What is ESSENTIAL to an effective ad campaign?

NEVER forget that your advertising/promotional material is how the market perceives your business and (is a direct link to) your image. It doesn’t matter if your sales are in the thousands or the millions, market perception and a strong image are essential to an effective campaign.

Let's take the NMI Carpet Cleaning sample I've attached as an example. (http://www.bracebridgechamber.com/services.php)

The artwork you are looking at was a mailer. A post card with a very effective hook. The look of poor ‘Emma the dog’ & her dilemma - makes you want to turn the card over - which offers the consumer $25 off of NMI services (and had a validity date). This mail merge was a single facet to a fully reinforced campaign for 2009.

If there is one thing that I pontificate more than strategy - it's that “it doesn’t have to be expensive”. That's right, it doesn't have to be expensive but always make sure it looks like it does!

All campaigns can be easily, and should be, fully costed (with a measureable response level) before they kick off. Always use your businesses personal economy of scale to make solid financial decisions. Make sure you understand the results.

What do you think? Let me know… leave a comment.

DO TESTIMONIALS WORK?

A strong testimonial is right up there with your business card as the most affordable form advertising and promotion. For those of you that may be new to business, a testimonial is like a ‘sales pitch’ from a satisfied customer that sings the praises of your product or service or both.

When asking for a testimonial, be sure to be specific in your request and try to keep the customer (giving their opinion) focused. Best practice is to ask for a testimonial as soon as the sale/service is complete.

Where should testimonials appear? Your website is a good starting point. (If you are going to introduce them into your marketing material be sure to understand your audience and make sure you present the feedback in an organized fashion.) Remember - It is always best to ask for permission before publishing a consumer endorsement.

Do testimonials work? In my personal experience they do but I've always used a very structured approach. Feel free to send me an email if you’d like some examples of good testimonials.

WHO - WHAT - WHEN - WHERE - WHY

It may surprise you, but truth be known, the W5’s (as I like to think of them) create the best synergistic starting point for any advertising approach. This basic principle may mean the difference between money spent & money well spent.

Before designing an ad, website or printed brochure, always ask yourself the following simple questions:

1. Who is your audience?
2. What are you advertising? What service or product are you offering?
3. When is the time to advertise? Why now?
4. Where is your market? (Geographically, financially, emotionally?)
5. Why should your market call? (Why should they hire you? Why should they choose you and not your competitor(s)?)

A message with a solid focus will ultimately generate the best response. Always make sure you encourage your audience to take the next step (ie: call, visit, and/or spend) and make sure you are specific as a call to action is critical. Remember my #1 rule... and make sure your strategic goals are always present in your message.

Best advice? Keep it as simple and as specific as possible. Make the copy catchy (or edgy if applicable) and remember that a picture is worth 1000 words . Always avoid the clutter of excess copy!

In the end, no one knows your own product as well as you do. If you are struggling with messaging, call on a professional to help bring your ideas to life. Never think of a professional approach as an expense, think of it as an opportunity to increase sales.

"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE"

A press release is an effective (and affordable) way for you to get important business milestones noticed. They allow any business to create its own news stories and circulate them to the public through all different types of media.

A great press release has a crystal clear message & a strong headline. When well-written, a press release can be mass distributed, getting your message the solid reinforcement it will need to generate a good buzz of credibility.

A couple of things to remember:
1. Cover the ‘who, what, where, when and how’ - so you don’t leave potential readers guessing about the purpose of your press release.
2. When it comes to style, I favour a ‘one pager’ (one page in length, 4–7 paragraphs, and no more than 3 sentences per paragraph).
3. Include good quotes and/or any statistical data pertaining to your message as backup.
4. Be sure to include all your contact information (using letterhead is a good practice).
5. Always have a concise ending (tying up any loose ends).
6. Always label your message “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” to generate a sense of urgency.

Though not standard practice, I tend to follow-up with someone in the editorial department to ensure they have received my release. It also gives me a chance to personally pump up my plight for press.

Have a question for me? Go Ahead and Ask!