H2O’s 10 Tips for Advertising Success

Every company, big or small, needs advertising. There’s no question about that. Placing advertisements is the only way potential consumers can learn about your products and services. Without advertising, most consumers wouldn’t even know your business existed.

Now while advertising is undoubtedly a must-have for any business, it’s not always easy to create a successful advertising campaign that’s eye-catching and also generate sales. That’s where these 10 tips come in. Read on to find out how you can increase your chances of advertising success.

1. Know Your Audience 

Knowing your audience is absolutely key in creating successful advertisements. You didn’t design your product for everyone, right? So why are you wasting your money selling it to everyone? An advertisement for men’s work boots is not going to do well in Vogue, but it probably would be great in a magazine like Family Handyman. Learn who is already interested and buying your product, and then place ads to specifically target that group.

2. Frequency 

This is one of the most important tips for advertising success. Plain and simple, advertisements don’t work when you place only one and stop. Your product might be amazing, and your ad could be the most creative and beautiful piece of art, but it’s still not going to work if you run only one advertisement.

The key is three. You need three impressions to generate a sale. This is called effective frequency. In a nutshell, your product becomes increasingly more appealing to potential consumers when they see your ad repeatedly, until finally after three impressions, a purchase is made. Just remember: don’t give up after one ad.

3. Make it Catchy

What’s the first thing you see when you glance at an advertisement, an article, a package or even a link on Facebook?

The headline.

That short, little blurb is what most consumers will see before any other part of your advertisement, so it needs to be catchy. It needs to draw people in and make them want to read more. It should give them a little information about your product, but not so much that they stop there. Make your headline work hard for you.

4. Photography

To sell your product, you need to make it look perfect. It needs to look bright, clear and eye-

catching. Nobody wants to buy from a company when the artwork is dark and blurry. Consumers are making an investment when they purchase from you. Your photography – in your ads, on your website and on your social media –  should make them feel like they’re going to receive a high-quality product every time they purchase.

5. Website Quality 

This goes hand in hand with good photography. All aspects of your business need to be presented in a visually appealing way in order to achieve success. If your advertisement is great, but your website looks out of date, is hard to navigate or looks untrustworthy, the potential for a sale ends the second a consumer enters your site. Don’t let a potential buyer get this far just to say ‘forget it’ because of your web page.

6. Mix Up Your Media 

Running ads in one magazine or on one website is a great start, but in order to attract as many potential buyers as possible, you need to mix up your media. Run digital advertising one month, and try print the next. Try promoted or sponsored ads on social media. Purchase an advertising package that will place your product on multiple platforms at once. Whatever you choose, just make sure you’re targeting as many potential consumers as possible.

7. Be Active Online

That heading pretty much says it all.

In today’s digital world, buyers want to interact with your company online, even after they’ve already seen your advertisements and made a purchase. They want to see daily updates, photographs of products, and receive exclusive information like sales, discounts and new products. Encourage your consumers to remain loyal and stay engaged with your brand by posting often, staying active and communicating with fans online.

8. Look for Editorial That Makes Sense

Most publications post their editorial calendar online, so you can see what’s inside upcoming issues. This makes it easier to put your ad in a place where it’s more likely to be seen. Are you selling jeans? Placing an advertisement in a magazine with a “Fall Denim Special” editorial section would be a great idea. Or maybe you’re selling outdoor gear, and you found a magazine with an “Summer Essentials Preview.” You get the idea.

Place your ad in a relevant place. Consumers are much more likely to buy when they’re actually looking.

9. Use an Advertising Agency

This list might seem like a lot, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. If you feel like all this is too much to take on as a business owner with limited time, working with an agency is a great option. An agency can help you with every single item on this list, making sure your advertising succeeds while you keep an eye on running your business. Additionally, working with an agency can give you numerous benefits you won’t have if you advertise on your own.

10. Use Your Rep

One of those benefits of working with an agency is having a representative that works closely with you. These reps know your product, your audience, and what mediums and publications work best for you. They’re also available to help you with your artwork, copy writing and photo selection. Sometimes your rep will also be able to find you exclusive deals from publications that would be impossible for you to find on your own.

Advertising doesn’t have to be hard. Follow these 10 tips, and success and sales will be closer than you think.