"It is right that advertisers in the current climate should insist on flexibility from their media choices."

Businesses who maintain profile and presence in front of their customers will be best placed to make it through these difficult times. 

1.    Know your customer

All advertising experts agree that the best way to maximise effectiveness of any planned promotional push is to know what motivates the customer.  Rory Sutherland, Vice-Chairman of Ogilvy Group UK, says: ”The best way to profit from a small - indeed any - marketing budget is to understand your customers better than anyone else.”

This information is freely available - just ask them.  You will know where they go, what they do, and what they want, and you can devise the structure of your promotional campaign, its timing, and even its content around their response, so the media and promotional opportunities you do invest in are the most appropriate.

2.    Choose and use your media wisely

When you have spoken to your customers you will have a good understanding of what media they are exposed to.  Beware of only using online search to promote your business.  There is no denying that it is a strong communication method but it only reaches people when they are in front of their computer, and on their own, so it lacks the mass reach capabilities that off-line media – radio, outdoor and press, for example – provide. 

David Patton, CEO of Grey London, says:

“It's essential that you promote your business to the greatest number of people in the most efficient way for maximum budgetary value.” 

Offline advertising is a vital ‘additional shop window’, while online gives more detail and perhaps the chance to turn interest into a sale. 

It is right that advertisers in the current climate should insist on flexibility from their media choices. 

Tactically-planned ads reach the right consumers, at the right time and in the right way.  Outdoor advertising, for example, can be bought site by specific site through Signposter.com, so your billboards only run exactly where you want them to.   

3.    Be clever with your creative

It will be easier to create an effective advert if you understand your consumer and their motivation.  However, it is also important to bear in mind the medium and location in which your ad will be displayed. 

To get noticed in a press title, Advertising Creative Consultant Tim Braithwaite recommends “consider again the best thing you have to say, and then consider the best way of conveying it”, while David Patton suggests: “Try and tie your ad's content, imagery or general feel in with that of the editorial to increase its appeal to the audience.” 

All advertising experts agree that simplicity is key for billboard creative content.  But simplicity shouldn’t mean boring.  Tim Braithwaite says: “The average reader will only look at your poster for about three seconds.  But grab them and they’ll look at it for longer.  Give them something to talk about and they’ll remember it for weeks.  Sometimes forever.” 

Getting it right also means thinking about where it will be displayed.  As Rory Sutherland comments: “The location of the poster needs to be understood before you can ask any further questions.” 

Overall, your ad needs to persuade people to act on its message – whatever that may be.  So make sure it’s centred on the benefit of your product or service for its users.  ‘Sell the sizzle’ – the benefits – ‘not the sausage’ – the actual product or service. 

If your ad can persuade them that you are providing something they can’t do without, you have hooked their interest and will persuade them to do something about it.