The Marketing Rule of Seven: Explained

First introduced in 1859, the Rule of Six states: “The first time a man sees an advertisement, he takes no notice of it; the second time he looks at the name; the third time he looks at the price; the fourth time he reads it; the fifth time he speaks of it to his wife; the sixth time he buys.” (The Marketing Rule of 6, Weekly Constitutionalist (Augusta, Georgia), June 1, 1859)

The Rule of Seven followed in the 1930s suggesting that consumers should be exposed to your marketing message seven times before making a purchase. Marketers still consider this when aiming to maximize brand growth and sales.

Fast forward almost 100 years, and our biggest takeaway is that consumers are not likely to purchase something from a brand they’ve never seen before. It’s important to establish various touchpoints with target audience members when in pursuit of their business.

With the increasing amount of distractions in today’s world, it’s more important than ever to develop meaningful and consistent messaging and an integrated approach so that your target audience hears and sees it many, many times.

For example, when Apple comes out with a new iPhone, you’re likely to receive an email with information about it and where to pre-order it. That same week, you may also see a number of display ads with the same messaging while surfing the internet. You’ll likely also see a commercial while watching cable or streaming Hulu. These various pulses influence consumers like you and I to purchase the latest iPhone.

It’s this consistent stream of messaging from different directions and in varying formats that affect consumers’ purchase intent, ultimately allowing you to draw them towards a sale.