Tags |
|
|
Links |
|
|
Will You Add? - The Best Advertising for Your Dollar: Newspaper, Radio, TV or Internet? How To Tell Which is Best
The Colorado State Agency that oversees the collection and reporting of State income taxes deducted from payroll checks is:Department of Revenue State Capital Annex 1375 Sherman St. Denver, CO 80261-0009 800-332-2087 www revenue.state.co.us/Colorado allows you to use the Federal W-4 form to calculate state income tax withholdingNot all states allow salary reductions made under Section 125 cafeteria plans or 401(k) to be treated in the same manner as the IRS code allows. In Colorado cafeteria plans are: not taxable for income tax calculation; not taxable for unemployment insurance purposes. 401(k) plan deferrals are: not taxable for income taxes; taxable for unemployment purposes.In Colorado supplemental wages are taxed at a 4.63% flat rate.You must file your Colorado State W-2s by magnetic media if you are required to file your federal W-2s by magnetic media.The Colorado State Unemployment Insurance Agency is:Department of Labor & Employment Division of Employment and Training 1515 Arapahoe St., Tower 2, Ste. 400 Denver, CO 80202-2117 303-603-8254 http://unemploytax.cdle.state.co.us/The State of Colorado taxable wage base for unemployment purposes is wages up to $10,000.00.Colorado has optional reporting of quarterly wages on magnetic media..Unemployment records must be retained in Colorado for a minimum period of five years. This information generally includes: name; social security number; dates of hire, rehire and termination; wages by period; payroll pay periods and pay dates; date and circumstances of termination.The Colorado State Agency charged with enforcing the state wage and hour laws is:Department of Labor & Employment Labor Standards Office 1515 Arapahoe St., Ste. 375 Denver, CO 80202-2117 303-318-8441 www.coworkforce.com/LAB/The minimum wage in Colorado is $6.15 per hour.The general provision in Colorado State Law covering paying overtime is one and one half times regular rate after 12 hour day or 40 hour week.Colorado State new hire reporting requirements are that every employer must report every new hireor rehire.
* Is sometimes hard to get. There are usually a limited number of TV spots available, and you may not get the program you want.
* Is perhaps the most expensive. There are a lot of production costs related to TV advertising.
* May be less demographically selective as some other media forms, although cable TV has helped in this category.
* Your audience can fluctuate widely. If 10,000 people see your ad one night, a mere 100 might see it the next if a high-interest program airs on another channel.
* TV is cost-inefficient when you are after highly focused target markets.
* VCRs are helping TV ads get beyond the "invisible ink" problem of broadcast media. A taped program may be viewed again and again -- on the other hand, your commerical may be fast forwarded.
MAGAZINES
The Good:
* Magazines offer a wide variety of subject matter and editorial focuses to reach readers when they have a state of mind you are looking for. Thus, you can tailor your message to a high degree of specificity.
* Magazines have glossy, polished paper that makes color photographs and other graphic elements look like works of art. You ad will look superb. (That doesn't mean it will sell, however!)
* Can reach very specific target markets without having to waste time or money on markets you do not care about.
* Like newspaper, you can have long copy. Full or even multiple pages let you make a pretty long and detailed pitch. Do people really read all that fine print? Yes! If you have their attention and interest.
* You can insert your catalog, card, flyer or whatever into the magazine.
* Like newspapers, they allow you to include reader response materials, such as coupons, entry or order forms, and more.
* They are not disappearing ink. In fact, magazines are even better on this count than newspapers because people are much more likley to re-read or go over a magazine a second time.
