Planning your advertising. Advertising is usually more effective when it is consistent and when it appears in more than one place. For example, you may want to run both television and radio ads for better coverage. All your advertising should be written and designed with the same message, focus, ideas and themes. You should enlist professional advertising people to write your ad copy and design your ads.
Planning and evaluating every ad. Your ads should convey a clear message and be simple, uncluttered and original. They should include your business name, address, phone number and logo. Also make sure that each ad will do the following:
- grab the viewer's attention with a strong beginning
- inform the viewer of the benefits of your product, service or store
- provide an incentive to buy (low price, improved quality, etc.)
- set a deadline for viewers to take action
Using cooperative advertising. Investing in joint advertising with other businesses is an effective way of getting your message out to your target audience at a reduced cost. Joint advertising with other businesses in the same location or mall or with the manufacturer of products you sell is also an option.
Evaluating results. Compare sales before, during and after your advertising campaigns. If the goal of your advertising is to sell more products or services, you will measure success through measuring sales. If it is to promote your corporate image, sales may increase more slowly over time. Remember that one ad presented one time is not enough; it takes repetition to get through to customers.
Keeping records. Keep copies of all your advertisements and document such details as when you ran the ad, time of day, day of week, weather conditions, economic conditions and so on.
Evaluating your competitors' ads. Keep a file on each competitor, and track what your present and potential customers are seeing and hearing from them every day.
