Say it Again! (And Again… and Again…): Why Repetition is Your Secret Marketing Weapon
Ever feel like you’re saying the same thing over and over again in your business?
“Come to our trial class!”
“Only 3 spaces left!”
“Look at this amazing feedback from a parent!”
“Seriously, come to our trialclass…” 
Well, guess what? You’re doing it right. And if you’re not repeating yourself, you might be missing a trick.
Let us introduce you to a chap named Thomas Smith. Back in 1885—yes, before social media, email newsletters, or even sliced bread—Smith wrote something in his book Successful Advertising that still rings hilariously true today. He explained that it can take up to 20 exposures to a message before someone actually buys what you’re selling.
Here’s how he put it:
The 1st time people look at an ad, they don’t see it.
The 2nd time, they don’t notice it.
The 3rd time, they are aware that it is there.
The 4th time, they have a fleeting sense that they’ve seen it before.
The 5th time, they actually read the ad.
The 6th time, they thumb their nose at it.
The 7th time, they get a little irritated with it.
The 8th time, they think, “Here’s that confounded ad again.”
The 9th time, they wonder if they’re missing out on something.
The 10th time, they ask their friends or neighbours if they’ve tried it.
The 11th time, they wonder how the company is paying for all these ads.
The 12th time, they start to think that it must be a good product.
The 13th time, they start to feel the product has value.
The 14th time, they start to feel like they’ve wanted a product like this for a long tim
The 15th time, they start to yearn for it because they can’t afford to buy it.
The 16th time, they accept the fact that they will buy it sometime in the future.
The 17th time, they make a commitment to buy the product.
The 18th time, they curse their poverty because they can’t buy this terrific product.
The 19th time, they count their money very carefully.
The 20th time, they buy what it is offering.
Brilliant, isn’t it?
Even in 1885, Smith had figured out what modern marketers still preach: repetition builds familiarity, trust, and eventually, action.
What This Means for You, Activity Provider Extraordinaire
You’re not being annoying when you repeat yourself. You’re being effective.
Parents are BUSY. Their heads are full of homework reminders, snack negotiations, last-minute school emails, and wondering where the matching shoe disappeared to. Your one, carefully-crafted post might barely register among the chaos.
So, what should you do?
Say it again. Then say it again.
Don’t just post once—post 5, 10, 15 times.
Share your message across all your channels—Instagram, Facebook, email, WhatsApp, posters, conversations at the school gate.
Switch up the style, but keep the message consistent. Think: videos, stories, testimonials, FAQs, countdowns, cheeky memes.
Here’s a Repetition Remix Example:
Promoting your holiday club? Here’s how to mix it up:
“Our holiday club is open for bookings!”
“5 things parents love about our club.”
“Did you know? We do early drop-offs!”
“Meet our brilliant team.”
“Only a few spaces left!”
“Here’s what the kids got up to last year.”
“FAQs: Everything you want to know.”
“We’re nearly full—act fast!”
Same message. New ways to say it. Repetition that works.
Final Thought
If you feel like a broken record, good. That means you’re doing it right. The 20th time someone sees your message might be the one that turns into a sign-up, a trial booking, or a glowing review.
Marketing isn’t about shouting louder. It’s about showing up consistently, confidently, and creatively—again, and again, and again.
So go on.
Say it again.
They’ll thank you on the 20th time. 
Speak soon,
Dr Jenni