| Media Planning for Smarties | | | | different types of media: |
| You say you're ready to advertise. How are you | | | | Newspapers |
| going to choose whether to place your ad in the | | | | Advertising in a daily newspaper can be very |
| local newspaper or a national magazine? Why not | | | | effective if your product or service is relevant to |
| do a radio spot or place a banner ad on a related | | | | most people. On the other hand, it can be a |
| company's website? Understanding the benefits | | | | waste of advertising dollars if you are trying to |
| and pitfalls of these different forms of media will | | | | reach a very specific interest group. Newspapers |
| help you get the most out of your advertising | | | | allow you to take advantage of current events. |
| budget. | | | | This is a great advantage if you're selling roses |
| Do you believe that simply placing an ad in the | | | | and Valentines Day is a week away, but isn't likely |
| newspaper or a commercial on the radio will drive | | | | to be helpful if you're trying to reach a narrow |
| customers to purchase your product or service? | | | | niche (ex: marketing a new technology to IT |
| Or does your business have a well-developed | | | | managers at community hospitals). Advertisers will |
| marketing strategy with an advertising plan for | | | | find an unlimited amount of print space available, |
| the year? An effective advertising plan will clearly | | | | but the cost is incrementally high. It doesn't pay |
| identify and select the media that will provide the | | | | to incorporate detailed photographs or quality |
| greatest amount of targeted exposure for your | | | | color images when the newspaper printing is |
| business. | | | | generally poor to medium quality. |
| Your advertising plan should answer the following | | | | Magazines |
| questions: What are your specific marketing | | | | Magazines allow for good quality image |
| objectives? Who are your target markets? What | | | | reproduction and layout flexibility. Advertising |
| media types will you use? How many placements | | | | space is usually expensive. Magazines cover |
| will you buy? What is your advertising budget? | | | | hundreds of niche interest areas, so finding the |
| How will you track the effectiveness of your | | | | right publication to reach a specific audience is |
| advertising efforts? | | | | easy. Magazines tend to be around for a longer |
| The marketing strategies you implement with | | | | time, so ads have the potential for being seen |
| your advertising plan will depend on the length of | | | | multiple times. However it is difficult to predict |
| time your products/services have been on the | | | | when the reader will actually see an ad. Deadlines |
| market, how you've chosen to position your | | | | for advertisements are generally a month in |
| business, the message you wish to send, and the | | | | advance of publication, so there isn't much room |
| media you'll use to send it. Advertising will keep | | | | for last minute changes. |
| your product or service in the public's eye by | | | | Internet |
| creating greater awareness over time. Defining | | | | Web advertising can take the form of a Web site |
| your target market in terms of demographic, | | | | or an ad banner on another's website. With an ad |
| geographic, psychosocial characteristics will be the | | | | banner targeting a specific audience is a matter of |
| single most important factor in selecting which | | | | finding other relevant but non-competing websites |
| media to use. Choosing between radio stations, | | | | that reach the same target audience. Websites |
| newspapers, magazines, and television stations, will | | | | that are set up intelligently count hits and can |
| be evident if you have defined your market well. | | | | even identify repeat traffic. It pays to study the |
| Savvy planners set advertising goals in terms of | | | | traffic and number of hits at the different sites |
| reach, frequency, gross rating points (GRP), and | | | | and make your own comparison. Ads can be |
| continuity. A basic knowledge of these terms will | | | | interactive and quickly edited. When properly |
| help you talk to advertising representatives and | | | | indexed and registered on search engines, |
| understand their media planning kits: | | | | advertisers can maximize the number of potential |
| Reach is the number of different people or | | | | hits. The negatives are that it is difficult to gauge |
| households that are exposed to your message | | | | the impact and costs effectiveness of Internet |
| during a specified time period. | | | | advertising. |
| Frequency is the number of times that your | | | | Radio |
| target prospects are exposed to your message. | | | | Radio is a great medium for targeting a |
| Gross Rating Points (GRP) are a measurement | | | | concentrated geographic area and is considered to |
| that equals the reach multiplied by the average | | | | be relatively cost-effective. The various formats |
| frequency. The GRP is intended to give the total | | | | such as talk radio, classical, and easy listening help |
| impact of the media effort. Continuity relates to | | | | zero in on the demographics that match those of |
| the scheduling or timing of the media placements. | | | | the targeted consumer. Advertisers can select |
| Your overall marketing budget will determine how | | | | the frequency and time of day that most closely |
| much you will spend on your advertising. Getting | | | | matches the target audience's listening habits. With |
| preliminary placement costs will help you estimate | | | | radio there is room for quick reaction to sudden |
| how much will be required to have an impact on | | | | developments like a snowstorm or a stock |
| the consumer. Like many aspects of marketing, it | | | | market crash. Since radio uses voice, the |
| is not an exact science and you will have to use | | | | advertiser can reinforce his or her message with |
| your judgment when it comes to developing a | | | | a voice that suits the message. |
| budget. It's always a good idea to reserve a small | | | | Other |
| portion of your budget for unexpected | | | | Other forms of media that one might consider |
| opportunities, like a "special issue" just before an | | | | include direct mail, broadcast TV, cable TV, |
| important event that you had not planned for. | | | | transit, and outdoor billboard advertising. If your |
| Scheduling the actual media placement will depend | | | | decision seems more complex than you |
| on the seasonal sales patterns of your product. | | | | anticipated, consider soliciting the help of an |
| Typically, advertising will run in a continuous, | | | | advertising agency. An ad agency can not only |
| pulsed, or flighted schedule. | | | | help you select the most appropriate forms of |
| To build sales, your business has to market itself. | | | | media, but can develop and design ads maximize |
| And, since advertising is expensive, it's important | | | | the impact of your message on your potential |
| to make your efforts effective. However, | | | | consumers. |
| advertising planning can be a bigger job than most | | | | Define your target audience, map out your |
| people anticipate. A marketing professional can | | | | advertising, and determine your marketing goals. |
| help you to define your goals, develop your | | | | Make sure you have a tracking system in place. |
| advertising plan, and place your advertising to | | | | With a carefully developed advertising plan, your |
| maximize the impact and effectiveness of your | | | | business should realize a much better rate of |
| message. | | | | return from all of your advertising efforts! |
| Here is an overview of the pros and cons of | | | | |