There is one thing that all business owners, managers, and shareholders have in common, no matter where in the world we are from, we all want to make money! The methodology and the understanding of how to make money varies widely however, as a consequence my experience is that less than 20% of businesses really make an acceptable profit, which is bankable!Business is no different to a professional sporting venture in that it requires; Working as a team. Having flexible game plans. (strategies) The ability to conduct detailed analysis. Sound administration. Choosing good support.(suppliers, employees and professional advisors) Respecting and knowing your opposition. Introducing plenty of training. Playing to win. The very foundation of good performance in any company comes down to structuring your financials properly. From this solid foundation, you can then build a far more profitable business. Core business salesSales do not reflect the profitability of the company, but rather reflect the base on which to structure the company's costs, and consequently, the company profits. (See graph 1 for a typical, commercially sound structure.)Sales need to be: Within the core business of the company. Quality sales. Paid for within a reasonable time. A good mix across customers and product groups. Value adding costsValue adding costs are made up of Direct Labour plus on costs. External costs. Materials Subcontractors Components Costs assisting the value adding processThese costs often referred to as overheads. These costs are made up of: Indirect Labour Supervisors and managers. Stores personnel. Truck / forklift drivers. Cleaners. Factory Overheads (Burden) Workshop consumables. Freight. Motor vehicles. Deprec
All business owners are eventually confronted with a serious dillema -- how to advertise, in which medium, and which is the best deal for each dollar spent.
Do newspaper ads outpull radio spots -- or is the power of television the only way to go? And what about the high tech world wide web? The answer is different for each business, each situation, each location and each product.
The following are the pros and cons of each medium. Knowing these can help you decide which medium is right for advertising your product.
NEWSPAPERS
The Good:
* It's fast. An ad in a magazine may take three months to break. A newspaper ad can come out the next day. If you need business fast, this is great.
* Newspapers have wide array of editorial topic selcition to match what you are advertising. For example, if you are selling car parts, you can place your ad in the paper's automotive section, or have it placed next to news stories about cars. Newspapers also have international news, local news, etc., all of which help you focus your advertising effort.
* You get a lot of room, if you need it. Remember, long copy always sells better than short copy. The broad area of a newspaper page is ideal for long copy.
* Newspapers can insert your catalog, flyer or whatever preprinted materials you might have.
* You can use them to distribute reader response items, such as coupons, contest entry forms, surveys, and other such things.
* Radio advertising is sometimes called "invisible ink." That's because it is gone as soon as it is broadcast. With a newspaper, you can give the customer something to clip, or something they may see a second time if they read the newspaper a second time.
* Newspapers can reach large numbers of people, depending on circulation. Lage urban dailies, for example, may easily reach 1 or 2 million potential buyers overnight.
* They are available nationally, regionally, or locally.
* Newspapers allow you to reach possible nonreaders who might be part of your secondary target audience.
* Tend to be cheaper than other media, depending on a number of variables.
* Newspaper ads are easier to produce, and thus less costly. A TV ad, for example, may require special effects, actors, video footage, etc.
* Newspapers are good for repeat exposure, a vital element of effective advertising. Readers need to see something an average of six to eight times before they "see" an ad or respond to it.
* Newspapers can reach people who otherwise have little access to other media.
* Many people buy newspapers not for the news, but to find out what's on sale today, or what's happening today. Movie ads are a prime example.
* They have better local market penetration than magazines.
* You have more options in terms of space and unusual ad configurations
* You can use dealer listings.
The Bad:
* Newspapers tend to charge relatively high-cost premiums for less than full-run purchases.
* They are flat, and more than literally. In other words, they don't beep, squeek, blast and make noise and colorful moving images as do radio and TV or a website.
* Do not have the reach other media forms, such as national magazines.
* Are not conducive to last minute changes beause of tight printing schedules.
* Newspapers do not produce as high a frequency level as other media forms.
* Large space ads are very expensive and their longevity is fleeting.
* Ads in newspapers tend to compete heavily with other ads on the page. Clutter is not good for your ad, but in a newspaper, there is usually a lot of clutter
* Use of color is crappy, and does not equal that of magazine color quality.
* Tend to deliver only an adult audience. If you have products targeted at teens or even college students, a newspaper probably won't reach these people.
* Newspapers are usually only viewed by one person at a time.
RADIO
The good:
* Radio offers a wide array of formats which can reach listeners during a specific state of mind, which can complement a specific advertising message. Many people listen to radio while driving to and from work, others listen in the evening while relaxing next to a cozy fire.
