• facebook

By: Kahlia Hannah

Every week I get an email from someone who says that no matter how great their ad copy, they just don't seem to be getting results. More often than not, the problem lies in the where the ads are being placed.

All forms of media have their own particular advantages, but with those advantages come disadvantages. By knowing just what the pros and cons for these mediums are, you can get a better grasp on the best place for your ads.

Radio, for example, is a very intimate type of media. Many people that listen to the radio are in their cars on a long commute or at home listening while they accomplish some other task. Keep in mind that they could very easily reach over and turn off your message with a flick of the wrist. The ad should grab the listener's attention and make them feel like you are on a one to one level.

Advertising in the newspaper can bring some great prospects-- but try advertising outside of the classifieds section for a change. Ask yourself why people read the newspaper. For news of course! This means your ad should be abrupt, in your face, and concise.

Although many people consider magazine advertising to be on the same level as newspaper advertising, it's really quite a different story. Most magazines are specialized to a specific interest and therefore involve the actual reader more than a newspaper does. Also, people tend to spend much more time with a magazine than with a newspaper, mulling over the articles and pages. Your ad, too, can pull the reader in, if it fits the mood and tone of the magazine.

Television is a great medium for advertising if your product is something that needs demonstration. Television combines pictures, colors, words and action which can all be important ways to entice your audience. Once you target your potential customer base, you can figure out which time slots work best for your needs.

Billboards and signs should not be used as a direct way to lull people into using your product or service. These mediums should be used strictly to remind people that you are there and ready to serve their needs. Alone, a sign or billboard will not create much response, but used in conjunction with other methods, signs can generate a lot of impulse traffic that otherwise never would have come your way.

Using direct mail marketing can be a good tactic, but only if you are willing to stick it out for the long run. One mailing of sales letters or ads isn't exactly going to superglue your message to someone's brain. If you used follow-up mail, and coupon mailings as supplements to your direct mail campaign, a bigger response will be seen.

Remember when we were discussing newspaper ads, and I said to try placing your ad outside the classifieds section? Well, there does come a time and a place to ignore my marketing advice, and that is when you know that your targeted market will be looking for you. Yellow pages and classifieds can be a great way to catch people searching for your kind of business, with little effort involved.

Telephone and canvassing can be even more intimate forms ofmarketing, although they are more time consuming and tend to be a little trickier. After all, there are so many phone solicitors out there these days that you might not get a less than enthusiastic, if not downright rude response.

So how do you choose which of these methods to use? Try as many as you think you can effectively do a great job with, and that won't put you over your marketing budget. The more places you are seen, the more business you can potentially attract. blog