The Benefits of Advertising

© by Cheryl Coccaro; all rights reserved

For a small business starting out, taking the very first step into advertising can be a mystery - an unknown first step.

We see advertising everywhere, created with professionalism, flair and class. Looking closely at the ads we see dollar signs which imply that this must cost big dollars. That may be money you can't afford to spend. You hesitate to spend this money only to throw it away without a guarantee of return from your investment.

Before you begin to take that leap into the unknown, I have a few ideas that might make it a little easier.

If you know what you want to achieve from your advertising, then you are already way ahead in the process. If you think of advertising as one element of the broad field of marketing, you'll find it less confusing.

There are many forms and avenues to choose from. Some are:

• posting in forums using your signature link
  

• business cards
  

• gathering an email file of your previous customers
  

• having home parties
  

• magazines
  

• newspapers
  

• directories
  

• online search engines ad
  

• having your own web site and exchanging linking banners
  

• TV and radio spots
  

• billboards
  

• fliers
  

• direct mail
  

• magnetic car signs and bumper stickers.

Your ad can attract new customers, new prospects and leads, and encourage existing customers to spend more on your product or service. It can build credibility, establish and maintain your "brand" or unique business identity, and enhance your reputation.

One purpose in advertising is to inform or remind customers and prospects of the benefits your business has to offer them. Promoting your business to customers and others will slowly build your sales.

Advertising will not guarantee quick sales for your product or service by itself, but it will get you noticed, if you do it right.

That means you must know, as precisely as possible, who your target customer is - and then you design and craft a precise message around your product or service that will suit their needs. You will the need, you make sales.

You must give your customers a compelling reason to call you, or buy from your website, or make a trip to your retail store.

Make your ad stand out in some way. If it fails to grab your potential customers, they will most likely not respond by making a purchase.

Another factor is the frequency of your advertisement. A single ad in one place will not do much. Getting people to see your ads as often as possible, and in different places, will deliver better results.

What advertising cannot do:

• Create an instant customer base.
  

• Solve your money problems by producing instant cash.
  

• Cure poor or indifferent customer service.
  

• Create benefits that do not really exist.
  

• Sell products and services that nobody wants.

If you want to begin advertising your products or services, I recommend that you start out small, after giving a lot of thought to exactly what you want to accomplish. Definitely do not spend more than you can afford, but start.

Choose one avenue from the above list and just do it!

There is a saying... "If you don't build it, they won't come." If you don't advertise, they may not find you.

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