Advertising is vital to a company’s long-term health. Advertising not only influences what consumers buy and where they buy it, it ensures them of a business’s reliability.

The 2009 Ad-ology Advertising’s Impact in a Soft Economy study found advertising plays a key role in consumers’ view of how a business is doing.  A business that reduces or completely stops advertising may be sending a warning signal to current and potential customers, making advertising is more important today than ever before.

Why Advertise?

• To reach new customers
  • The market changes. People move, get new jobs, have babies, and their buying habits change.
• To keep current customers
  • Consumers aren’t as loyal as they once were. Consistent advertising keeps you in the top of your customer’s mind.
• To generate traffic and sales
  • Consumers say advertising is helpful when deciding where to buy a product/service and when deciding which product to buy.
• Because your competition is advertising
  • There are only so many potential customers in the market at any given time, and your advertising can help level the playing field.
• For a positive consumer perception of your business.
  • Reduced or no advertising negatively impacts consumer perception.
  • In a recent survey, more than 48% of consumers believe a lack of advertising means a business is struggling.

Hyperlocal Advertising

Many businesses draw most of their best customers from within a short distance from their business location. Concentrating marketing efforts on local consumers within the market radius for your business means focused messages and less budget wasted on marketing tactics that reach consumers outside your sales zone. Examples of hyperlocal advertising+marketing include:

• Zoned newspaper editions and inserts and weekly community newspapers
• Direct mail targeted by zip code
• Zoned cable television
• Signs: Signage at local school and community sports venues & yard signage
• Movie theater ads
• Local online search
• Neighborhood news sites & community blogs
• Community fairs, festivals, parades, etc.

Why Research is Important:

Research is crucial to advertising. Research can help you develop an effective message by telling you what is most important to consumers. It can tell you which ‘messenger’ – or media type – is likely to be most influential on your customers and prospects and the best time to reach them.

And of course research can guide you in identifying who the right recipient is for your message. Ad-ology Research has a variety of reports in the Research Store that can help, including the Media Influence on Consumer Choice series, Consumer Spending Forecasts that can show you the category spending down to the zip code level, and Audience Interest + Attitudes reports that include media usage, lifestyle interests, shopping attitudes and what your customers and prospects are truly passionate about.

Advertising Do’s and Don’ts:

• DO have a goal in mind before you advertise. Are you trying to increase people calling or coming to your business? Increase sales on a specific product? Promote a sale or new product? Know what you’re trying to achieve so you can tell if your advertising is working.
• DO know your auidence. Whether you’re speaking to one person or one thousand, knowing your audience is crucial to effective communication.
• DON’T buy advertising because you like the sales rep or you personally watch the channel/read the magazine/listen to the station. Base your media choice on your target audience.
• DO pay attention to your competition, where they are advertising and what message they’re promoting.
• DON’T just talk about the features of your product or service, tell people what benefit those features provide for them.
• DO plan advertising in advance of your busiest times to maximize sales. Also include sales and new product or service launches in your advertising calendar.
• DON’T immediately blame the messenger if your advertising doesn’t work as expected. The content of your message, the targeted audience or timing may also play a factor in your results.