Regardless of the type of business you have, advertising can bring you new customers or clients. The effects of advertising can be long term, as once an ad brings in a new customer, you may have that customer for many years to come. And if you satisfy that customer, he may tell others, and word-of-mouth can multiply the results from that original advertising effort.
Internet Advertising
The Internet opens a whole new world of advertising opportunities. However, due diligence is required to effectively promote your website. Register your site with as many search engines as you can, such as InfoUSA, Alexa, Google, Yahoo! and MSN. Registering is free with most search engines. Seek to do link exchanges with other sites. Search for related business to yours that have products and services that complement yours, and ask them to do a link exchange, where they place a link to your site on their site and you do the same. The number of inbound links pointing to your site will also increase your standing with the major search engines.
Print Media
Print media advertising offers you the chance to get the word out to the general public and also to directly target an audience. While daily newspapers have struggled in recent years, weekly community tabloid newspapers are thriving. They can offer reasonable rates and can be very effective for reaching local residents and visitors. Weekly and monthly tabloid publications often have specific themes, such as women's health, real estate and pets. Unlike radio and television, if someone is interested in the product or service they see advertised, they can physically keep the ad for later reference.
Broadcast Media
Radio and television advertising can reach very large audiences, even from local stations. Radio stations, in particular, tend to have very loyal listeners who regularly in their cars and at work. Radio and television base their advertising rates on the length of the ad (typically 30- or 60-second spots), on the number of projected viewers or listeners, and daytime or nighttime airing. Many local cable television companies have programs to insert local ads into national cable channel programs. Take advantage of discounts for running ads multiple times. Ads are more effective when run repeatedly, according to Studio 1 Productions.
Billboards
You see them as you drive down the road, and you can't miss them. They're big billboards. Even though you only have a few seconds to see their message, they can be most memorable. Billboards are effective because they work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can be seen multiple times by passersby. However, they can be expensive and typically run between $700 and $2,500 a month depending on the location, according to the Gaebler website.
Test The Results
As the old saying goes, "it takes money to make money," and investing in advertising can have long-term benefits that you might not realize right away. To help you in determining the most effective use of your advertising dollars, ask your customers how they heard about your product or service. Some won't remember, but taking a large sampling of customers should reveal some insight into the best forms of advertising for your particular business.
Tags: search engines, your site, multiple times, product service, Radio television