Advertising Campaigns That Get Results

"Advertising doesn't work." I hear it from my clients all the time. One client was about to file for bankruptcy because she wasn't getting a good response to her radio ads, and the cost was killing her. But she knew her target market was listening; she knew she needed to get her name out there to generate more business. What should she do?

Owners of small businesses and professionals like yourself realize that to take your business to the next level, you need to get your products and services in front of a larger audience. You want to generate more leads, get more prospects to contact you and buy from you. Advertising is essential but how do you get more out of your advertising dollars?

Have you been disappointed by your advertising campaigns?

I felt the same way about my family's VCR. I paid good money for it (though probably not nearly as much as most people pay for advertising) and as far as I was concerned I could never get it to work the way I wanted it to. I spent way too much time fiddling with it and I still couldn't get it to record a TV show or a movie reliably when I was away. After a while I stopped trying to use its record function.

Sound familiar?

Compared to programming a VCR, creating a successful advertising campaign is simple. Note the operative word here is "successful". It's easy to put together an advertising campaign, but creating one that helps you make more than you spend should be the objective. The following seven elements are what separate a successful advertising campaign from one that just costs you money.

Elements of A Successful Advertising Campaign

1. Choose the media that will reach your target market. It sounds obvious, but make sure your target audience will see and/or hear your ad. Select a publication or radio or cable station that your target audience reads or tunes to. If you're advertising on the web, your keyword selection is critical here.

2. Write ad copy that your prospects will want to read. Your prospects' primary interest is in what your product or service will do for them, not what it actually is. Which would you be more likely to read, a headline that reads, "Accounting Services" or one that reads, "How to Avoid Overpaying Your Taxes"?

3. Have others establish your credibility. If space allows, include testimonials in your ad verifying the outstanding results your products and services generate.

4. Motivate prospects to contact you Include a limited-time offer or something for free - a report, appraisal or bonus product - to prompt your prospects to take action.

5. Tell prospects what you want them to do and how to do it. This is your "call to action". Tell them to call you, visit your web site, send you an email, fill in the reply card, etc.

6. Follow up your offer with the information prospects need to make a purchase. Too many people make the mistake at this point in the sales process of launching into a s.ales pitch. Whether your prospect is on the phone with you or is visiting your web site, help them clarify the problem or concern they have and detail the solution you provide. Then remind them what action you want them to take.

7. Continue to educate your prospects and clients. Stay in touch with likely prospects by contacting them at least every month. Get the conversation going by discussing a common problem. Give your prospects a quick tip they can use and, of course, mention the solutions you provide.

A successful advertising campaign will include all seven of the above elements, not just one or two. When you put all these elements in place, your advertising will generate more leads and sales and you'll see a good return on your advertising dollars.

By the way, the client who came to me on the verge of bankruptcy is now back on solid financial ground. Once she understood how to write her advertising copy and manage her advertising campaigns, her radio advertising started to bring in a steady stream of new business.

2005 © In Mind Communications, LLC. All rights reserved.

The author, Charlie Cook, helps service professionals, small business owners and marketing professionals attract more clients and be more successful. Sign up to receive the Free Marketing Strategy eBook, '7 Steps to get more clients and grow your business' at http://www.marketingforsuccess.com

---

How to Market and Protect Your New Ideas

The intellectual property transfer market is now estimated to be... Read More

50 Unbelievable Benefits Of Joint Venture Marketing

What Is A Joint Venture?A joint venture is an agreement... Read More

Marketing Discipline and the Joy of Success

Discipline Is Important.I recently read an article about why discipline... Read More

Reinventing The Wheel

Revolutionary ideas have always been the mark of mankind. It's... Read More

5 Tips for Getting the Most out of Exhibiting at Trade Shows

Exhibiting at trade shows can be a cost-effective way to... Read More

Marketing 101: The Power of Marketing

When you hear the word "marketing" what comes to mind?... Read More

Celebrity Product Placement: A Primer

With more and more companies wanting to integrate their products... Read More

Your Marketing Plan - Prerequisite to Success

Marketing is a vital aspect of a business' operations. It... Read More

One-Two-Three Punch Marketing

Printed material is just as important today as it was... Read More

Using Purchased Leads

A little advice about using leads that you purchase from... Read More

The Added Effectiveness of Promotional Products in Your Marketing Plan

Recently, I stopped by a new car wash in my... Read More

6 Simple Ways to Determine Which Marketing Ideas Are Best for Your Business

Did something catch your eye in a direct mailing this... Read More

Finding a Brochure Printing Company

A brochure can be a great promotional tool, whether it... Read More

Eight Steps To A Great Marketing Plan

Step 1: Where Am I Now? Before you decide where... Read More

Develop Your Curiosity And Increase Profits

If anyone was to ask me what my greatest strength... Read More

The Benefits of a Marketing Plan

What is a Marketing Plan? Marketing is to do with... Read More

Pay for Performance Pricing Models for Search Engine Optimization

I do think that it is entirely possible for an... Read More

Mark Twain?s Great Marketing Idea

To tell you the truth (and about 53% of this... Read More

The A-Z of Exhibiting Overseas

Exhibiting overseas is one of the fastest and most cost... Read More

Top 5 Tips For Media Selection

Marketers have a wide variety of media at their disposal.... Read More

11 Powerful Marketing Tips

Each of these 11 marketing tips is based on a... Read More

21 Ways To Expand Your Subscriber List

Expanding your subscriber list, whether it be for your ezine,... Read More

Creative Online Marketing For Salespeople and Business Professionals

New to a sales career? Want to market yourself but... Read More

Sell More Online By Offering a Big Fat BONUS!

I don't know about you, but I secretly love watching... Read More

Your Ultimate Competitive Advantage

The biggest secret to success in business is to always... Read More

Do this One Thing and Beat 85% of Your Competition!

Maybe you don't want to work that hard, or maybe... Read More

Blowing Your Own Horn

Opportunity Assistance Business Resource Center At first you must think... Read More

Mission Position

Ahh, the mission statement. For some companies it simply describes... Read More

Why Do You Need to be in the SERPS?

Why does your business need to be in the Search... Read More

Building Skills in Information Marketing will Boost Your Business

Yesterday I was sitting on a train going into London... Read More

How To Use The Og In All Of Us To Make More Money

5000 B.C. -- somewhere near a cave in MontanaOg the... Read More

Encouraging Contact

The small time promoter has to work hard and on... Read More

Wise Man Marketing

It's a sunny morning and you're sitting in your office.... Read More