* Delivers your message to everyone in the room or car at the same time.
* Is fast. Your ad could be heard the next day if production is available, ad copy is written and studio time is available.
* Radio advertising is intrusive -- it butts in on your listening, and your only opiton is to listen or change the channel, (or shut it off!)
* Reaches a national, regional or local audience.
* Can be effectively targeted to consumer segments, such as teen-agers vs. seniors, or men vs. women.
* Can be repeated often, thus driving the message home. Once again, repeition is the heart of effective advertising.
* Radio ads can be heard 24 hours a day.
* Radio can reach people as they are on their way to the store. Messages delivered just prior to actual shopping are very powerful.
* Tends to be cheaper per announcement than either TV or print, and in fact, is probably the most cost efficient of all media.
* Uses "theater of the mind." Radio uses voice and sound effects to conjur up images in the listener's mind by engaging the human imagination. This can be more powerful than any pre-developed TV image or still photograph.
* Reaches people who do not like to read newspaper or magazine, or people who do not view outdoor mediums, such as billboards, and those who do not like TV or computers.
The Bad:
* Most people have the radio on "for noise." That is, they are usually otherwise engaged with something while listening, and often are only half-listening.
* Repetition is more important to overcome general lack of attention on behalf of the listener, and thus, you have to spend more for more spots,which can make up for the lower cost.
* Makes it difficult for the listener to take physical action as a result of the advertising message. For eample, most listeners do not have a pen in hand when they hear an 800 number to call or an address to remember.
* You generally need more up-front money to buy up the large number of spots you need to get the job done.
* Is not visual, and many people retain better what they can see than what they hear. Also does not move, another aspect of capturing vital attention.
TELEVISION
The Good:
* Is usually in vivid exciting color, and color is a prime motivator of the human mind.
* Uses all elements of sight, sound and movement at once to form a powerful package that hits on all level of human senses (except touch and smell).
* Can deliver your message to all people in a room simultaneously.
* Is fast, but not as fast as newspaper or radio because it tends to require more production.
* Like radio it is intrusive. The customer does not have to seek out the ad, like they must to find a movie listing or a rummage sale. The ad comes to the viewer.
* Available nationally, regionally, or locally.
* Television ads can be purchased to focus on concentrated geographical areas, especially with the advent of cable.
* Has a wide variety of programming to match the nature or subject matter of your ad. Want to sell rock-n-roll CDs? Buy ads during Grammy Awards or American Idol. Want to sell feminine hygiene products? Buy time during soap operas.
* TV has more reach than any other medium in terms of all segments of society. Just about everyone watches TV, but not everyone reads newspapers or magazines.
* Is good for repepetition of ads.
* TV can deliver your ad at any time of the day, 24 hours a day.
* You can get an exclusive, that is, your ad need not compete with a clutter of other ads -- but you may have to pay dearly for it.
* Tends to be more cost efficient in terms of number of responses it produces compared to dollars invested.
* Is probably best for reaching those people who tend not to use any other form of media.
The Bad:
* Most often is very cluttered. your commerical may be sandwhiched deep within a string of other commericals, which have long since caused the viewer to head to the refrigerator. Also weakens long-term memory of your product message.
* Is sometimes hard to get. There are usually a limited number of TV spots available, and you may not get the program you want.
* Is perhaps the most expensive. There are a lot of production costs related to TV advertising.
* May be less demographically selective as some other media forms, although cable TV has helped in this category.
* Your audience can fluctuate widely. If 10,000 people see your ad one night, a mere 100 might see it the next if a high-interest program airs on another channel.
* TV is cost-inefficient when you are after highly focused target markets.
* VCRs are helping TV ads get beyond the "invisible ink" problem of broadcast media. A taped program may be viewed again and again -- on the other hand, your commerical may be fast forwarded.
MAGAZINES
The Good:
* Magazines offer a wide variety of subject matter and editorial focuses to reach readers when they have a state of mind you are looking for. Thus, you can tailor your message to a high degree of specificity.
