Why Advertise At All?

Normal 0 false false false EN-AU X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Arial; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language:EN-US; mso-fareast-language:EN-US; mso-bidi-language:EN-US;}

Media Planning
Advertising is essential to the heartbeat of a business as water is essential to life.  In fact, without a marketing plan, a business may soon face premature extinction.  At the very least, a lack of planned advertising and marketing inhibits sales growth and makes the path to sustainable success more difficult.  The primary roadblock for most business owners is the reality of a limited budget.  Marketing a business properly soon becomes one of the most exorbitant operating costs on an accounting balance sheet.  However, in my experience as a copywriter, there is a greater force at work that derails some business owners...lack of a comprehensive marketing and media plan.

Strategies to formulate a media plan include the compilation and scheduling of print advertisements, radio and television commercials, website development and updating, e-marketing and other forms of digital media.  Think of it as a media ‘road map’ that you follow to arrive at your expected destination successfully.  Without a properly designed and executed plan, you may exhaust your time, money and energy without ever achieving the true objectives and potential of your business endeavour.

Small business owners have an inherent tendency to sporadically advertise their products and services.  Apparently, they believe that advertising a couple times a year is more than sufficient.  You might call it a ‘that’s that’ mentality...time to move on to the next task.  With this approach, they might as well save their money and not advertise at all.

Top of Mind
Have you ever wondered why large corporations selling popular products to a global market continually advertise?  For example, soft drink bottlers market products that some people know, bought and consumed since they were kids.  Are they really influenced by the continual bombardment of mixed media ads about the product they have grown to enjoy and love?  Absolutely!

The big boys know that competitors are always on their heels, waiting for a chance to lure market share away from them.  When the customer is ready to purchase their next soft drink, it is vital that they instinctively think of buying the same product they have enjoyed for many years.  The product must remain top of mind at all times.  The only way to retain this coveted position in a consumers mind is with continual, consistent and effective advertising.

Branding Message
Top of mind advertising demands more than simply a barrage of ads to hypnotise a customer, making them blindly purchase your product or service.  The advertising must be enticing, unique, clever and targeted to appeal to a specific demographic.  In other words, it must appeal primarily to your target audience.

It takes some effort, research and talent to continually capture and retain a loyal customer base.  The media plan you develop must also be geared towards attracting new prospects, converting them into satisfied customers.  The ongoing nurturing of customers by using a planned and targeted marketing and media plan that is reviewed and updated annually, continually underscores your sales message with the frequency needed to remain top of mind when prospects and customers make their next purchase.