We all know that a good product is not worth much when it is sitting around doing nothing. No matter how good your products or services might be, unless people actively talk about them and make use of them, chances are they will not become incredibly profitable. Often, the marketing and advertising campaign for a product do much more for its success than the actual quality and usability of it. Not that you should make inferior products and just dump more money into marketing, not at all. It’s just that it goes to show how much many people react to sound advertisement and exposure, as opposed to statistics and promised performance. Most people want something memorable and catchy, which will instill a sense of confidence in a product, by whatever means necessary. So let’s look at some possible ways in which you can advertise more successfully, and get yourself and your product in front of potential customers.

Determine your target market

Think about who your core audience is. If your primary audience is comprised mostly of teenagers and young adults, you might want to invest a considerable amount of your funds into advertising and an online presence. A stylish and efficient website, establish social media accounts on platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and Youtube and a few ad placements across these platforms. Together, they will have a greater impact on the younger generation than let’s say, an article in the newspaper. If growing your YouTube subscriptions and Twitter followers are not of interest to your or don’t fit into your busy work schedule, you can always hire someone to do it for you. If your audience is made up mostly of people in their 30s, 40s, and older, you might want to go for a more traditional means of advertisement. Not that people of these generations do not use social media because most do, but because the chances are traditional advertising is more likely to resonate with many of them. This would include, bus advertisements, magazine ads, newspaper ads and maybe even a short TV ad.

Stick to what you know

Many companies try to take the world by storm, with something entirely new and unknown, thinking they will shake the foundation of the industry as we know it. What they often fail to realize is that people are naturally drawn to familiarity. If something completely new pops out of nowhere, chances are most people will at least be waiting for a while to hear some reviews, maybe even opinions from more relevant personalities. In your advertising campaign, try to use something which is an already established emblem or theme, but put your own twist on it. After you have that core element which people find somewhat relatable and then some of the things which actually make whatever you might be advertising unique, you have to identify a delicate balance between the two. Be bold in whatever you are advertising, but not in a way which alienates the already-existing market. A good example of this might be the use of custom flags in your campaign. A flag is a well-established emblem, with strong representation and meaning to many, no matter the topic. If you create some flags with your logo, new slogan, and some relevant graphics or designs, people are likely to take notice. Flags are not only symbolic but for the most part, also carry an air of respect. They will most likely not go unnoticed by your potential customers.

Stay on top of events

No two advertising campaigns are the same. This is not only due to the rapid advancement of technology in recent years, but also because customers change, and evolve with the mediums that surround them. What might have worked last year, might not gain the slightest bit of traction this year. To keep up, you have to adjust your marketing strategies constantly, to suit the new climate. Whenever someone gets in touch with you, ask how they found out about you. Were they recommended by a friend? Did they find your website online? Did they pick up a flyer or a leaflet? Make a note of these findings, redistribute your advertising funds accordingly, investing in the more efficient areas. Another wise thing to do is to see what your opposition is doing. Are they also giving out flyers? Perhaps they are hosting special events to engage louder crowds somewhere in the city. Are they having giveaways? If they seem to be faring better than you, perhaps it is time you took a page out of their playbook and tried to replicate – with your own uniqueness of course.

Set realistic goals

I’ve reviewed the importance of keeping tabs on how well things are going and checking which method of advertising is proving to be the most fruitful, but now let’s look at how you can determine if a particular process is excelling, or not. Rather than randomly setting arbitrary numbers as goals, when the need arises, you should conduct some preemptive research. This research would allow you to see how much you can expect from your advertising campaign, and subsequently set some goals for each method. For example, 150 flyers given out per week, 500 clicks on your online ads, a few dozen customers visiting your store because of your flags; you get the drift. If you set some realistic expectations initially, it will be much easier to analyze your outcomes. With arbitrary goals set on the spur of the moment, your estimated results might prove to be skewed due to irregularities in clientele behavior. If you had a busy first day and you tried to base your estimates on that, chances are you will aim a bit higher. On the other hand, if you start setting goals earlier on, you are still unbiased and thinking much more objectively.

Ultimately, indepth knowledge of your target audience and proper planning will result in you obtaining the most bang from your advertising dollars.

*Collaborative Post