Local Business Advertising
By J. Baker
Many "brick and mortar" businesses are realizing the potential of the internet to bring them new customers. The trick to gaining new customers online is to make sure that you are only paying for exposure to customers in your immediate area.
Find Places To Advertise That Target Residents From Your Area - Make sure before you commit to working with a company that they are able to really isolate your advertising to potential customers. You don't want to waste money paying for ads to show up in front of people that live too far away or don't fit the demographic of a potential customer. Experiment with different companies and see how much targeting you can do.
Give It Some Time - You'll probably need to test out your ads for at least a month before you can really tell if it worked or not. It will take time for the customers who find your information online to contact you and visit your location.
Set a Budget - Its a good idea before you start to establish a budget for yourself to experiment with. That way you can give your ad campaigns the time they need to work, without feeling guilty and if you find ad campaigns that aren't working, you aren't as tempted to keep running campaigns that are a waste of money.
Try 3-4 Different Sites - Its best to try 3 or 4 different sites to advertise on before you decide whether or not online advertising is for you.
See my top Recommended Places To Advertise Your Local Business Online.
Bring in new customers by advertising your business online with one of recommended sites.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J._Baker
The Death of Advertising - An Obituary
By Rosemary Grace Brooks
It is time now - someone has to announce, officially, that the advertising industry is dead. Business is now only interested in creating brand communications strategies, it is not really interested in buying ads. People still make ads and ads are still an important part of developing communications campaigns, just like film and photography are an important part of making most advertising. But you cannot describe advertising as the film industry. Describing brand communications as advertising is equally myopic and inadequate.
The ad man has been, for many years, a key figure in popular culture. From Samantha's husband in the TV sitcom 'Bewitched' to Mel Gibson's character in the film 'What Women Want' they were never presented very favourably. The ad guy was always a sharply dressed, fast talking salesman. A great ad campaign could change the fortunes of a business but the people that created and then sold them to the dull witted, somewhat stiff, clients were never portrayed as people of intellect and integrity.
In real life it was a bit different. The ad industry seemed to attract a particular type of smooth, clever but morally questionable type of undergraduate, it sucked in creative brains that one always felt could have been better employed in the arts. As regards the latter, many did go on to pursue nobler careers in literature (e.g. Salman Rushdie). Many of the most respected film makers started out making ads (e.g. Ridley Scott, Alan Parker and Nick Roeg). They were 'the creatives', the ones who came up with and produced the actual advertising campaigns. The ones who managed the clients - sold them the ideas and collected the commissions - have always been known as the 'suits'. Many of them have become respected business leaders, respected not just for their knowledge of advertising, for example David Ogilvy or Jeremy Bullmore, but for their ability to run big companies, for example Sir Martin Sorrell who bought both Ogilvy's and Bullmore's agencies plus many more to create, WPP, a Footsie50 company. In the 1970's and 1980's one of the biggest brands in advertising, and the people who came to define 'the ad guy' in the UK and around the world, were the Saatchi brothers. One now sits in the House of Lords and the other has become a world-renowned patron of the arts (modern art as it happens, which some regard as an oxymoron typical of a superficial ad guy).
It is probably a stretch to say that advertising ever truly attained the cache of 'finance' or even, God forbid, 'marketing' in the world of business but it did attain a degree of respect and was referred to as an industry. "I work in the advertising industry" was a socially acceptable thing to say. "I am an ad guy" got you a seat, not just at the best restaurants in town, but even the occasional boardroom table, for a while. But not any more. "I work in the Media and Communications industry" is much more impressive and 'ad guy' normally has the prefix, 'old fashioned'. The older and more recalcitrant advertising executive will still introduce themselves as 'an old fashioned ad guy' because they are trying to remind you that they have a precious expertise in advertising and that a 30 second TV commercial or memorable slogan still has value in the world. And they do. But they have been subsumed and superseded by the bigger, more contemporary and complex Communications industry.
