Whether it is business cards, brochures, newspaper ad or website you need to have a clear direction. A creative marketing piece means nothing if it does not convey the right message, targets the right audience or uses the correct medium. Before you start you need to ask some questions:
• What do you want to achieve through your advertising?
• Who are you targeting?
• What message do you want to convey?
• How will you reach your audience?
1. Define your goals: be precise about why you are advertising and what you want to achieve. If you have more than one goal, prioritize them. Some possible goals could be to:
• Create brand awareness
• Beat the competition
• Retain and develop customer loyalty
• Generate quick sales or leads
2. Once you have your goals in place, define your target market. Advertising campaigns will only succeed if you focus on a specific customer. Try to describe your target market in terms of:
• Who they are
• Where they are
• What motivates them
• What they need or desire
3. Once you’ve defined your goals and determined your target market you will find it easier to decide on the message you want to convey. It needs to clearly and concisely “speak” to your audience to explain the importance and benefits of your product. When writing your message always keep A.I.D.A. in mind:
A = attract Attention
I = hold their Interest
D = create Desire
A = motivate Action
4. Finally you need to determine the best method of reaching your audience. What is a good medium for one product or service may not be so good for another. Some of the options are:
• Business Card/Post Card
• Newspapers
• Magazines
• Outdoor Signage
• Tradeshow Signage
• Direct Mail
• TV
• Radio
• Phone Directories
• Business Directories
• Website
• Blog
In most cases you will need to hire a designer to create an effective and professional marketing piece. But if you also struggle with writing you may need to enlist the help of a writer to write an effective message.
