Do you have a great small business with a killer product that you know everyone will want to buy? If you don't advertise, no one will ever know about it. Advertising introduces who you are, your brand, your company and your product or service. Advertising can also be very expensive. As a small business, you, the owner, must keep the costs down but get to your perspective customers. How do you do this? Read the rest of the article and be a success.
Focus, Focus, Focus
Sometimes called target marketing, know who your customers are. Define them in great detail and include things like salary, age, what they read and how many children they have. The more the small business owner knows about their perspective customer, the more cost effective the advertising. Do you want to focus on existing customers to expand your base and repeat business? Or are you looking for new customers, perhaps for a new product or service or simply to expand? Do you want to advertise your brand or your product/service? Once armed with exactly who you are trying to sell to, find them through a demographic search. Research where they shop and what they read. If you don't know how to find the information, ask them.
Where to Advertise?
There are many ways to advertise: television, radio, print, direct mail, email and social media. Determine which one is for you at the least cost. After identifying the customer for each product or service, advertise to one at a time and write a specific ad. Choose which avenue to publish it in that will get the most exposure. As a small business owner, think clearly about focus, which channel reaches your customer base. Yes, TV may sound the best but it is also expensive. Maybe email might be a better way. You can focus specifically on your customers so the ROI (return on investment) is much greater. Perhaps sharing advertising with another business that compliments yours, can reduce costs as well and provide cross referencing. A wine store referring people to a caterer would be an example.
What is in a Good Ad
Included are some ideas to make your ad successful. Keep your message simple and easy to comprehend. Only focus on one product/service at a time. Testimonials on brochures, videos, and marketing material builds confidence. Be creative and unique, pulling people in for the excitement. Provide a coupon as part of your ad or an offer to pull customers in to buying your product or service. Give incentives to existing customers that invite other potentials. And make contact with your company easy, quick and pain free.
Advertising can be effective through a focused and targeted approach. Remember, you have complete control over where, how much and when you advertise. Start small to begin with, experiment with different ads and venues until your understand what works and what doesn't. Keep up with the best information.
Sources
Advertising: The Basics, U.S. Small Business Administration
Sales, SCORE
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