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Rivkie Stall offers consultations for businesses on how to advertise and market goods and services through a variety of venues. With over 18 years experience designing, lecturing, working a reporter and managing the ad department for a prominent NJ newspaper, Rivkie helps businesses grow with effective marketing strategies.
TRY SOMETHING NEW!
It's a new year, offering fresh beginnings for all of us, heralding winter break frazzle with the kids home, new political affiliations, new worries about world crises, maybe even something simpler and less catastrophic, like new, easy recipes to try out on unsuspecting guests or a new front door mat.
This year, I tried something new. I remarried. Upon arrival into our new community, I was warmly greeted. "Oh, a new face .... Who are you, and where are you from?" People are still asking. People appreciate something new. Busted monotony is exciting! A new pair of shoes, new hairstyle, new car, new flavor gelato (more frequent than remarriage, but almost as exciting) are just some examples of how refreshing changes can be.
It is documented that businesses which thrive and succeed, regularly offer new products and services to surpass their competition. As a graphic designer and marketing strategist, I advise business owners on how they can get noticed and increase revenue. The greatest complaint I hear is: "Business is slow." My strongest advice is: "You need a new look!" Are you married to your ads? Are you in a lifetime commitment to an advertising venue which isn't working? You can easily upgrade your ads to get you more attention. (It's easier than getting yourself remarried; trust me.) Combined with an informative, eye-catching brochure, flyers, mail pieces and other strategies to attract new customers, updating your look by redesigning your ads is the most simple and effective way to reintroduce your business to the community and beyond. Consumers scan publications for ads offering exciting new promotions, the latest styles and new information. Are you offering that - and do consumers know about it? Are your ads boring or confusing? Were your old brochures produced before the last time you Diamond Brited your pool? It’s time for a change.
To grow, every business relies upon new clients, repeat customers, plus good word of mouth. With effective ads, you increase your odds. Greater exposure = Greater business. Fresh, creative ads will do more than just attract the eyes of thrill-seeking consumers. They boost a business owner’s confidence and open new ideas, opportunities and connections. This year, try something new! I did – and I highly recommend it.
ADVERTISING: THE POWERS OF A GOOD AD
Do you ever take a much needed break to flip mindlessly through a newspaper or magazine? Whether you’re reading articles or checking the weather, you see ads. Every publication features ads. Advertising revenue is the primary way publications survive. Advertising in publications is a primary way YOU can survive.
There are good ads and there are bad ads. The good ones catch your eye quickly, offer simple information and leave the reader with a clear message. The bad ones don't usually catch the eye unless they are really awful (“Gasp!”). Bad ads can be boring, confusing, offensive, crowded, and off-putting to readers. A bad ad makes the reader turn the page. A good ad motivates the reader, offers ideas and encourages solutions. The difference between a "good" ad and a "bad" ad can make or break your business!
Create a good ad.
Studies indicate that when an ad is set up in an attractive manner with a balanced combination of graphic elements and text, the odds of it being noticed increase exponentially. It doesn’t have to be the largest ad on the page, but if it carries a strong message, it shouts “LOOK AT ME!”. I often recommend to clients on a reduced advertising budget to invest effort into designing an amazing ad, even if it must run in a smaller size.
Do the math.
When you first introduce your business or something new you offer, it’s important to strategize with a plan of action to maximize your dollars with strong, effective exposure. I recommend that clients allocate a budget for advertising with a plan of action. This way they don’t feel badly each time a publication ad invoice arrives. Advertising can be costly; but it is important to weigh the monetary outlay for exposure against the odds of capturing new business; the greater amounts of money to be made. I advise clients “Evaluate how many sales you need to make to pay for this ad. Evaluate that if 10,000+ readers see your ad, the odds are high you will get ‘X’ number of responses. Multiply those responses by sales. It should greatly exceed your outlay for the ad.” In a calculated gamble, it is likely worth spending some money to make even more.
Advertise consistently.
It’s not just critical to attract potential clients now; it’s also key that your ad be remembered when you are later needed. If you have a memorable ad and run it consistently, not only do you bring in current business, but when you are later needed, potential clients and customers will seek you out. For example, an eyeglasses store may be useful now if you need new glasses, but months down the line when your visiting-for-a-few-months mother-in-law’s glasses get run over and sucked up by your neighbor’s lawn mower, you’ll know who to call! A trick I recommend when I strategize with my clients is to place ads in a few select publications, making sure that they always have an ad presence somewhere. It doesn’t have to be in every paper, or even the same publication every time, as long as the ads appear consistently enough to be memorable. I advertise in very few publications, yet people often tell me they’ve seen my ads “everywhere”.
Follow through.