* Magazines have glossy, polished paper that makes color photographs and other graphic elements look like works of art. You ad will look superb. (That doesn't mean it will sell, however!)
* Can reach very specific target markets without having to waste time or money on markets you do not care about.
* Like newspaper, you can have long copy. Full or even multiple pages let you make a pretty long and detailed pitch. Do people really read all that fine print? Yes! If you have their attention and interest.
* You can insert your catalog, card, flyer or whatever into the magazine.
* Like newspapers, they allow you to include reader response materials, such as coupons, entry or order forms, and more.
* They are not disappearing ink. In fact, magazines are even better on this count than newspapers because people are much more likley to re-read or go over a magazine a second time.
Recruiting staff is another essential element that you need for your business to grow. And a key part of the recruitment process is the interview. When you conduct an interview you are trying to establish a number of points:-1. Will the candidate fit in your company?This is often one of the most important issues. If you find a person with all the right skills but you know they won’t get on with anyone else in the company, this is going to cause a problem. When you find out that someone has left their last three positions due to disagreements with other staff you need to ask yourself whether it’s relevant that they appear to be the common factor.Consider the attributes that are most common in your current staff and yourself. You are looking for similar people who can fit in well and get on with the job quickly with maximum cooperation from others.2. Does the candidate have the required skills and experience to do the job?If you have already had the CV or R?sum? (and it’s not been too creative) then this should almost be taken as read at this stage. However, one in three people admit that they make false claims about qualifications, interests or previous experience when going for jobs. So you do need to be wary.3. Does the candidate have the right attitude?Attitude is often more important than skills and experience in most kinds of work. Is the candidate self-motivated or do they need to be told what to do? Do they always try to blame other people or take responsibility? Do they make excuses or find a way to achieve their aims?4. Do the candidate’s answers make sense and are they consistent?Take notes as you ask questions and don’t be afraid to quiz the candidate on inconsistencies (such as giving a different answer to a repeated or similar question). Do the answers match to the CV or R?sum??5. Does the candidate have the right level of communication skills?If you find you feel that the candidate seems to waffle on or answers a completely different question to the one you asked then there may be a communication issue between you. If you get frustrated with the way they communicate in an interview (when they should b
* Tend to be cheaper than other media, depending on a number of variables.
* Newspaper ads are easier to produce, and thus less costly. A TV ad, for example, may require special effects, actors, video footage, etc.
* Newspapers are good for repeat exposure, a vital element of effective advertising. Readers need to see something an average of six to eight times before they "see" an ad or respond to it.
* Newspapers can reach people who otherwise have little access to other media.
* Many people buy newspapers not for the news, but to find out what's on sale today, or what's happening today. Movie ads are a prime example.
* They have better local market penetration than magazines.
* You have more options in terms of space and unusual ad configurations
* You can use dealer listings.
The Bad:
* Newspapers tend to charge relatively high-cost premiums for less than full-run purchases.
* They are flat, and more than literally. In other words, they don't beep, squeek, blast and make noise and colorful moving images as do radio and TV or a website.
* Do not have the reach other media forms, such as national magazines.
* Are not conducive to last minute changes beause of tight printing schedules.
* Newspapers do not produce as high a frequency level as other media forms.
* Large space ads are very expensive and their longevity is fleeting.
* Ads in newspapers tend to compete heavily with other ads on the page. Clutter is not good for your ad, but in a newspaper, there is usually a lot of clutter
* Use of color is crappy, and does not equal that of magazine color quality.
* Tend to deliver only an adult audience. If you have products targeted at teens or even college students, a newspaper probably won't reach these people.
* Newspapers are usually only viewed by one person at a time.
RADIO
The good:
* Radio offers a wide array of formats which can reach listeners during a specific state of mind, which can complement a specific advertising message. Many people listen to radio while driving to and from work, others listen in the evening while relaxing next to a cozy fire.
* Delivers your message to everyone in the room or car at the same time.
* Is fast. Your ad could be heard the next day if production is available, ad copy is written and studio time is available.