Effective business communication involves not just brands but stakeholders. The choice of media is exponentially bigger (the way the Grand Canyon is exponentially bigger than a crack in the road). Advertising was B to C (business talking to or at consumers) whereas Communication is two-way dialogue. At its best, advertising was 'truth well told' at its worst it was hyperbole or downright subterfuge. Communication requires honesty and authenticity. Advertising thrived, in its heyday, on the USP (the unique selling proposition); Communication may have at its heart a 'big idea' but relies on 'multiple touch-points' where messages are tailored to the audience and the occasion. Ads and slogans have their place but when creating brand communications strategies it is just a limited place and not very high up the food chain.
If all this seems a little harsh, disrespectful, mean spirited even, if it seems like it ignores the many thousands of people who still work in advertising and frankly look not a lot different to their predecessors (Calvin Klein suits have lost ground to Paul Smith) at the end of the last century, then consider this - the companies such as WPP and Omnicom that own most of the ad agencies call themselves "Media and Communications Groups" and derive most of their income from marketing services outside making ads. They talk about 'effective business communication' not 'effective ads'. Sir Martin Sorrell or John Wren do not describe themselves as 'ad guys' the way Maurice or Charles Saatchi used to.
The advertising industry is dead. We should not be sad and we should not try to write its obituary. It could be argued ad guys were always self-serving so they deserve no-one's pity and they can write some great ads so they can write their own obituary.
About the Author: Shoulders of Giants features smart business thinking topics such as Communications by expert business thought leaders and gurus who are top contenders in their industries. |
Advertising Tips For Beginners - 3 Ways to Get Free Advertising
By Richard Blaine
When you're just starting out with your business, it can be hard to drop the cash necessary for a comprehensive marketing and advertising campaign. When you find yourself in that situation, it's time to focus on advertising tips for the frugal minded. There are many options to advertise for free, if you get a little creative. Following are 3 ideas.
1) Take advantage of free message boards like CraigsList. These sites will allow you to list your business in a number of categories. Be sure to keep your ad fun, conversational and interesting. You're looking to stand out from the rest and a clever ad is a great way to do so.
2) Turn your car into a moving advertisement. With a little bit of paint and elbow grease, you can paint an advertisement for your business right on the side of your car. This might sound silly, but imagine the looks the other motorists will give you! They surely won't forget your vehicle - or your business.
3) Pass out flyers. If you've got a ream of paper on hand and a reliable printer, designing and handing out flyers can be a great, free way to get the word out. If you're not the most creative person out there, try to find a graphic design business that is just starting out. Often these businesses will offer free design services if you allow them to place a small advertisement for their company on your flyer.
These advertising tips are perfect for beginners who are just trying to get a little exposure. Once your business is established, you can move on to more professional advertising that will increase your business tenfold.
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Advertising - Do Not Just Do It, Make it Work!
By Kaye Marks
Advertising they say is a necessary evil. They say that it is just a waste of dollars so some view it as something that is not important at all. Know what? They are mistaken.
Here is what you should be thinking about when putting together an advertising campaign:
1. Who is my target?
2. By what medium would I be able to reach most of them?
3. How much would it set me back?
4. How should I develop my message?
Most businesses would approach most advertisements like this one: I have this X amount of money so how much advertising can I buy with it? This is usually followed by a call to their radio station or television to ask about the cost of airtime, or a call to a color printing company to ask about costs of producing full color marketing collaterals.
Problem is there are a lot of factors to consider before you investyour dollars in advertisements. For instance, when you decide to buy time from a radio station, you have to consider the following:
1. Which radio station?
2. If you have decided on the station, the next decision point is which program in the station.
3. If you have decided on the program, the next decision point would be which times of the day.
That is why it helps to have experienced people on your side who can help you make those decisions. These experts can help you identify which is the best media mix for your dollars.
