Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get audio talent from media buying companies

From television and radio spots to corporate education and even customized voice mail, the voice helps create the image of your company. A media buyer can provide access to this service or you can look for it on your own via some voice talent websites. See what it costs if you choose to do it on your own.

I recommend: See how much it will cost you to get audio clips ranging from 30 seconds to 60 seconds or more from ProVoiceUSA. You can get a list of median pricing in U.S. dollars and in Euros for voice talent from Voice123. In addition, you can click to listen to different voices and see how much the sample cost the customer.

Include artistic elements in advertising media planning

From a basic corporate logo to a website set up to take orders online, your corporate image is linked to the artwork. These media create your image. If you decide to go without a media buying agency, find out how much it will cost to get the job done on your own.

I recommend: Artistic marketing includes website design from companies such as CoolMaxHot. See their price list for website creation and graphics such as Flash that can spice up your website. Silver Dragon Studio offers logo creation, material creation and websites. See pricing for each of these products.

Find a media buying and media planning agency

Obviously, cost is not the only consideration when you choose a media buying agency. You need to pick a company that has the same passion for your company that you do and can make your vision come to life in the public eye. So look for a media company that can work for you.

I recommend: Look to QuoteCatcher to get competitive quotes from five media buyer companies for your unique needs. Or use SalesVantage.com to find media placement agencies near you so that you can make the call for local help.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Media buying companies usually specialize in certain types of media. Check to see what media they gravitate toward and make sure that this matches your marketing plan.

Guide to Media Buying

Ensure a successful advertising campaign by choosing the right media

By Sheila Callahan, Freelance Journalist

Ads are placed simply because a salesperson calls. But without a plan, your efforts are likely to fail. Effective media buying requires that you develop a plan that's based on:

1. The medium's target audience.
2. The medium's reach.
3. The timing of your ad placement.
4. The frequency of your ads.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Television

Television is the No. 1 advertising medium in the nation. For the most economical and targeted media buys, try cable and local network affiliates.

I recommend: Consider low-cost options, such as cable or the local affiliates of ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS. Or find your local cable provider in the CAB directory and contact the advertising sales division for rates.

Newspapers

Newspapers are the primary advertising medium for businesses, such as retailers, that want to reach consumers in their local area.

I recommend: MediaSpaceSolutions.com buys, places and verifies display advertising in nearly every newspaper published in the U.S. and offers a free online media planning tool with comprehensive newspaper information. Its MSS-Standby service generates discounts of up to 80 percent. MediaBids.com offers exclusive deals on newspaper and magazine advertising buys with more than 1,300 newspapers nationwide.

Radio

Radio spots can be an advantageous media buy for businesses that want to solicit an immediate response to their ads, prompting impulse buys or inquiries. Choosing the right station and the right time of day to reach your target audience is critical to a successful media buy.

I recommend: Look up the current addresses, station names (including call letters), broadcast times, frequencies and formats at Radio-Locator.com or at Arbitron.com, where you can also get market info and commuter profiles for radio markets. By radio spots at a fraction of the cost at Bid4Spots.com.

Magazines

National magazine rates can be prohibitively expensive for a small business, but local and regional magazines can be an ideal media buy. Ask for a magazine's media kit — which offers information about its circulation, readership and rates — and editorial calendar — which tells you what topics are going to be covered in each issue. These materials will help you target publications and specific issues that make the most sense for your business.

I recommend: NovusPrintMedia.com is a print media buyer that works with new companies and doesn't charge a fee or a retainer for its services.

Out-of-home

If you're hoping to build your brand, target consumers on the go or influence real-time buying decisions, out-of-home advertising could be the ticket. Out-of-home media includes billboards, airplane banners, vehicle signs and wrapping, bus benches and running ads in movie theaters or on interactive kiosks.

I recommend: Discover the many types of outdoor advertising available by clicking on "outdoor media search" at the Great Outdoor Network and locate outdoor media vendors at OAAA.

Internet

One of the keys to a successful Internet advertising campaign is buying ads on the right Web sites. Avoid buying ads on major search engines or general consumer Web sites. A better approach is to buy ad space on smaller sites with specialized content that's geared to your target market. Banner ads typically are sold in units of 1,000 visits. The size of both your ad and your audience can affect its price.

