This document provides a guide for small and medium businesses on successful advertising. It discusses evaluating different advertising options and defining objectives and target audiences. The document also covers creating advertising messages, setting budgets, measuring success, and emphasizing that advertising is just one part of an overall marketing strategy. It advises seeking help from marketing professionals to plan and execute an effective advertising campaign.

1. Small & medium business
Guide to more successful advertising

2. Small & medium business
Guide to more successful advertising
Advertising is just one aspect
Marketing and advertising are sometimes seen as one and the same.
But advertising is only one part of your marketing communication
options within your marketing mix, make sure that you look at all
aspects.
Advertising can be used for many purposes:
• Introduce a new product or service,
• Reach a new group of potential customers,
• Reinforce your position in the market and/or
• Build your brand.
But it is not always the best thing to do!

3. Small & medium business
Guide to more successful advertising
Marketing Mix
Does it all fit in?
Target
Market
Place
• Retail
• Wholesale
• Mail order
• Internet
• Direct sales
• Multi-channel
Price
Strategies:
• Skimming
• Penetration
• Cost-plus
• Loss leader
Promotion
• Special offers
• Advertising
• Endorsements
• User trials
• Direct Mail
• Leaflets / posters
• Competitions
• PR
Product
• Value
• Design
• Technology
• Usefulness
• Convenience
• Quality
• Packaging
• Branding
People
• Employees
• Management
• Customer service
Does my promotion medium reach my target audience?
Does my advertising fit in with my pricing strategy?
Does my pricing fit in with my brand/image?
Etc. Etc.

4. Small & medium business
Guide to more successful advertising
Is advertising the right thing for you?
You can use different advertising platforms, such as online
advertising, ads in newspaper, outdoor posters, etc.
But as a small business you should carefully decide on what you
want to achieve before you make any decisions.
For lead generation, for example, a well-planned and targeted direct
marketing campaign and proper follow-up will bring better results.
If you want to raise awareness, however,
advertising can be very powerful.
Also keep in mind that your objectives match your budget.

5. Small & medium business
Guide to more successful advertising
Your objectives
In order to get the most out of your advertising budget you must define your
objectives. You need to define what you want to get out of it and determine
what means of communication you can use best to reach a specific target
audience during a specific period of time.
You MUST set your objectives using the SMART formula:
Sensible,
Measurable,
Achievable,
Realistic, and
Time Specific.

6. Small & medium business
Guide to more successful advertising
Know your target audience
Before you do any advertising (or in fact before you do ANY Marketing)
you should know your target audience.
• Who are your ideal clients?
• What are their demographics, interests, hobbies, main concerns?
• What do they need? And more importantly what do they want?
The more you can define your audience the easier it
will be to find the right medium and design ads
that get noticed by them.

7. Small & medium business
Guide to more successful advertising
Advertising message factors
When developing the message you must take into consideration
several factors including:
Target audience
Who are my ideal clients and what is important to them and has impact?
Type of media and size
An advert in a newspaper or magazine requires a different approach then an
online banner advert or poster. Each medium has a different purpose and also
has different pro’s & con’s. The size also restricts the amount of information.
Objectives
Your objectives determine the message. A product launch
message is different from a direct sales message.

8. Small & medium business
Guide to more successful advertising
Advertising message structure
Most advertising messages share common components within the message
including:
The Appeal
This refers to the underlying idea that captures the attention.
Value Proposition
The advertising message often contains a reason for customers to be
interested in the product which often means the ad will emphasize the benefits
obtained from using the product.
Slogan
This will help to position the product/service in a customer’s
mind and distinguish it from competitors’ offerings.

9. Small & medium business
Guide to more successful advertising
Important issues when creating your advert
• Really inform readers about a your (new) product/service
Features AND benefits
• Persuade your audience that your product service is the best value.
Not just advertising the price!
• Remind people of your selling points as a supplier
Service, quality, expertise, etc.
• Don’t clutter your adverts – keep it simple
• Professional design makes a real difference
• Use good quality images, they speak a 1000 words!

10. Small & medium business
Guide to more successful advertising
Advertising budget
Setting your budget – and sticking to it – is vital. Your advertising is designed
to have an impact on the demand for your product/service. Your budget
decision should be influenced by the following factors:
• Stage in product life cycle – new products/services need larger budgets
• Market share – gaining market share requires more than maintaining
• Competition activity – an important factor in how much advertising is required
• Campaign or stand alone – combined efforts work better but cost more

11. Small & medium business
Guide to more successful advertising
Advertising success
Again, remember that advertising is only one part in your marketing mix. Only
if your ad campaign is planned properly, focussed on a target group and fits
well into your schedule of other activities (such as sales promotions, direct
marketing and PR) can it help raise awareness and increase sales.
It is not recommended to use advertising as your only promotional activity.

12. Small & medium business
Guide to more successful advertising
Evaluate
• Make sure you measure response
• Always make an effort to find out how clients found you
• Include a response mechanism that you can monitor – promotion code/voucher
• Evaluate and use the outcome to improve the next campaign
Important
However, the above will not take into account all the people
who saw your ad but didn’t react right away.
They may still be influenced by it, the next time they
come across your website, see a brochure or
need a service you offer!

13. Small & medium business
Guide to more successful advertising
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Advertising is not rocket science but if you get stuck get some help!
We give assistance to many small and medium businesses.
From idea, planning and execution to success.
StopGapMarketing is an all-rounder and delivers marketing and sales solutions
for tangible short-term results and significant long-term benefits.
We help you to sell more.

14. Small & medium business
Guide to more successful advertising
StopGapMarketing
Six Crosses, Listowel, Co. Kerry
+353 (0)68 40846 / +353 (0)87 6554339
Email info@stopgapmarketing.com