If you’re into photography, you know that a camera’s aperture is the opening that lets light in to record the picture.

A small aperture (the size of the opening) makes more of the image in focus.

A larger aperture makes only a part of the image in focus and the rest will be fuzzy.

One is not necessarily better than the other. It just depends on what kind of shot you want to take. This is an interesting analogy for your advertising. Think about your advertising this way…

When you’re trying to reach a wider audience (you want more image in focus), you need to use a very concise and clear value proposition. A singular message. There’s just too much static in the world. People simply won’t remember you if you’re trying to communicate a variety of messages. Be focused. Communicate your message consistently, over and over again.

When you’re trying to reach a very specific audience (small area in focus), instead you need to widen your messaging to communicate all the ways you can service them. They want a customized experience just for them. They need to be convinced why your product is better than all the generic ones out there. So broaden your messaging and tell them all the reasons why you’re perfect for them.

Aperture Advertising. A good rule of thumb.