Let's dispel the myth of the “Rule of 7” in Marketing
The “Rule of 7” in Marketing is a classic principle that suggests a potential Customer needs to encounter a Brand's message at least seven times before they are likely to take action or make a purchase.
This idea stems from the belief that repetition is key to building brand awareness and trust, particularly in a world saturated with competing messages.
I am somewhat skeptical: does it still make sense today to talk about this rule?
The “Rule of 7” assumes a linear Customer-journey where people progress step by step toward a purchase after a certain number of exposures.
Remember the classic “marketing funnel”?
In reality, today buyers follow complex, non-linear paths.
The modern Customer-journey is non-linear, spanning multiple Touchpoints across various online and offline channels. Customers research, compare and engage with Brands at their own pace, often switching between devices and platforms. Personalized content and real-time interactions shape their decisions, making the process highly dynamic and unpredictable.
The key concept is: not all Touchpoints are equal in terms of their impact on the Consumer.
For example, a billboard might have a weaker impression than a highly personalized email, and a social media ad might get more attention than a banner ad on a website.
The “Rule of 7” doesn’t account for the varying effectiveness of different Touchpoints, sometimes one well-timed, well-crafted Touchpoint is all it takes.