Six Ways to Stretch your Advertising Dollars
Christopher Ross
Every business worries about advertising costs and the effectiveness of their advertising. Inserts into newspapers are often thrown away before anyone looks at them. How can you get your advertising dollars to stretch and generate sales? Whether you are an Internet-based business or a storefront business, this is a crucial issue to your long-term success!
Banner advertising: Banner advertising comes in two forms: online and storefront. A banner ad can be created and hung on your storefront to get attention or advertise a special sale. Review the advertising banner ordinances in your area to ensure you meet regulations. Far more visible than newspaper ads, these low-cost banners can last for years.
An online business should have a banner ad, which is a small, graphically pleasing, “box” seen on websites that generates traffic to your site. These small ads must convey a lot of clear information in a very small space in order to get the “hits”. No hits means no sales. Compelling content is the key; make the reader NEED to know more. Get the click!
For both types of banner advertising, you may need to turn to a reasonably priced professional. The price is small and the number of people reached is very high. Without the right design, your banner simply won’t be noticed.
Google Adwords: Google is the 1 search engine today and provides a means of advertising where you define what you want to spend. A professional Adwords manager may be needed because the process, from selecting keywords to creating the Google Ads, is a bit complex. This can, however, be some of the most effective advertising for stretching your dollar. It’s as simple as defining a budget for your Adwords campaign, having the advertisements produced, and making sales. It is even possible to track the hits generated by the ads and your search engine rankings.
Search Engine Optimization: If you have a web presence and are not getting the results you want, it may be because no one can locate you! The right keywords must be used to get your site listed in the popular search engines. Then you will have the best chance of receiving clicks to your site and closing sales. No matter how good your website, if no one reads it, there will be no sales.
Pleasing and Easy to Use Websites: Once a potential customer reaches your website, they must find it simple and easy to use. The investment in a complex, difficult to use web presence is useless.
The website should be not only informative, but visually attractive and show your business services or products clearly and concisely. If a person lands on a page and gets the impression they “need” search into the site, sales will possibly occur.
Brochures: The use of brochures, both online and for handing to potential clients in networking situations, can make a very big impression on the potential client – either good or bad. If a brochure is properly designed, the person will remember you when they need your services.
Business Cards: Having a well designed, unique, informative and original business card that not only tells about your business but shows what your business is about is a great investment but costs very little for the exposure you gain. The right business card should make a major impression on the reader. A very small advertising investment can generate a “branding” that provides great profits.
As you can see, making the right impression and having the right visibility are the keys to making potential clients remember you and want to contact you, while stretching your advertising budget.
Don’t be forgettable – be outstanding and memorable. It doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg to obtain the advertising tools you need to reach your prospective clients.
About the author:
Christopher Ross, UE is the owner of Getaway Graphics, a premier web design and marketing firm, focussing on helping small businesses build web sites that get results. You can contact him at 506-452-1595 or at info@getawaygraphics.com
© Copyright 2005, Christopher Ross. All rights reserved. Please contact author for reprints
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