Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Conventions Used in This Book 2

What You're Not to Read 2

Foolish Assumptions 2

How This Book Is Organized 3

Part I: Advertising 101 3

Part II: Creating Great Ads for Every Medium 3

Part III: Buying the Different Media 4

Part IV: Beyond the Basics: Creating Buzz and Using Publicity 4

Part V: The Part of Tens 4

Icons Used in This Book 5

Where to Go from Here 5

Part I: Advertising 101 7

Chapter 1: Advertising: Mastering the Art of Promotion 9

Making Advertising Work 10

Getting to Know Your Media Options 11

Regarding radio 11

Rating TV 12

Contemplating print 12

Musing upon direct mail 13

Scrutinizing outdoor advertising 14

Ogling online ads 14

Poring over publicity 14

Lessons from the Legends: Figuring Out Your Advertising Needs 15

David Ogilvy 16

Bill Bernbach 17

Wieden and Kennedy 18

Chapter 2: Setting and Working within Your Advertising Budget 19

Determining How Much You Can Afford to Spend 20

Developing an Advertising Strategy and a Tactical Plan 22

Researching and evaluating your competition 22

Identifying your target market 23

Knowing your product's appeal 24

Maximizing Your Budget 24

Getting the most out of your creative and production 25

Using media you can afford 26

Chapter 3: Boosting Your Budget with Co-Op Programs 33

Knowing Who Uses Co-Op Funds 33

Finding Out Which of Your Suppliers Have Co-Op Funds Available 35

Knowing who to talk to 36

You've found your funds, now how do you get the dough? 37

Understanding the Rules, Regulations, and Restrictions 37

Getting your ads preapproved 38

Obtaining proof of performance 39

Submitting your co-op claims package 40

Chapter 4: Defining and Positioning Your Message 41

Understanding Why People Choose One Product or Service over Another 42

Image is everything 42

You've got personality! 42

Convenience: More than location 43

Don't sacrifice service! 44

Let 'em know your uniqueness 45

The price is right 45

Researching and Assessing Your Competition: What Sets Your Product Apart? 46

Developing a Strategy for Your Advertising Campaign 48

Case Study: Advertising a Chain of Women's Plus-Size Clothing Stores 49

Identifying the USP: The unique selling proposition 50

Knowing the budget - and staying within its limits 50

Shooting the ads 51

Selecting the right media 51

Applying these ideas to your ad campaign 52

Chapter 5: Forming an Effective Ad Campaign 53

Identifying and Targeting Your Audience 54

Focus on your primary market 55

Research your market 55

Checking Out Your Competition's Ads so You Can Differentiate Yours 56

Focusing on Ads That You Respond to Most 57

Concocting a Creative Hook to Get Your Audience's Attention 59

Creative brainstorming 60

Creative example: Developing a campaign for a community college 62

Incorporating Your Creative Message into an Overall Media Ad Campaign 65

Ensuring consistency of your message in all media you choose 66

Keeping your message simple 66

Using words that sell 67

Delivering your message with clarity 69

Part II: Creating Great Ads for Every Medium 71

Chapter 6: Online Advertising: Maximizing the Enormous Reach of the Internet 73

Measuring the Pros and Cons of Online Advertising 74

Creating Your Own Web Site 76

Deciding on your Web site goals 77

Choosing an effective domain name 78

Saving money (or your sanity): Your Web design 78

Designing a strong Web site 79

Promoting Your Site 83

Setting Goals for Online Ads 85

Ads that build awareness 86

Ads that encourage click-through 86

Ads that encourage sales 87

Choosing Among Online Ad Formats 87

Creating banner ads 88

Doing e-mail advertising 92

Chapter 7: Using Print Ads: Small Spaces with Big Audiences 95

Exploring the Advantages of Print 95

Recognizing What Makes a Print Ad Successful 96

Writing and Designing an Eye-Catching Print Ad 99

Hammering out your headline 99

Shaping your subheads 101

Building your body copy 101

Generating your graphics 102

Don't forget the layout! 103

Chapter 8: Radio: Effective, Affordable, and Fun 107

Summarizing Your Business in 60 Seconds 107

Who are you? 108

What are you selling? 108

When do you want consumers to act? 109

How can customers get in touch with you? 109

Why should customers hire or buy from you? 110

Deciding on the Format for Your Ad 112

Talking it up: Dialogue 112

Amusing (and schmoozing) the masses: Comedy 113

Giving just the facts: A straight read 114

Determining Who Should Read the Script 115

Doing it yourself 115

Using a studio announcer 118

Hiring a professional voice talent 118

Setting It All in Motion: How to Get Your Ad on the Radio 120

Chapter 9: Demystifying TV Commercials: They Don't Have to Win Awards to Be Effective 123

