A targeted advertising campaign may provide an excellent return on investment. However, before you begin spending your budget, it’s worth your time fully understanding the types of customers that improve your company’s profits.
Below are the type of advertising media available and some specific ideas you can use.
This page looks at communications, but you may be more interested in general marketing ideas to improve your connections with new or prospective customers.
Advertising does not need to be expensive and if targeted correctly, can be an exceptional investment. It’s very cost-effective if you understand you target customer segments. There are many options available such as the following:
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
| Television | TV advertising is available on the main ITV channels as well as the smaller satellite channels. Media agencies will purchase slots during the time your potential customers are viewing. |
| Radio | Local radio can be extremely cost-effective if you have a local business targeting specific local offers. |
| Newspapers | Local free and paid newspapers are usually not a good use of funds, but it may work for you with specific promotions. |
| Email marketing is less effective than previous years but useful for product discounts to your existing customer database for repeat business. | |
| Joint Ventures | Piggyback marketing by using an associated company to market your message either by email or other joint promotional efforts. |
| Billboards | Billboards usually communicate brand marketing, but local offers in bus shelters could work if they offer a specific promotion. |
| Public Relations | PR activities normally provide an excellent ROI if used correctly. Building relationships with journalists help with longer term marketing with trade and consumer press. |
| Search & Websites | Online advertising has many branches including banner advertising, paid search, and advertorials placed on related websites. |
| Social media | Social media communications have exploded in recent years and used by almost everyone in a personal capacity. Your business could be on all the major services including Facebook and Twitter. |
| Direct Marketing | Direct mail, often referred to as junk mail, can produce excellent results. Many catalogue companies, especially for children, use this method extensively. |
As you can see, you have many options available to promote your business. Many of these require specialist knowledge so it’s best to find an organisation that can undertake this work for you. It’s always best to seek recommendations rather than replying to a mail shot or a cold call.
It’s all well and good buying advertising space, but if your message is wrong, then you’ll have wasted your time. Also developing an integrated campaign is essential so that people see your message time and again in different media.
Here’s some of the types of campaigns you can undertake:
With any form of communications, it’s important to develop it with your customers and products in mind. Whatever is going to get prospects and existing customers to buy more from an emotional viewpoint is part of your overall strategy.
Once you have your media outlined, then it’s time to undertake some actual campaigns. There are many simple and cost-effective solutions you can use:
Those were four easy advertising methods and here are another 25 ideas you can use right away on to promote your business and attract new customers.
