Key Considerations for Small Business Advertising
Do you shy away from advertising your business? Is it because you have a hard time choosing the ideal place to advertise? Are you reluctant because of past unsuccessful campaigns?
Consider this when making advertising decisions…
**Ad content & design are key elements that will determine the success of your campaign**
Why Advertise?
Most businesses advertise for these key reasons:
- to sell a product or service
- to promote a significant sale or limited time offer
- to gain exposure for your brand across a wide audience
PLAN Your Advertising Well
- Target the right audience – Who are your key customers?
- Develop your key messaging strategy – What do you have to say to them?
**Keep your messaging simple and powerful, with the intention of evoking emotion and ACTION.
Are you introducing a new product? How will you persuade them to buy from you? Are you rebranding? Are you promoting your brand’s image? Do you have a special to share? - Be prepared to run the same ad several times – this repetitive ad placement helps gain recognition in the eyes of your key customers.
- Choose your media wisely – How do you plan on reaching your customers? Where do they hang out?
Deciding whether to advertise online or in print truly depends on your business and where your prospects can be reached.
I posted the question below on a local networking forum, and here are some of the responses that came back:
How do you choose your ideal publication when considering buying ad space? Do you prefer online versus print – and why?
When looking at advertising for Primp & Polish, I looked at the distribution numbers and the cost as well as how long I would need to run the ad for, to be effective. The community magazines were a good fit as they were distributed in my area, had large numbers (around 5000) and were relatively inexpensive considiering the distribution numbers. I found Facebook was good for adding likes to the page. Diligent Assistant will need a completely different avenue for advertising as the trust factor in a relationship is so big for a virtual assistant. Clients cannot get a feel for me through printed ads and online campaigns!
I have a client that shortened his sales cycle from 2 years to 6 months by using online campaigns. I have studied a lot about this and from what I have learned, when people see someone’s face over and over, they begin to trust them (silly, I know) but true. Video has an even higher trust factor.
When I’m considering ads, I have to really think about where my clients are. I prefer online – simply because the reach is broader and definitely less costly. A high level executive once told me that junk mail goes from the mailbox to the recycle bin – it never even makes it into his house. That’s why I prefer digital ads.
For me, the magazine has to have a type of feel that relates to my personality. I searched for years and considered community ads, but the cost was too high. Finally I found a yoga/healing type publication and I love the positive energy it promotes. Perfect for me.
I recently added a discount code so I can track it now.
I prefer paper to digital. I know some of it goes right into recycle, but I still like to read paper over screens, so I hope to attract that client.
Effective Advertising Tip:
Outline a few things to help you understand how to position your brand effectively in advertising:
- What are the key benefits of your product or service – what problem can you solve for your customer?
- Why would people buy your product or service. Why wouldn’t they?
- What do you want the customer to DO upon viewing your ad? Visit your website, call you direct, buy a product online?
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… Include a CALL TO ACTION! You want to give your audience a reason to contact you… right NOW. Be creative!
Here are some links to some excellent articles highlighting creative call to action examples:
http://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2014/10/09/call-to-action
http://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2014/10/20/call-to-action-examples
Do not rely solely on advertising to promote your brand – be consistent in your campaign messaging through all marketing avenues – be it social media, direct mail, email newsletters, your blog, the opportunities are endless!
It’s Time to Design Your Ad
Now that you have spent the time and effort to PLAN your ad campaign, it’s time for the design phase of the process. A professional looking advertisement, designed to highlight your key messaging, helps to communicate the purpose behind your ad. Without a clean and appealing design, your information could be lost on your customers!
CREATE A SUCCESSFUL AD NOW! Let’s design a winning concept together.
Don’t Forget to Qualify ALL of Your Leads!
Ask everyone who contacts you WHERE they learned about your business. This information is powerful and incredibly helpful to your future marketing campaigns.
So tell me, how successful have your ad campaigns proven to be?
I invite you to share your stories in the comments below.
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