Anyone who advertises has asked this question a hundred times. Certainly, it is a legitimate question. All too often the finger is pointed directly at the company that you are paying.
No doubt, some media companies will get better results for you than others. While this article does not speak to which media is best for your business, it does speak to the mistakes to avoid in order to minimize the risk of your advertising dollars.
Mistakes to avoid
1. No white space. The most common mistake is to use every available bit of open space on an ad for text, with no "white space" left over. That is the reason why the reader's eye completely skips over your ad.
Does your eye focus on anything on a page of text in a book? Of course not. The same applies to your ad. You need to keep your text to an absolute bare minimum. The single goal of your ad should be to get the consumer to call you. That is when you can tell them all about your business, not in your ad.
2. New creative. Hand in hand with the above is your creative. If your campaign is ineffective, redesign your ad copy. Give your media vendor the opportunity to add color, photos, and good design to your ad, and don't forget the white space!
3. One time is ineffective. Once deciding on a media company, repeat advertising is the only way to establish your brand and to start getting response. If you expect to run your ad one time to gauge the effectiveness of the media, you will be very disappointed. Here's two reasons why...
2. Seeing your ad multiple times may be what separates you from your competition. Seeing your ad tells the consumer that you are still open and that you really want their business. At the point when they make their buying decision, you would want to be in front of them.
4. Voice mail is not the answer. Do you realize how negative it is for a consumer to call your business and to get voice mail, or worse yet to go to voice mail that is full? Either have someone answer the phone or have it go directly to your cell phone if you are not in the office. You must live answer your phone.
5. Ask the question - twice. You absolutely have to ask the question, "How did you find out about us?" Too many businesses, in their hectic day-to-day activities, still fail to ask this all important question.
A critical follow up question to ask is "Are there any others?" If you are like most businesses, you are advertising in multiple media and may also have an active referral program. Consumers will often answer with the first thing that pops into their head. They will say your sign, the newspaper, or a friend's referral. Secondary media, like our community newsletters or directories will not be mentioned unless you ask this second question.
In all cases, if you are dissatisfied with your advertising results, tell the media vendor. Ask them what they can do to maximize your results. They, like yourselves, are in business because of repeat business, and they should be able to help you with the reasons and give you ideas to make your advertising more effective.
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