Advertising is the practice of calling public attention to one’s product or service using some method of paid announcement. Understanding the power of advertising is critical for a business owner. That’s because advertising is the primary way business owners communicate about a business or product to a target audience. It is the way consumers find out what benefits a product has that will meet their needs. Advertising can be done using many kinds of media, such as online media (like e-mail, Facebook, or other types of social media) and offline media (like TV, newspapers, magazines, flyers, brochures, billboards, or radio.) Effective advertising tells a story – one that involves the customer and makes them feel something positive about the brand/company.
Advertising takes many forms. It can range from a low-cost sales brochure to a high-cost TV ad during the Afghan Star show on ToloTV. The challenge is how to develop effective advertising and then determine which kind of media works best for their product/service. You want to find out how to deliver your message to the target customer in the most effective way.
You can use advertising to grow your business by using it to make prospective customers aware that your product or service exists, making them aware of what your product/service can do for them, making people want to try your product/service, and finally, making them want to take action (like buy your product/service).
Advertising provides a direct line of communication to your existing and prospective customers about your product/service. Advertising serves many purposes. It can:
Make customers aware of your product or service
Convince customers that your company’s product or service is right for their needs
Create a desire for your product or service
Enhance the image of your company
Announce new products or services
Make customers take the next step (such as: asking for more information, requesting a sample, placing an order, etc.)
Attract customers to your business
Create an online presence of loyal customers for your business on the internet
Reinforce your brand message across multiple channels, highlighting your consistency
Successful businesses always have a goal in mind for their advertising. Your advertising goals should be established in your marketing plan. For example, you may want to increase your sales to reach a goal, generate more interest in a new service, or encourage more customers to visit your store. Your goal could simply be increasing name recognition or changing the image you’re projecting. For example, when Afghanistan Commercial Bank (ACB) newly entered the market, it focused on TV advertising to promote its brand as an established bank in the market.
Your goals will vary depending on the industry and market that you’re in.
As well, all products and businesses go through three stages, with different advertising goals needed for each one:
Stage 1: The start-up business. If you are new in the market, you need to establish your identity. Your business needs a lot of advertising and promotion to grab your consumer’s attention and make them aware of you.
Stage 2: The growing business. Once your business is established, your adverting can be used to differentiate yourself from your competition and convince buyers that yours is the best product/service to use.
Stage 3: The established business. The purpose of advertising at this point is to remind consumers why they should continue buying from you.
No matter which stages your business is in today, effective advertising does four things well:
It builds awareness. Advertising’s first job is to make prospective customers aware that your product/service exists.
It creates interest. Next, advertising should raise people’s interest in what your product/service can do for them.
It must create a desire. Advertising must make people want to try your product/service.
It should make them want to take action. Effective advertising should move your target customer to take an action. For example, this could be asking for more information about your business or moving them to buy your product.
When you are thinking of using advertising to grow your business, follow the following four-step procedure:
Step 1: Define your market. Determine who your target market is (those customers most likely to buy your product or service).
Step 2: Establish your budget. Know what you can afford to spend on advertising.
Step 3: Plan which kinds of media you’ll use. Figure out what are the best ways to reach your prospective customers with your message.
Step 4: Create an advertising strategy. Choose the most effective message and visuals for your advertising campaign.
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