* Radio advertising is intrusive -- it butts in on your listening, and your only opiton is to listen or change the channel, (or shut it off!)
* Reaches a national, regional or local audience.
* Can be effectively targeted to consumer segments, such as teen-agers vs. seniors, or men vs. women.
* Can be repeated often, thus driving the message home. Once again, repeition is the heart of effective advertising.
* Radio ads can be heard 24 hours a day.
* Radio can reach people as they are on their way to the store. Messages delivered just prior to actual shopping are very powerful.
* Tends to be cheaper per announcement than either TV or print, and in fact, is probably the most cost efficient of all media.
* Uses "theater of the mind." Radio uses voice and sound effects to conjur up images in the listener's mind by engaging the human imagination. This can be more powerful than any pre-developed TV image or still photograph.
* Reaches people who do not like to read newspaper or magazine, or people who do not view outdoor mediums, such as billboards, and those who do not like TV or computers.
The Bad:
* Most people have the radio on "for noise." That is, they are usually otherwise engaged with something while listening, and often are only half-listening.
* Repetition is more important to overcome general lack of attention on behalf of the listener, and thus, you have to spend more for more spots,which can make up for the lower cost.
* Makes it difficult for the listener to take physical action as a result of the advertising message. For eample, most listeners do not have a pen in hand when they hear an 800 number to call or an address to remember.
* You generally need more up-front money to buy up the large number of spots you need to get the job done.
* Is not visual, and many people retain better what they can see than what they hear. Also does not move, another aspect of capturing vital attention.
TELEVISION
The Good:
* Is usually in vivid exciting color, and color is a prime motivator of the human mind.
* Uses all elements of sight, sound and movement at once to form a powerful package that hits on all level of human senses (except touch and smell).
* Can deliver your message to all people in a room simultaneously.
* Is fast, but not as fast as newspaper or radio because it tends to require more production.
* Like radio it is intrusive. The customer does not have to seek out the ad, like they must to find a movie listing or a rummage sale. The ad comes to the viewer.
* Available nationally, regionally, or locally.
* Television ads can be purchased to focus on concentrated geographical areas, especially with the advent of cable.
* Has a wide variety of programming to match the nature or subject matter of your ad. Want to sell rock-n-roll CDs? Buy ads during Grammy Awards or American Idol. Want to sell feminine hygiene products? Buy time during soap operas.
* TV has more reach than any other medium in terms of all segments of society. Just about everyone watches TV, but not everyone reads newspapers or magazines.
* Is good for repepetition of ads.
* TV can deliver your ad at any time of the day, 24 hours a day.
* You can get an exclusive, that is, your ad need not compete with a clutter of other ads -- but you may have to pay dearly for it.
* Tends to be more cost efficient in terms of number of responses it produces compared to dollars invested.
* Is probably best for reaching those people who tend not to use any other form of media.
The Bad:
* Most often is very cluttered. your commerical may be sandwhiched deep within a string of other commericals, which have long since caused the viewer to head to the refrigerator. Also weakens long-term memory of your product message.
* Is sometimes hard to get. There are usually a limited number of TV spots available, and you may not get the program you want.
* Is perhaps the most expensive. There are a lot of production costs related to TV advertising.
* May be less demographically selective as some other media forms, although cable TV has helped in this category.
* Your audience can fluctuate widely. If 10,000 people see your ad one night, a mere 100 might see it the next if a high-interest program airs on another channel.
* TV is cost-inefficient when you are after highly focused target markets.
* VCRs are helping TV ads get beyond the "invisible ink" problem of broadcast media. A taped program may be viewed again and again -- on the other hand, your commerical may be fast forwarded.
MAGAZINES
The Good:
* Magazines offer a wide variety of subject matter and editorial focuses to reach readers when they have a state of mind you are looking for. Thus, you can tailor your message to a high degree of specificity.
* Magazines have glossy, polished paper that makes color photographs and other graphic elements look like works of art. You ad will look superb. (That doesn't mean it will sell, however!)
* Can reach very specific target markets without having to waste time or money on markets you do not care about.