Good follow-through is critical once you get an inquiry on an ad. The greatest response on ads is usually soon after the ad runs. However, just as potential customers saw your ad, they’ve likely seen your competition too, which means you have to work fast to get the deal before they go elsewhere. Call back right away. Process their order quickly. Make sure they are thrilled. The most positive outcome of good follow-through, in addition to payment, is being referred by word of mouth. “I saw this great ad in the paper so I called her... She was fabulous... You should try her out!”
THE VALUE OF A COUPON
Your grandma clips them. Your mother-in-law keeps them in a special box on top of the fridge. THEY’RE HOLY COUPONS! You keep them in your glove compartment for that special trip for the unique pleasure of saving money. Whether a percent off any purchase at an overpriced bed and bath chain, a buy-one-get-one-free ice cream cone, or any advertised discount offered in our capitalistic society; No one can deny that it feels great to get a great deal.
Ads with coupons offering a discount, or a free gift with purchase, are great for bringing in new customers. In consulting, I recommend offering a ‘percent off’ which is not just a standard amount. A promotion of 8.5% OFF, for example, will attract more attention than a standard 10% OFF. Also effective is offering something your customers want or need, as a free gift, with a minimum purchase. Be willing to give something away for new business! An incentive I love most is cash back. It’s hard to turn down a cash back promotion when purchasing something you need anyway.
Business owners’ challenges include not just bringing in new business, but being able to identify which advertising investments are worth it. A coupon makes it easy for the vendor to know where and when their ad is effective, particularly when their is a “with this ad” or “mention this ad” requirement. The next time you run your ad, try a coupon and see the results! Mention “rivkie.com” for a free initial consultation when you call me!
THE VENUES OF ADVERTISING
Clearly, when business is slow, a proven way to perk things up is to advertise. Choosing your venue(s) can be tricky; weighing one publication against another, deciding what to run, how to run it, what size or for how long. If you are starting a new business, or seeking ways to expand an existing business, I recommend you consult a pro for advice and tips to save you money and get you noticed.
Local Publications
Small local publications are a wonderful way to communicate with a wide readership concentrated in your own neighborhood - and also sometimes reaching outside the borders to other areas. By patronizing a local publication, you benefit from the ‘community advantage’. The ‘community advantage’ is that people know you from around town, and are more likely to choose your services over a stranger’s. Social connections can be wonderful for business connections. It happens to me often that friends notice my ads and comment to me (favorably, hopefully) about them. Advertise to people where you live. Community publications, center newsletters and school calendars, for example, are cost-reasonable.
Newspapers
Sometimes clients wish to advertise their products or services statewide or nationwide. The advice I give is to choose your publications based not just on how many thousands of readers receive the paper, but the percentage of readers which are your target market. It is sometimes better to have a big piece of a smaller, more successful pie than a gambling shot in a larger paper. Many of the larger publications charge much more per inch than the smaller newspapers and magazines which are additionally often willing to discount or offer you deals. To get your best value in a large publication, I recommend: 1) Have a professional design an amazing, eyecatching ad for your business. 2) Run a smaller ad to save some money, but request ideal placement; top or bottom right if possible. 3) Request a multiple-run discount even if it means paying up front for a few ads at a time.
E-Blasts
E-Ads are the latest trend in advertising. If you use email frequently, it is likely you have a well developed contact list of addresses; associates, clients and friends to whom you can advertise. Emailing a blast with your ad is the most affordable way to reach hundreds (or thousands) with just a click. There are programs you can enroll in, which allow you to customize your E-Ad, design and develop it with content, artwork, photos and links to web pages and email addresses, so that the viewer has it all in front of them when it arrives in their inbox. With lightning speed, you can send your ads out via email at any time, day or night, as often as you wish. Having a graphic designer set up your e-blast ensures that when it arrives, it gets noticed. The secret here is to make the blast eye catching. Effective taglines, clear content, combined with powerful graphics, draw the prospect to read it. Also, knowing when to send it, is crucial. There are particular days and times of the day which are best. Timing is everything!
Mailers, Postcards, Flyers & Foldovers
Well designed printed pieces are attractive and effective marketing tools. They are easy to distribute and mail. They are handy to carry around and convenient to hand to clients. They graphically depict your business and make it easier to convince your potential customers to choose you - and your services - over your competition. An ad run in a publication can easily be enlarged and colorized into an eye catching flyer to complement your marketing strategy. An exciting postcard is a great way to inform customers of promotions or to publicize upcoming events without the expenses of standard rate mail. An effective mail piece is worth the postage!
Word of Mouth
The advertising method most free is word of mouth. Tell your friends, family, people you meet and know, people you don’t even know... what you offer. You never know from which connection business will arrive. And of course, with your job well done, you can ask for clients to refer you. Encourage your satisfied customers to spread the word about you. Some businesses offer referral incentives for customers who help them out to spread the word and bring them new business.
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