Small business owners know the importance of advertising to accelerate the growth of their companies. However, planning an advertising campaign can seem like a daunting task for many.
While advertising can be pretty complicated, it can also be relatively simple. With some thoughtful preparation, advertising can be as simple as learning your ABCs.
Entrepreneur Corey Shader explains below some of the basics that every small business owner should know as they plan out an advertising campaign.
Organize a Plan
The best place to start an advertising campaign is to organize all the parts and pieces.
First, make sure that you understand your target audience, where they are, how you will reach them, what makes them tick and what action you want them to take.
Next, craft a message that you think will resonate best with them. Remember that this message may need to be tweaked a bit for each medium where you’ll deliver that message. For example, the language you use on social media may be slightly different than what you use for traditional print publications.
Finally, set your advertising budget and how you want to distribute the available money. This will help you plan out your campaigns and keep you on task throughout the process.
Create a Digital Presence
If you don’t already have a presence online, you must establish one before running an advertising campaign. Today, this means a website, social media platforms, and listings on online directories.
When potential customers see your advertising, the first thing they’re likely to do if they aren’t already familiar with your business is to look you up online. Having a well-built website and social media pages makes your business look legitimate in customers’ eyes.
Much of this can be done entirely for free or for a relatively small fee compared to the Return on Investment (ROI) you’ll get from it.
Leverage Free Marketing
It would be best to supplement your paid advertising campaigns with free outreach opportunities that exist on social media. Sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have billions of users worldwide, and it’s free to set up an account — even for businesses.
Social media wields tremendous power, and small businesses that can harness this power can realize remarkable results, Corey Shader says.
You don’t have to be a marketing guru to do this, either. Simple text, photo, and video posts consistently will get your message out to potential customers and allow you to connect with people on a more human level.
Stay Patient
One of the keys to advertising success is patience. It can be easy to run an advertising campaign and be disappointed at the results, or lack thereof.
Keep in mind, though, that advertising takes time. Messages don’t always resonate right away.
A well-known adage in the marketing world is the “rule of seven.” It states that people have to see or hear a message at least seven times before taking action.
Understanding this and setting proper expectations for yourself is key to running a successful advertising campaign.
About Corey Shader
Corey Shader is a self-made entrepreneur, consultant, investor, real estate developer, and founder of several companies, notably Insurance Pipeline. Operating primarily out of Ft. Lauderdale, Corey’s endeavors span the nation, consulting for start-ups and sitting on the board of digital media and senior healthcare agencies. As a consultant, Corey helps young businesses develop sales funnels and maximize profitability. In addition, shader takes pride in challenging others to push themselves to be their very best — he believes in constant self-improvement, inspiring others through sharing his own life experiences.
