No matter how wonderful your company’s product or service is, if you don’t advertise, nobody will know about it.
Despite what you see on “Mad Men,” advertising can be a tricky game. Here are 10 important tips to help you plan, execute, and monitor your advertising program.
Target
An advertising campaign should be geared toward your target market. It is a common mistake to create generic ads that do not grab the attention of your potential customers. Ask yourself who you want to attract, and make sure your ads speak to them on a personal level.
Advantage
One of the keys to all advertising is to emphasise the pros of your company — those features that give you your competitive edge. Too many ads are clever but fail to sell the specific benefits of the featured product or service. Unless you highlight these benefits, your ad delivers no value to potential customers.
Image
Image counts when it comes to advertising and promoting your business. Too many advertisers do not work to build a consistent image, and they’re missing the chance to make an impression on prospective customers.
Spend
There are ways to save money, but advertising is typically not the place to cut corners. Doing so will affect sales, and that affects the bottom line. Successful advertising may cost some money, but that is because it works.
Advertise in the Right Places
Your favorite magazine, website, radio station, or even television program might not be a favorite of your audience. Research your target market to understand who they are and determine what they read, watch, listen to and are using to access information. Then advertise in the appropriate places to ensure that you reach your target market.
Budget
If you budget a per month amount for advertising, you’ve made it very easy for the accountant. However, if like most businesses you have seasonal highs and lows, you may be spending too much money at the wrong time. You need to budget according to your seasonal advertising needs.
Diversify
One thing you do not want to do is to put all of your eggs in one basket. Look to spread your advertising dollars around by choosing a number of suitable and complementing media for your audience and budget.
Everything to Everyone
No product or service will appeal to everyone. Find your market and be everything you can be to that audience.
Test
Look to invest time in focus groups and or questionnaires to test your ads on other people. Do they understand and accept the message you are trying to convey? If not, get insight into how you could more effectively communicate your message.
Monitor
It is very easy to ask new customers or clients where they heard about you. As simple as this is, many businesses do not bother to do so. It is advantageous to understand which elements of your advertising are most effective and what offers the most return and opportunities for your company.