* Like newspaper, you can have long copy. Full or even multiple pages let you make a pretty long and detailed pitch. Do people really read all that fine print? Yes! If you have their attention and interest.
* You can insert your catalog, card, flyer or whatever into the magazine.
* Like newspapers, they allow you to include reader response materials, such as coupons, entry or order forms, and more.
* They are not disappearing ink. In fact, magazines are even better on this count than newspapers because people are much more likley to re-read or go over a magazine a second time.
Lets talk about images in advertising for a moment. Most advertisements for clothing (i.e. bathing suits etc), show shapely thin women and men. This has led our country to think that fat is demeaning and not socially accepted. This type of advertising has caused everyone to want to look like the people in the ads. Diets of all sorts have been developed to try to meet these expectations. But when their goals are not reached it causes depression, low self-esteem that in turn causes a poor image is developed. In my opinion these advertisements have a negative outreach. Who is to say only thin people look great? Advertisements do! These ads also have created anorexic teenagers, which has led to serious health problems and even death.Advertisements often do not explicitly urge the consumer to buy a given product; rather they promise that the products will enhance a person’s life, many times with simple images. Opening a whole range of desiderata including youthfulness, attractiveness, social grace, security, success, conviviality, sex, romance and the admiration of others.Advertising can also be educational and rewarding with regards to prices and who offers the best deal. One such publication that informs consumers of the best-tested and best-priced items is Consumers Magazine. This magazine has a test facility that tests various items of same kind without bias and reports to the consumer via there magazine. Advertising is not created and used just to provide a smug example of public morality, advertising is honest because it has to be. What I mean by honesty is the product information is not always how it is displayed.Lets address the issues of “What we care about,” the way we raise our children, our ideas of right and wrong conduct, these in my view are all together. Let’s take a look at liquor and tobacco advertising. The image of the Marlboro Man is one example. This type of advertisement depicts a buff, handsome, cool man smoking a cigarette. What message is this conveying to our young people? That it is cool to smoke. We all know it has been proven that smoking cigarettes can cause cancer. I would now like to address all the violence, sex and bad language that is seen and heard on television and radio (i.
* Delivers your message to everyone in the room or car at the same time.
* Is fast. Your ad could be heard the next day if production is available, ad copy is written and studio time is available.
* Radio advertising is intrusive -- it butts in on your listening, and your only opiton is to listen or change the channel, (or shut it off!)
* Reaches a national, regional or local audience.
* Can be effectively targeted to consumer segments, such as teen-agers vs. seniors, or men vs. women.
* Can be repeated often, thus driving the message home. Once again, repeition is the heart of effective advertising.
* Radio ads can be heard 24 hours a day.
* Radio can reach people as they are on their way to the store. Messages delivered just prior to actual shopping are very powerful.
* Tends to be cheaper per announcement than either TV or print, and in fact, is probably the most cost efficient of all media.
* Uses "theater of the mind." Radio uses voice and sound effects to conjur up images in the listener's mind by engaging the human imagination. This can be more powerful than any pre-developed TV image or still photograph.
* Reaches people who do not like to read newspaper or magazine, or people who do not view outdoor mediums, such as billboards, and those who do not like TV or computers.
The Bad:
* Most people have the radio on "for noise." That is, they are usually otherwise engaged with something while listening, and often are only half-listening.
* Repetition is more important to overcome general lack of attention on behalf of the listener, and thus, you have to spend more for more spots,which can make up for the lower cost.
* Makes it difficult for the listener to take physical action as a result of the advertising message. For eample, most listeners do not have a pen in hand when they hear an 800 number to call or an address to remember.
* You generally need more up-front money to buy up the large number of spots you need to get the job done.
* Is not visual, and many people retain better what they can see than what they hear. Also does not move, another aspect of capturing vital attention.
TELEVISION
The Good:
* Is usually in vivid exciting color, and color is a prime motivator of the human mind.
* Uses all elements of sight, sound and movement at once to form a powerful package that hits on all level of human senses (except touch and smell).
