Posted on 20 July 2017

Advertising, whatever tool you use is costly. If it works and costs less than the business it generates it’s good value, but if your efforts fall on stony ground, it’s expensive. Don’t be fooled there is no guarantee of 100% success with any form of promotion but, by taking time, seeking advice and careful planning you do improve your chances.

Don’t Panic

The classic mistake is the kneejerk reaction! Business unexpectedly falls off so adverts are quickly placed without thought or planning. The result all too often is that they fail to deliver results! They may not reach the right market, fail to deliver the right message or meet current market requirements. Often, old dated adverts are used for expediency, normally unsuccessfully.

Plan ahead

Most businesses experience peaks and troughs in activity. As all campaigns take time to deliver results, if you wait until you are in trough to advertise, you are too late. It’s wise to carefully monitor forward order activity and if a slowdown is evident take action early. This also allows some more time for careful planning. Before considering any form of promotion, there are two absolute essential pieces of information needed: Details of the product or service you need to sell and who is likely to require it. Later in the discussion with agencies, you will need a third factor, your budget.

Choosing the right partner

We tend to be creatures of habit, going to the same restaurants, shops and agencies. If they deliver the results you want, then OK, but it’s also possible that by shopping around, you could get a better deal or a new, more successful marketing angle. Crucially whoever you talk to should take the time to understand your business, your needs and your aims. If they question your strategy and plans, that is a good sign, it shows they have learnt something about you.

Spread your risks

Putting all your eggs in one basket is risky. Be wary of anyone that does not give you options. A good approach is to test several tools in parallel with modest budgets before making a large commitment.

Chiltern Silicon Valley

The companies within CSV have teamed up so we can offer the full range of digital marketing services, this way we can advise you on the right tools to use without bias. Whether you are targeting just locally, a single vertical market or something wider, we can help.