Today’s newsletter comes from Brett Newman, Managing Director at Once Wed. Brett brings 15 years of experience in consulting, e-commerce development and advertising sales to our business, and we’re excited to share his knowledge with our readers with a series of advertising tips.
Advertising is a complex discipline with many elements, and winning ad campaigns don’t happen by accident. But before you do anything, make sure you begin by clarifying your business goals.
Why clarify my business goals?
Ads can be configured in many different ways to achieve different goals. To name just a few, your goal may be to enhance brand awareness, to gain exposure to a new market, to drive sales, to increase social following, to build awareness of a new product line, or to showcase updated branding.
If you place an ad to drive brand awareness but are looking for an increase in sales, then you really can’t blame the advertiser when the promotion does not produce sales.
So I’ve clarified my goals. Now what?
Once you’ve clarified your goals, share them with your Account Executive. Press them for details on precisely how the promotions or ad package they suggest will meet your business goals. Shop those clarified needs to a few different publications and see what offers they make and at what price. And lastly, hold your Account Executives accountable to the business goal expectations they initially set with you.
How exactly do I hold my Account Executive accountable to my goals?
At the completion of the campaign make sure to ask the following questions and engage in analysis – When comparing the quantifiable and qualifiable results from one publication to another, how do the publications compare? Which publication helped you reach more of your key demographic? Which one provided the reporting you needed in the first place and walked you through an explanation of the reporting?
Most seasoned Ad Pros are tough, but fair. They make sure to be clear with goals, ask intelligent questions and follow up campaigns. Any publication with your best interest in mind, not only expects this but appreciates questions regarding their advertising options.
Note from the Author: My next article in the Pro Ad Tips series will be “How Do I Structure & Execute My First Ad Spend?”, so if you want to see more on this topic please like, share and comment on this article. All constructive feedback is appreciated!
Photography by Rylee Hitchner
