Container Top
Homes   Jobs   Cars   Shopping
Search

Events Calendar

EVENT SEARCH:

In This Section


Most Read Stories


Blogs:


Pets:
Cat-loving chihuahua suckles seven abandoned kittens

The Heldenfiles:
Friday Night Notebook

Patrick McManamon:
For your Saturday entertainment …

Akron Zips:
Hitchens leads Zips in second-half comeback

Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster

Cleveland Browns:
Holmgren expresses interest in Browns position

Kent State Sports:
Kent State blown out in second half, loses to Temple 47-13

Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs vs. Philadelphia 76ers

Buckeye Blogging:
OSU – Michigan college football rivals meet in Baghdad

Varsity Letters:
Four area football teams play tonight

All Da King's Men:
Headed For Disaster

Blog of Mass Destruction:
Will Health Care Reform Pass?

Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (69) The Brookings Institute Study on "Bending the Curve" – Four General Strategies

See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic

Car Chase:
TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED

Let's Talk Real Estate:
Silverdome Potentially SOLD!

Ohio Travels with Betty:
George is looking for a Thanksgiving buffet in Akron.

Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall

HRLite House:
Colloquium at University of Akron

Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go

Research options before ad is placed

Consider demographics of your target audience

Published on Monday, Oct 20, 2008

Advertising can be a valuable marketing tool for any small business. Don't assume, however, that creating and placing an ad will immediately translate into more sales.

Successful advertising requires research into the various options available — print, broadcast, Web, direct mail, fliers, etc. — and whether their potential results are cost effective. In other words, people might see your ad, but will they respond to it? Are they the audience you want to reach?

Ads can do the following:

• Attract new customers, prospects and leads.

• Encourage existing customers to spend more on your product or service.

• Build credibility, establish and maintain your ''brand'' or business identity.

• Inform or remind customers and prospects of the benefits your business offers.

Here's what advertising probably can't do:

• Create an instant customer base.

• Solve your cash flow or profit problems by producing an immediate windfall.

• Cure poor or indifferent customer service.

• Create benefits that don't really exist or sell products/services that nobody wants.

In short, advertising won't guarantee quick sales, but it will get you noticed if you do it right. That means you must know, as precisely as possible, the demographics of your target audience and craft a precise message to reach them. You must give customers a compelling reason to call, stop by your business, or visit your Web site.

Research your customer base to find out how they reach you — word of mouth, Internet, print media, radio or television. Look at your competition's advertising media and message.

Can you use this information to tailor your own advertising to be more effective?

How often your ad appears is important. A one-time placement might not be ample. When your ad appears often in many places, it improves the chances your prospective customers will see it.

Of course, advertising scheduling depends on your budget. Something else to consider, budget permitting, is employing an advertising agency to craft your ads and determine best placement. This can be a cost-effective, productive approach.

 

If you would like more information on this or other business-related subjects, contact Akron SCORE via the Internet at http://akronscore.org or by calling 330-379-3163. Services are free and confidential. SCORE is a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration.

 

Advertising can be a valuable marketing tool for any small business. Don't assume, however, that creating and placing an ad will immediately translate into more sales.

Get the full article here.


Story tools

Email  Email   Print  Print   Save  Save   Reprint  Reprint   Popular  Most Popular   Reprint  Subscribe

Share this story

AddThis Social Bookmark Button















Most Commented Stories