Making the Most of Media Planning and Buying

Find out what it takes to have effective media planning and buying

Getting your business from obscurity into the public eye can be a long and difficult process, but good media buying and planning can help it happen for you. With other companies competing for your customers' dollars, effective advertising continues to be a powerful solution for your business. Consider AFLAC, whose well-known duck launched this company from obscurity to a household name for disability insurance. Media planning and buying achieved these results for AFLAC and other companies.

The right marketing mix for your company can reap big rewards. The idea is to get the most bang for your buck and to bring your company to the top of people's minds when it comes to your product. Especially when it comes to infrequent purchases, you want your company to be the first considered. Media buying can make this a reality for your business.

Here are some ways of making the most of media planning and buying:

1. Learn how media works so you'll know how to buy your own media or hire media buying agencies.

2. Use market research to make decisions about your advertising media planning.

3. Get a media buying firm on your side.

 

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.
Try: 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.
Try: 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.
Try: 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.

 

• 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.

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