spend their days reading 75 pages of books to better themselves.