Happy New Year!
I am planning on making 2012 my best year ever.
What about you? What are some of your goals for the year?
If like most of us who are self-employed professionals, you probably want more and better clients.
When most people think of generating new business, they think of advertising.
Certainly adverting is the most visible marketing strategy. It is also the most costly marketing component.
Given it's high visibility and cost factors, every minute and dollar devoted to advertising must contribute to the overall success of your advertising activities.
To help you get your 2012 advertising off to a good start, here are the what I consider 10 steps to advertising success.
After you have reviewed these 10 steps, think about which ones generate the most new business for you.
But don't stop there...share your advertising experiences. Even the best experiences get better when shared so others can benefit from them.
Step 1: Identify your target audience
Who do you want to send your advertising message to?
By defining your target market with as much precision as possible, you will increase the likelihood of attracting more and better clients.
Step 2: Identify what you want your audience to do
In most cases, your advertising by itself will not automatically lead prospective clients to the decision to hire you.
Regardless of what action you would like your target market to take, keep this action firmly planted in your mind as your prepare your advertising message.
Step 3: Identify benefits for your target market
Give them some reason for doing what you want them to do.
Tell them how they benefit from taking the desired action.
Step 4: Identify the best media for your message
Effective niche market research and market segment research will help ensure that you are using the best media for communicating your message to your target market.
Step 5: Satisfy yourself that your goal is achievable
Before preceding with the rest of the 10 steps to advertising success, pause to assess steps 1-4.
Once satisfied that your desired outcome is indeed possible, proceed with the remaining 5 steps to advertising success.
Step 6: Determine what your audience now knows about the service that you provide
Clearly, what your target audience now knows...or thinks it knows...is a critical factor in encouraging individual members of the audience to take the actions that you want taken.
Step 7: Determine what your audience needs to know
Among the purposes of advertising is to provide prospects with the information they need in order to agree to take the action that you would like them to take.
It establishes the level to which you need to increase your prospects' information.
Step 8: Offer your audience a compelling reason for taking your desired action
Whatever action you want your target market to take, offer them a compelling reason for taking the action.
And remember that the most compelling reasons invariably offer something of value to the person taking the action.
Step 9: Follow up every lead
If you don't already have one, develop and implement an effective follow-up system before you start advertising.
There is nothing to be gained if your advertising encourages individuals from your target market to contact you but then having them disappear because you have a weak...or non-existent...follow-up system.
Step 10: Track results
By tracking the results of these 10 steps to advertising success, you can lean which ones work well...and which ones need to be improved.
Now it's your turn.
Which of these steps contribute most to your advertising success?
To learn more, see 10 Steps To Advertising Success.
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