Welcome to Checkpoint Number Five

A summary of our fifth series of two weeks, and 10 more Media Spikes presented.

Let's take a look back at what we covered.

#41: Trying to decipher industry jargon. Every business has it's own language of terms and abbreviations known only to the insiders of each business. Just learning Reach and Frequency and GRP's will put you miles ahead of your competition.

#42: You don't have to be a rock star like Elton John to stand out from the crowd. Just be consistent and memorable and keep showing up.

#43:Why do you advertise? You're creating store traffic. You are attracting new customers. You are encouraging repeat business. It tells people you are here with solutions for them. It keeps you competitive and it conveys a successful image. Advertising doesn't cost- it Pays!

#44: What happened to all the money?  Does more good money disappear into oblivion once you use online ads? We hope not, but it's important to not abandon what's working just to go where all the action is. There may be a lot of activity in new media, but how much of it produces results for you?

#45: Who is your target group? The better you can define and refine who your target group is, the more focused your ads can be. The less waste you'll experience and pay for. We whittled an original audience of 31 million Canadians to a very specific audience for computer printers. It pays to focus.

#46: So what do you choose? You have a blank cheque to run ads anywhere. Where do you want to run your ads? You finally have the chance to do anything you choose. So what do you choose?

#47: Flavour of the month? Too many campaigns have short life cycles that are expected to drive the sales for an entire year. Why? Wouldn't it be a better use of funds to have a consistent push out there all year? Maybe a couple of extra hits in seasons specific to what you do but regular presence will sustain profile, build longer term brand recognition and keep your costs amortized over a year and not a sudden spike. It's not always about buying more, its about buying smarter.

#48: Whether the campaign works or not, it still costs you the same. Remember to use all the tools at your disposal to clearly identify who your target is and where they are so you spend smarter. Test small to succeed big.

#49: With any luck- you've never heard of me until now. Sharing my history of agencies and clients.

#50: You can always make a case for and against any media. The court of last resort- your customers- is the true barometer to see what works/sells, and what doesn't. Testing will separate the shell game from the sell game.

Dear reader, can you believe it. You already have fifty days of tips, recommendations, insights and teaching to help improve your advertising. We're coming into the home stretch of seven more- HANG ON!!

Thank you for your continued interest and support. The Media Spikes will resume their standard delivery pattern. I'm so pleased to field your questions and look forward to hearing from more readers. Thank you I look forward to hearing from you.

Stay Tuned.

Dennis Kelly
dennis@firstimpressionsmedia.ca


"Like to learn more? Nine Secrets of How To Improve Your Advertising and How To Actually Make Your Ads Outperform Your Competition  is not for everyone.  It’s for smart marketers who want proven tips to make their ads work harder and smarter.

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