ADVERTISING
If your advertising
budget, assuming you even have one, is low to start with, blowing it all on a
single high-profile ad placement isn’t likely to yield significant long-term
results. It might make more sense to try a variety of low-cost outlets to find
something that works.
Small business
owners face a daunting task of breaking through today’s non-stop ad clutter to
reach buyers. Do NOT give up. There are ways to win the small business
advertising game. “For the average business owner, creating and placing an ad
is like learning a foreign language,” says marketing consultant Andrew
Griffiths. “But advertising works and the more time and energy you put into
your advertising, the greater your results will be.”
Time, energy
and creative thinking are critical. You can find low-cost options in almost
every advertising category. While display ads in magazines and newspapers can
be expensive, advertising in the classified section costs less and is often
overlooked. Readers flock to the classifieds in many trade and specialty
magazines. Look for publications that specifically target your customers. Try a
few test ads to gauge response.
Advertising
online through search engines is inexpensive and has become the single most
popular new advertising outlet for small business. You’ll find complete details
and guidelines on creating and managing pay-per-click ad campaigns at search
giants such as Google and Yahoo!
A
lower-cost option in the direct mail arena is postcards. They are simple,
timely and easy for customers to read quickly at a glance. And they are
considerably less expensive than typical letter-and-envelope type mailings.
Choosing
the right ad medium, however, is only part of the battle. You still need to
create a plan for your ad program and craft a message that works. A few tips:
- Choose
words and images that appeal to your customers and prompt them to action.
- Create a
message that stands out from the crowd, but keep it simple.
- Don’t
advertise on impulse. Create a plan; select several ad methods that can
support each other, and don’t give up before your ads have a chance to
work.
- Seek
outside assistance.
