The Stages of Developing Advertising Strategies

The Stages of Developing Advertising Strategies

Creating an advertisement is easy but creating an effective ad is not. You need to follow a number of
strategies to make a good ad. You should go for market survey, identify your target audience, choose
the right medium and create a message focusing on the unique quality of your product and service.

News for Advertising Strategy 

The Stages of Developing Advertising Strategies 

Advertising is the most important tool to grow your business. In fact it not only helps your business to
grow. Advertisement is necessary also for the establishment of a business. A great advertising strategy
reflects a number of things starting from the company's objective to business consideration, budget to
brand development efforts and so on.

While making an ad you should remember that consumers buy a product because they need it. So your
ad must appeal to the rational faculty of a consumer. On the other hand the consumers choose one
brand though several brands of the same product category exist in the market. This is dictated by the
emotional self of a consumer. The best ad is one which combines both reason and emotion to drive a
sale.

Aim of an Advertisement

An advertisement has three goals mainly. First of all an advertisement is created to inform the
consumers about a company and its products or services. Once the customers have been informed the
next aim is to attract customers to stimulate sale. A customer comes to know about you, buy your
product or service. Now it is obvious that you want that customer to get back to you. For achieving this
purpose you need to remind them over and again about the value they have got with your product or
service and this is the third aim of an ad.

Recognizing the Target Audience

Before you make an advertisement you should recognize your target audience. Knowing the age group,
gender, job, income and hobby is very important for you. The next thing to detect is the consumer's
behaviors and their shopping habits (from whom do they buy). Finally you should concentrate on their
needs and desires. If you can determine the consumer need (develop a desire to buy your product) with
your products or services half of your work is done.

Put Yourself in Your Consumer's Shoe

Once you identify your target customers put yourself in their shoe to understand what they expect from
you. You should develop your product concept the way the consumers want to perceive it. Your product
is actually a "bundle of values" as described by Courtland L. Bovee and William F. Arens. Emphasize on
the quality the consumers would like to have in your product.

Advertising Medium

There are a number of mediums through which you can transmit your message to the customers. You
should identify the medium your target audience is exposed to. It can be newspaper ads, popular
magazine ads, radio ads, TV ads, Internet ads, banner ads, direct mail and so on. Instead of going for a
particular medium you can go for multiple mediums since no one concentrate on a single medium these
days.

Create Unique Advertising Message

You have crossed all the necessary steps. Now comes the most important part. It is time to create the
advertising message that covers your marketing objectives as well as your product or service value. You
should focus on the unique features of your products or services. Emphasize the point that will persuade
the customers. Your advertising message is a combination of content and visual. Use attractive visual
and informative content to win the trust of your customers.
How to Create an Advertisement
Creating an advertisement for a product or a service seems to be a difficult task for many. They can sit at
the desk, paper and pen in front of them, and not a word written. Here are some simple steps to get you
started.

Steps
1. Begin the ad creation by analysing your product and consumer. Each ad has to be made
specifically for those who are interested in buying the product or using the service, namely the
"Consumer", or the Target Audience.
2. Understand WHO will buy or use your product / service. Search for as much information about
them as possible. If your product is already in the market you can obtain this information by
conducting consumer surveys, talking to the sales people, or observing consumer behaviour at
various stores. If the product has not as yet launched, use best guess strategy or existing market
information. Thus you will be able to define who your buyer or user is - this is your Target
Audience, or the Consumer.

 If you are selling a pencil, your target audience may be kids, students, women, men or teachers.
 Are they the users, buyers or influencers? In the case of pencils users may be students, buyers
are parents and influencers are friends.

3. Find out WHAT is so special about your product, the unique selling proposition . Make sure you
find only one compelling reason otherwise you will confuse your reader. This is also sometimes
referred to as the brand positioning. Look for something that current competitors do not offer
or do not overtly claim to offer.

 Identify a relevant unique product offering. By relevant it should

be something that the consumer needs or likes, and not that's
unique for the sake of it. An example of something unique to
your product but not relevant is a colorful garbage bag.

 Finding the one most relevant reason is more challenging than it

sounds. Make a list of your product benefits and then rank them
in the order of importance to your Consumer (not to you).
Concentrate on the top most benefits

 Is there an unmet desire or need, any frustration in the mind of

your consumer,that will create a market for your particular
product? Assess the need gap that exists for the product or service

 The product claim you make should be credible and trustworthy - don't make incredulous claims
that your product can not deliver.
 Take for example the pencils. Do they need to sharpened or be lead replaced. Are they easy to
grip, should they be smooth and stylish, and come in many attractive colors, so on so forth
 4. Understand WHY will they buy or how will they use your
product.

 Why consumers buy this product category, your

brand or the competitor's brand.

Consumers have many choices

5. Decide HOW to effectively convey the Product message. Use the information that you have
collected to form a "Creative Brief" for your creative team.

 Normally the product benefit or your USP is highlighted in the ad by using catchy headlines and
attention grabbing visuals.
 For the tone and style of the ad you need to keep your Target Audience in mind. It should get
their attention, be easy to understand, informative, correct in tone and manner and above all
entertaining.
 Engage the consumer to make your ad stand out in clutter (a term used to describe plethora of
ad messages that an average consumer is exposed to) and be different from competitors. Words
such as "Free", "Extra", "Best", "New" or "Now" are the traditional favorites. For an instant
response, action words such as Call Now, Hurry, Rush, work well.
 Don't forget to include all the information that is required but at the same time don't overload.
Keep it simple and short.

6. Think of when will they buy, how will they shop for it. This will help you decide how, when and
where to advertise, what media is best for you; choices may be local Newspaper, web,
pamphlets and many others.

7. Admire your ad. It might be a great ad, but you are not sure that it will sell what you want it to
sell, until you have tested it amongst your Target Audience. Put the ad out and have a
questionnaire ready to find out if you have reached the audience you set out to.

Article Info

Last edited:
August 17, 2010 by Harh017

Categories:
Magazines and News | Visual & Written Media
Recent edits by: Wdt3223, Tryme2, The Guy Who Hates Hating on the Internet (see all)

Useful Links:
http://www.wikihow.com/Create-an-Advertisement

http://homeforprofits.com/miscellaneous/steps-to-create-an-effective-ad/

http://ezinearticles.com/?Persuasive-Advertising-Techniques---3-Easy-Steps-To-Make-Your-Ads-Stand-
Out-Like-A-Diamond&id=1028297