What is your
advertising definition?
Searching for a meaningful advertising definition?
Reacting to any form of advertising today has become an essential part of being a consumer. Advertising is everywhere and everyone has an opinion.
It's bad when it blatantly intrudes on someone's lifestyle.
And it's great when it informs. (Click for more advertising insights)
We all need goods and services to function. And advertising is the primary way we hear about new things and reinforce our knowledge about what we already know. It could be on the internet, television or your favorite magazine. Or in person by word-of-mouth.
Most likely, recipients are influenced by multiple messages across multiple mediums.
Advertising is a special area within the marketing discipline.
"Marketing is all those factors which go into the sale of a product or service such as price, distribution, wholesale and retail support, plus advertising and promotion," says Don E. Schultz in his book Essentials of Advertising Strategy.
His advertising definition: "Advertising is simply the communication of a sales or persuasive message designed to affect attitudes or behaviors toward the advertised product."
He continues, "Advertising consists of only two basic parts, the creative product or message and the medium or method used to get the message to the audience.
"We know the primary goal of advertising is to get the right message to the right audience at the right time," Mr. Schultz says. It is advertising that communicates the selling message.
• The Creative Aspect
The best creative messages must sell the product or service. David Ogilvy, said it well in his landmark Ogilvy on Advertising book, "When I write an advertisement, I don't want you to tell me that you find it 'creative'. I want you to find it so interesting that you buy the product."
• The Media Aspect
The listing of media available for use today is broader and wider than ever before. Consequently, how to make your small business advertising message stand out has become even more of a market targeting challenge.
The standard historical options of mass market newspapers, magazines, direct mail, yellow pages, radio, and network TV, are still around. And selecting one or more media options was simpler compared to today.
When you add the new choices of everything internet (including e-mail, web pages, viral marketing, Facebook, etc.), cable television channels, specialty magazines and publications, signs, four-color post cards and more, it's even harder to know where to spend your advertising dollars!
An Advertising Definition and Solution For Today's Small Businesses
And today, small businesses can actually afford smaller print quantities because modern printing technology means lower quantities and overall prices.
Imagine being able to print on pharmacy bags, or a limited number of restaurant place mats, or wrapping your business vehicle in an advertisement.
To make your own advertising plan, first figure out what results you want from your advertising. Your difficult financial choice is which medium or combination of media to select as you target your market.
That depends on your specific market and how it makes purchasing decisions. You have to do basic market research.
Here is today's advertising definition for small businesses: more creative and more media opportunities. It's almost too many choices. So you need to experiment, implement and be sure to keep track of results from each ad venture.
Our advice? Pick the top one, two or three media and concentrate your efforts there! See our checklist below.
• Click Here to Access Your Handy and Free Checklist: "11 Steps To Focus Your Advertising and Make More Profit"
• For the index to over 40 original small business advertising articles go to our site map page.