For instance, most color printing companies can help you choose the most appropriate paper for example for your printing job. Or better yet, they can give you options on what to print flyers, postcards, greeting cards, or posters perhaps. And to even help you to opt to do it yourself if that is what you want.
A PR man on the other hand, can help you choose the most suitable marketing campaign to help you boost your visibility and increase your sales. It takes expertise to know what would be appropriate for your business.
However, most businesses delay advertising until they feel the need for it. In most cases, it is a bit too late. The truth is, if you have a business that sells products or services, you need to advertise all the time, not just when you feel that you are not doing well or you have excess inventory.
Kaye Z. Marks is an avid writer and follower of developments in color printing industry and how these improvements can benefit small to medium-scale business. |
Advertising is Important, Make Sure Your Ad Sticks
By Bruce A. Tucker
If you are in business then you already know the important role advertising plays in getting the word out there about your products or services. What you might not know is that some forms of advertising work better than others. I am sure by now you have sent out or are about to send out your press release. A press release is newsworthy article about your company that you send to editors of newspapers and magazine. This is a great way to get some free publicity. However why stop there. Why not turn that press release into your advertising.
Studies I have read show advertising done in a news article format has a higher return rate than that of its counterpart the regular advertisement. You know the box ad in your local newspaper that gives the business name, what they sell and how to get a hold of them.
Instead turn your advertising into an informative article. You are an expert at whatever it is your business sells. What you need to do now is write an article filled with real world statistics and relate that to your business. Remember if you make it sound like an ad people will take it that way and brush it off. If you make it sound newsworthy, interesting, educational and informative, people will be more likely to respond.
On your next advertising campaign give it a try. Write about 300 to 500 words of your very best news article related to your business. If you are not much of a writer, get a local college or high school student to do it for you for a small fee. They would love to get the experience and a few bucks on the side.
You could also use this same article as a later press release for even more publicity if you so wish. It is entirely up to you. But rest assured your advertising campaign should include this very creative way to reach your potential customers.
About the Author Don't forget to download Indocquent's free social bookmark utility. |
Food and Candy - A Tasty Way to Advertise
By Amy Jo Garner
Food and candy are bound to bring smiles to the faces of your customers and clients. Use these treats to thank people for their business and to promote your company mission. A little candy becomes a big promotional item when it's wrapped in a cover with your company logo or name imprinted on it. Whether the candy is caught from a float in a parade, distributed at Halloween or handed out at a trade show, advertising can be a sweet task with customized, imprinted candy.
Imprinting lets you take a customized piece of artwork (your company logo for instance) or a group of words (a business motto or people's names) and add it to promotional items already in existence. This gives the items a personal touch and gives your business name recognition. When one uses imprinting for food and candy, one should budget for items that cost under a quarter to items that cost around $10. These prices include one color and one screen location printing. When you design your logo, make sure the lines are crisp and the color is smooth so everyone can see it clearly.
Show you care by giving your staff members their favorite candy for their birthdays. Instead of using normal candy bags, send the gift to them in a special customized container with your company logo on it. You can also use customized candy bags to distribute goodies at your next corporate convention.
Place customized food and candy in a bowl in your office and offer it to clients to show appreciation for their business. The children will love it and might even ask their parents to come back for a visit. If you visit schools or colleges, display a box of the candy promotional items so students can get a visual reminder of your company as they see the logo.
Another great way to promote your business and to show you care is to volunteer your services to others who need assistance. In addition to donating time, consider donating food and candy. The food is often a necessity and the candy will be a treat. Use promotional candy ribbons to show awareness for a cause in a creative manner. Thank volunteers in your own organization by offering them candy take-out assorted rods.
With the imprinted logos and a few sweet treats, you can count on smiles as you tell the world about your business
Promotional food and candy items come in a many shapes, flavors and sizes, including mints in tins. Amy Jo Garner is a freelance writer in Oklahoma who writes on a variety of business topics. |
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