Don’t take advertising for granted.
Starting an advertising campaign can be dangerously alluring. The promise of new business is certainly enticing, but it requires major investments in time, money, and resources. There are four very important things to keep in mind before moving forward.
1. Repetition is key
If you were to go to the gym for just one day, would you expect to leave the gym looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1980? No, of course not. The same logic must be understood when it comes to advertising. A short or uneven approach to your advertising campaign will not yield the best results, and could very well be a waste of time and money. If you are going to invest in an advertising campaign, make sure that your advertisements appear frequently so that people will remember seeing them.
2. Define what success looks like before you start
No two companies are alike, so the success of an advertising campaign can be defined in a number of different ways. What do you value the most? Is it the total number of new customers, visitors to your website, new leads, or ad impressions? Figure this out before you begin your campaign and it will make calculating your ROI much easier.
3. You get what you pay for
As the old saying goes, "there's no such thing as a free lunch." The same can be said for low-cost advertising options. While they may be appealing initially, don't commit to anything without doing your homework first. If something seems too good to be true, it almost always is.
4. Don't rush it
Starting an advertising campaign is like going to war with your competitors to win market share, so don't rush into battle without a well-thought-out plan. Take your time and plan out your goals, and how you will meet them, with an advertising campaign. It cannot be understated how important preparation is for an advertising plan to succeed.
