Advertising Strategy

1. Your Objectives

Before deciding whether to use advertising, clarify what you are trying to achieve.

Your ultimate objective is probably to directly increase sales. But your promotional activities may focus on intermediate objectives that make sales and other business objectives easier, such as brand building.

Draw up a list of SMART objectives (specific, measurable, agreed, realistic, time-limited), against which you can measure the effectiveness of your campaigns (see 6).

1.1 You may need to create awareness of something, or change customer attitudes.

• Creating a reputation as the market leader may allow you to increase your prices and win long-term contracts.
• Building brand awareness for a product makes the product easier to sell. It also makes it easier to launch new products.
• Making consumers feel good about your company can boost sales.

1.2 You may need to convey a specific one-off message to your market.

• For example, informing people of a special offer, or a particular benefit of your product.

1.3 You may need to prompt specific action, such as the customer visiting your premises.

• If you are building up a database of leads, your objective might be to gather the contact details of potential customers.
• If your product is suitable, your objective may be to create sales there and then.

1.4 You may need to address your existing customers, rather than win new ones.

• Keeping up 'front of mind' awareness encourages customers to consider you first when they place their next orders.