Advertising can take many forms, so planning when and where to advertise can take some work.
However, getting it right is undoubtedly worth it and can reap huge rewards for your business.
Placing your adverts effectively will raise your profile, attract the right customers to your brand and get your message across in exactly the way you want it, all leading to an increase in sales.
From newspapers and magazines, to digital or cinema advertising, there are lots of options to consider.
Advertising content
With advertising, you have complete control over how the content looks and the message you are sending out. It’s worth spending time working on this, thinking about the images, key words and phrases you’d like potential customers to take away, and making sure the advert ties in with any other branding and marketing material you use.
It’s also important to think about how the different elements of your advert work together, making sure the words and images complement each other, and aren’t contradictory or in a different style.
The format and location of the advert will also have an impact on the final result – a local newspaper might require a different message from a trade magazine, for example. Tailoring the look and feel of the advert (while still keeping to your branding) will make it even more effective.
Advertising placement
There are so many advertising opportunities out there now, there is bound to be something which suits your business perfectly.
Newspapers, magazines, billboards, digital ads, TV, radio… the list goes on.
While knowing your customer demographic will help you decide on the best place for your adverts, a marketing expert will have a more detailed understanding of how various outlets are perceived and how effective they are as an advertising platform.
Monitoring effectiveness
After considering what to put in your adverts and where to place them, how do you know what’s working? Sometimes there’s an obvious correlation, but if you have more than one advert running at a time, it can be tricky to tell which one led to a sale. A marketing specialist will be able to put measures in place to track the effectiveness of each advert, whatever the format, to help you decide where to invest in the future.
They will also have an eye on the industry as a whole, looking out for new trends, what’s been working for your competitors and any emerging advertising platforms – and your business will be able to take advantage of that knowledge.
Ongoing Benefits
Advertising generally focuses on a particular product or service (although there are exceptions), but there are other benefits too. If your potential customers aren’t ready to commit to a purchase at that moment in time, advertising still gets your branding in front of them. When they’re ready to buy, you’re more likely to be the name at the forefront of their mind. It also helps to remind your existing customer base about why they like to do business with you.
Advertising works best when it’s part of a longer campaign, rather than a one-off hit, because of that long-term customer awareness mentioned above – it’s why big brands continue to advertise, even if they are the leaders in their sector.
Working with a marketing expert will allow you to create an ongoing advertising strategy that works alongside your other marketing activities. This will strengthen your brand recognition and awareness among your customers, increasing the impact of your marketing as a whole.
A marketing expert will also be able to adapt your strategy according to the success of previous adverts and current events, and will be aware of the most cost-effective options for your business.
Outsource Your Advertising
To discuss the impact advertising could have on your business, or to revise your advertising strategy, get in touch.