How to Start Advertising Your Business

Question: We've never really done much advertising, partly because it seems expensive and also because I'm not confident it can work. But growth is sluggish and I need to find a way to perk up sales. Maybe advertising is the answer after all. How can we get started in this area?

Answer: Funny thing about advertising. We are inundated with it every waking moment of the day. But grasping how this medium really works and what it can and cannot do for a small business is tougher than it seems.

Advertising is one component of the broader category of marketing. It can take numerous forms, including print (magazines, newspapers, directories), online (search engine ads, Web sites), radio spots, TV, billboards, flyers, direct mail and others.

Before you spend money on advertising, however, it's crucial to understand what advertising can and cannot do for your business and to draw up a blueprint for moving ahead. Advertising experts at the U.S. Small Business Administration say that ads can do the following:

• Attract new customers, prospects and leads.
  
  
• Encourage existing customers to spend more on your product or service.
  
  
• Build credibility, establish and maintain your "brand" or unique business identity, and enhance your reputation.
  
  
• Inform or remind customers and prospects of the benefits your business has to offer.
  
  
• Promote your business to customers, investors or others and slowly build sales.

But here's what advertising probably cannot do:

• Create an instant customer base.
  
  
• Solve your cash flow or profit problems by producing an immediate sales windfall.
  
  
• Cure poor or indifferent customer service.
  
  
• Create benefits that don't really exist or sell products and services that nobody wants.

In short, advertising won't guarantee quick sales for your product or service by itself, but it will get you noticed, if you do it right. Marketing expert Andrew Griffiths, author of "101 Ways to Advertise Your Business" (Allen & Unwin, 2004), says these are the five keys to launching a successful ad effort for your business:

1. Planning your message. You must create and execute the precise message you are trying to put forward. "A lot of advertising sends a very confusing message to potential customers," says Griffiths. Plan your ads carefully and keep them simple. Give customers a compelling reason to call, visit your Web site or stop by your business.
   
   
2. Knowing your audience. Before you can decide how and where to advertise, you must be clear an exactly the type of person you want to reach. Ad folks call this your "demographic." Gender, age, marital status, profession, income, net worth, location, home ownership status, interests, habits, previous purchases and other items are all considerations. "The clearer you are about your targeted customers, the more effectively you can plan your advertising," says Griffiths.
   
   
3. Making your ad distinctive. If your ad fails to stand out from the crowd, you're sunk. Be prepared to abandon the boring and staid and create something that catches customer attention.
   
   
4. Ensuring your ad is seen often. Frequency is one of the hallmarks of advertising success. Getting people to see your ads as often as possible will deliver better results. Advertising in more than one medium can help.
   
   
5. Giving your ads time to work. As Griffiths notes, it's rare for a potential customer to see your ad once and rush to contact you. "It takes seeing an ad several different times (and preferably in different places) before consumers are convinced they your product or service."

You'll find additional help here:

• KnowThis - an advertising and marketing Web portal geared to small business - hosts a treasure trove of objective resource materials for advertising basics, market research, internet marketing and marketing plans. Visit www.knowthis.com.
  
  
• Advertising World is a helpful Web site created by the Advertising Department at the University of Texas at Austin. It lists hundreds of advertising resources A to Z, from advertising planning, branding, coupons and direct marketing, sports sponsorships, Web ads and word of mouth. This is a great place to track down examples of successful ad campaigns and just about any advertising-related resources you might want, including ad slogans, outdoor ads and truth in advertising. Visit advertising.utexas.edu/world.