I recommend: Microsoft Banner Advertising and Yahoo! Advertising offer access to targeted segments within large banner advertising networks to make placing your ad easy and convenient.

Nontraditional

In order to stand out from the crowd, many advertisers are turning to nontraditional media, including blogs, product placement, media-sponsored promotions.

I recommend: KSLMedia.com goes beyond the basics of media buying by securing product placement and media promotions.

Hire a media buyer

As a small advertiser, you don't carry much clout. If you're planning a multi-media advertising campaign and want to get the best rates, consider hiring a media buying firm. These companies boast established relationships with the media and wield serious negotiating power.

I recommend: Although most media-buying firms target big businesses, WorkingMediaGroup.com will work with advertisers placing a single ad.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The rule of thumb is that a print ad must run three times before it gets noticed.
• •  Radio advertising is most effective when run at certain times of the day or around certain programs.
• •  Remember that impact counts. Does the ad appeal to the senses? Does it look and sound good?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Educate yourself on media buying services

Learn how to put your marketing plan into action by targeting your message for better advertising. By narrowing your focus, you can then choose who your audience is and what media will best target your audience. Learning about media buying makes you a better media consumer.

I recommend: Become your own media buyer by attending Media Buying Academy online or in person. From negotiation of pricing to how to hire a media planner and buyer, these workshops can get you started. Meanwhile, watch the AdCracker video for ideas on how to create effective advertising and how to narrow your focus on what to advertise about your business.

Get the market research that media buying companies use

Customize your media buying and media planning by checking out market research. For example, find out which radio or television stations can best target your audience at the best time of day. Using marketing research can help you find the markets that do the best at reaching your customers and thereby give you the most bang for your advertising buck.

I recommend: Look at the top-rated shows for free from Nielsen Media Research on broadcast television, by ethnicity and on cable. You can also get information about local stations and other breakdowns. Arbitron, a leading marketing research company, offers software such as Smart Plus 8.0 to help you utilize their research. You can test-drive the software online.

Find a media buying agency for your company

Media buyers can be worth the investment of hiring them. They can build a unified message by creating logos, advertising spots and art for print and then help you purchase the advertising. Look into hiring one of the top media placement agencies in your field.

I recommend: The Martin Agency handles media for well-known clients such as GEICO and UPS. Find out what this top-rated agency can do for your company. Killerspots specializes in small to mid-sized businesses. Listen and take a look at the advertising samples already in play.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When you hire one of the many media planning and buying agencies, it becomes your agency of record and enter you into a contract for a certain amount of time.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Discovery

The discovery process is where the media planning/buying agency works to understand the client's objectives and begins the process of selecting appropriate media outlets for the ad.

I recommend: Web Ad.vantage describes the discovery process and will help you understand why this is the foundation of a successful media buying approach.

Trafficking and tracking

The trafficking and tracking process occurs after the ad agency decides what to buy but before the actual purchase. It is often a mock run of campaigns reaching for the same audience to determine effectiveness prior to a commitment.

I recommend: Agency Central offers a description of the trafficking and tracking process.

Keyword optimization

Keyword optimization is a tool used in Internet advertising. Online software is available to tell media planners which words people search for when using search engines like Google.

I recommend: Online help for selecting keywords and developing an optimization process is available at A Promotion Guide.

Drive time

Drive time basically refers to morning and afternoon rush hours, which are peak times for radio audiences. Drive time offers the largest audience and generally commands the highest ad rates.

I recommend: A definition of drive time is available at Business Dictionary.

Prime time

Prime time, which refers to television advertising, depends on the day of the week. However, it is generally from about 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. and is when the television audience peaks and ad rates are the highest.

I recommend: The Museum of Broadcast Communications has information on prime time.

Column inches

Column inches are the standard unit of measurement for purchasing print advertising, usually in newspapers or magazines. It is simply the number of columns by the number of inches. A 4x8 print ad is four columns by 8 inches. Media planners and buyers use the term when discussing the size and price of print ads.

I recommend: Spokane Falls Community College offers information and graphics on column inches.