Why Business Hesitate to Advertise in Print
Amid the growing, swirling fog of business marketing today, print ads remain a solid, foundational method of reaching potential clients. However, for print ads to be effective, they must be published in the right publications, convey meaningful information, and appear consistently enough to be recognized.
Unfortunately, there are multiple obstacles to getting this done. For many businesses, this is one of the many items so far down on their to-do list that it never gets done. Other businesses may be working with a tighter advertising budget and question whether their ad is effective enough to bring a return on the money invested in the ad. For most business owners who do get started, the overwhelming question of how to structure their ad campaigns sets in almost immediately.
And so many businesses end up with one of the following scenarios:
- No ads: There is no plan or feasible way to see it through, so nothing ever happens. It’s just hope that other methods of advertising will work well enough.
- Sporadic Ads: Since the inspiration (or desperation) struck today, an ad gets placed in the next issue of whichever paper was last looked at. There may be another ad submitted next week, or it may go several months – whenever it’s thought about again.
- Ineffective ads: Ads get quickly thrown together with little thought to communicating with the audience who will see it. Many times ads are cluttered with too much information that gets in the way of presenting a clear solution and call to action.
The Recipe for Print Ad Success
We all know that random, instant success is an anomaly. Sustained success is the fruit of many consistent, strategic efforts over an extended length of time. Those who find success through print marketing are likely not the businesses described above. They are the ones who have a plan and stick to it for the long haul, holding out for the results that will come after the days of patient waiting.
Martic Supply was a company who recognized the value of a structured print ad campaign as they worked to make local builders aware of the wholesale building supplies they sell. Having determined that the largest part of their audience would be more likely to read printed publications rather than going online, they came to Craft & Cloud and asked us to manage their print ads for them.
The Print Ad Process for Martic Supply
- Create first round of ads: Since Martic Supply was a new client, we needed to learn to know them and the products they were selling. Having collected photos and specs, we created a set of ads that promoted those products.
- Define the publications and ad size: We discussed with Martic Supply the pros and cons of various publications and sizes, in the end deciding to place an ad (in some cases two ads) in four different publications, some half page and some full page.
- Coordinate ad submission deadlines: Based on each publication’s ad schedule, we determined the best time to get started and the best frequency for each ad, keeping Martic Supply informed of our recommendations and procuring approval before moving ahead.
- Evaluate ad effectiveness: In this case, Martic Supply asked each caller where they had seen the ad so they could keep track of which ads were bringing in the most phone calls. After several weeks, we decided to put more ads in certain publications and eliminate others. (Other tracking methods can be used depending on a company’s goals and budget.)
- Manage ongoing ads: We keep an eye on the ad schedule and make sure that ads are submitted on time. As ads need updated or new ones need added to the rotation, we make the necessary changes. This does require good communication between Martic Supply and Craft & Cloud to be effective.
Of course, this process varies some from one business to another, but the end goal is always the same – a clear, structured plan for advertising that is feasible for both the business and the ad coordinator. For each of the clients we do ad management for, we’ve created a shared document with a visual layout so everyone involved can see at any time which ads have been run and when.
Sound like a stress-free way to get from sporadic or meaningless ads to effective marketing?
We’d love to come alongside you and help you find success through a print ad campaign, deliberately and carefully designed. Give us a call to discuss the best plan for your business.