Designing Your TV Commercial in Layers 124

Audio 124

Video 125

Computer graphics 125

Bringing the Audio and Visual Together 126

Deciding What to Feature in Your Commercial 129

Appearing in your own commercial 129

Promoting with a professional 130

Highlighting your place of business 130

Focusing the camera on your product or service 131

Figuring Out Where to Shoot 131

On location 131

In the studio 134

Producing Your Commercial 135

Using the TV station's production department 135

Hiring an independent production house 137

Editing Your Commercial 137

Chapter 10: Collateral Advertising and Direct Mail: Brochures, Flyers, Newsletters, and More 139

First Things First: Planning Your Collateral Campaign 140

Watching Out for Collateral Budget Busters 141

Adding a little (or a lot) of color 142

Printing cheap: No such thing? 142

Designing the Best Collateral Ads for Your Business 145

Striving for a simple design and clear copy 146

Deciding what to include in your ad 147

Getting help with your design 151

Handing Off the Dirty Work: Direct-Mail Houses 154

Asking the direct-mail provider some important questions 154

Planning your postage 157

Chapter 11: Opting for Outdoor Ads: Billboards, Posters, Ads on Buses, and Other Signage 159

Recognizing the Advantages of Outdoor Advertising 160

Measuring the Effectiveness of Outdoor Ads 162

Choosing Among Your Outdoor Advertising Options 163

Designing Memorable Outdoor Advertising 166

Pursuing potential customers 167

Making your ad readable 168

Keeping your ad clear 169

Making it worth remembering 169

Looking at a Success Story: Chick-fil-A's Billboard Campaign 170

Aiming for the target audience 171

Setting up the marketing strategy 171

Capitalizing on the creative strategy 171

Reaping the results 171

Part III: Buying the Different Media 173

Chapter 12: Investing in Internet Advertising 175

Hiring Someone to Create Your Business Web Site 176

Choosing a Web designer worthy of your hard-earned dollars 176

Contracting with and paying a Web designer 178

Finding an ISP to Run Your Site 179

Ranking Your Site: Purchasing Key Words on Search Engines 181

Buying Banner Ads on Other Web Sites 181

Using ad networks 181

Placing your online ads yourself 182

Online advertising via affiliate programs 182

Finding out whether your banner is working 183

Assessing the Cost-Effectiveness of E-Mail Advertising 184

Chapter 13: Buying Ad Space in Print Media 187

Choosing the Right Publication for Your Print Ad 188

Calculating Your Print Ad's Cost 189

Finding a Good Sales Rep 191

Cold-calling a publication: Don't do it! 191

Going straight to the top: Call the sales manager 192

Asking for referrals 192

Becoming a Formidable Ad Buyer 193

Acting as though you're reluctant 193

Making your sales rep think she's got competition 195

Complaining when the time is right 196

Chapter 14: Purchasing Ad Time on the Radio 199

Determining the Best Radio Station for Your Ads 200

Specifying which demographic you're after 201

Doing your homework 202

Buying the station 204

Talking the Talk of Radio Advertising 205

Cume 206

Ranker 206

Dayparts 207

Reading the Fine Print 207

Hammering out the details 207

Holding 'em to it 209

Waiting Patiently for the Results 210

Giving your audience time to respond 210

Buying radio time: Too little, too much? 211

Evaluating your radio ads from time to time 211

Taking Advantage of Seasonal Incentives to Reduce Your Costs 212

Chapter 15: Getting Your Ads on Television 215

Buying the Programming, Not the Station 216

Comparing TV Stations: Request Media Kits 217

Ready to Negotiate? Better Know Your TV Marketing Terms First! 218

Understanding timing and sweeps 219

Measuring ratings and market shares 219

Working with a Sales Rep 221

Talkin' the talk: Negotiating successfully 223

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