>10 Questions To Ask Before You Advertise

So you’ve decided you need to advertise. Before you do, understand that advertising is not a magic spell you cast over people. It’s actually very tough to get real, verifiable, and long-term results from advertising. So, if you are going to advertise, ask these questions.

Question #1: How do you meet your buyers’ needs?
Advertising gets bogged down with price and meaningless business qualifications. “The lowest price with 29 years of experience” means nothing. What need do you fulfill for the buyer?

Question #2: Is your message strong enough to cause people to change their current buying habits?
People are not waiting around trying to figure out what to do. They are living life. Your message has to be strong enough to cause them to interrupt their current life habits, and consider buying something else.

Question #3: Does your message give people insight into your business?
Advertising is courtship, not a one night stand. If you want to get people to have a long-term relationship, you have to give them insight into the character of your business. Stay away from the superficial and give them your heart.

Question #4: Will people be receptive to your message?
Your message should resonate with people. Speak to buyers in their language about what they want to hear. Avoid messages that are aimed at your competition or that talk about things important to you.

Question #5: Where should you invest your money to optimize your message’s impact?
Think from your customer’s perspective. What media do they like to use? Be careful to avoid persuasive media reps selling you something that’s not a fit.

Question #6: Are the people exposed to your advertising message the people who are interested and capable of buying your product?
It’s not just enough to target demographically. Women between the ages of 25-44 do not all live the same way nor do they like the same things. You should also target by lifestyle.

Question #7: How should you design/create your advertising message to be most effective?
Be interesting. People are busy and the only thing that can divert their interest is something interesting. Don’t be outrageous, be interesting.

Question #8: Will people notice your ad?
Advertise where you can stand out and be important. If your budget is small, don’t advertise with the largest media. Concentrate your advertising in media where you can achieve importance and frequency.

Question #9: Will your message annoy or distract people from their basic reason for using that medium?
People aren’t using the media to hear your advertising message. While you need to be interesting, you also need to be appropriate for the media you are using. Make the flavor of your message fit the media.

Question #10: Is your money better invested on other options?
Do you really need to advertise at all? Maybe that money would be better invested improving the customer experience. Advertising alone is ineffective. First, make sure the rest of your marketing is in order.

Let future articles from The Marketing Spot come to you: Receive by Email or

Get The Marketing Spot in a blog reader

Share on Tumblr