* Can deliver your message to all people in a room simultaneously.
* Is fast, but not as fast as newspaper or radio because it tends to require more production.
* Like radio it is intrusive. The customer does not have to seek out the ad, like they must to find a movie listing or a rummage sale. The ad comes to the viewer.
* Available nationally, regionally, or locally.
* Television ads can be purchased to focus on concentrated geographical areas, especially with the advent of cable.
* Has a wide variety of programming to match the nature or subject matter of your ad. Want to sell rock-n-roll CDs? Buy ads during Grammy Awards or American Idol. Want to sell feminine hygiene products? Buy time during soap operas.
* TV has more reach than any other medium in terms of all segments of society. Just about everyone watches TV, but not everyone reads newspapers or magazines.
* Is good for repepetition of ads.
* TV can deliver your ad at any time of the day, 24 hours a day.
* You can get an exclusive, that is, your ad need not compete with a clutter of other ads -- but you may have to pay dearly for it.
* Tends to be more cost efficient in terms of number of responses it produces compared to dollars invested.
* Is probably best for reaching those people who tend not to use any other form of media.
The Bad:
* Most often is very cluttered. your commerical may be sandwhiched deep within a string of other commericals, which have long since caused the viewer to head to the refrigerator. Also weakens long-term memory of your product message.
* Is sometimes hard to get. There are usually a limited number of TV spots available, and you may not get the program you want.
* Is perhaps the most expensive. There are a lot of production costs related to TV advertising.
* May be less demographically selective as some other media forms, although cable TV has helped in this category.
* Your audience can fluctuate widely. If 10,000 people see your ad one night, a mere 100 might see it the next if a high-interest program airs on another channel.
* TV is cost-inefficient when you are after highly focused target markets.
* VCRs are helping TV ads get beyond the "invisible ink" problem of broadcast media. A taped program may be viewed again and again -- on the other hand, your commerical may be fast forwarded.
MAGAZINES
The Good:
* Magazines offer a wide variety of subject matter and editorial focuses to reach readers when they have a state of mind you are looking for. Thus, you can tailor your message to a high degree of specificity.
* Magazines have glossy, polished paper that makes color photographs and other graphic elements look like works of art. You ad will look superb. (That doesn't mean it will sell, however!)
* Can reach very specific target markets without having to waste time or money on markets you do not care about.
* Like newspaper, you can have long copy. Full or even multiple pages let you make a pretty long and detailed pitch. Do people really read all that fine print? Yes! If you have their attention and interest.
* You can insert your catalog, card, flyer or whatever into the magazine.
* Like newspapers, they allow you to include reader response materials, such as coupons, entry or order forms, and more.
* They are not disappearing ink. In fact, magazines are even better on this count than newspapers because people are much more likley to re-read or go over a magazine a second time.
Whenever a company becomes dominant in its sector, many of its competitors cry foul. In a free economy that company has more than likely reached this position because it has simply outperformed its rivals. Good luck, I say. Although it goes against the grain, I recognise that there would come a point - a point, that is, when dominance turns to monopoly - when the authorities may need to clip the wings of such a successful company. However, this must surely be a last resort. I am convinced that European countries have got this wrong.The bar is too low. The alarms bells ring far too early. There is too much state interference in the running of market sectors when such interference can often lead to long term imbalances and a tendency to stifle innovation.I don't think we should be resentful, or feel threatened when a company becomes large. When this happens it always throws out new opportunities. For instance, a big company is usually an unwieldy company. The board is usually aware of this and fights against it, but it happens all the same. Why? This is because such companies take advantage of their size by streamlining their business. This brings economies of scale, but also means that change is more expensive. When a new product comes on the market, or a new way of selling a product, large companies may take a long time to adapt. Smaller, nippier companies will take up the slack and win the prize, leaving the lumbering giant puffing and struggling to keep up.Another opportunity is customer service. As companies grow, they put more barriers up between themselves and their customers. If you ring your local store run by Joe, you will probably speak with Joe. If he is busy he would ring you back. If you try to ring your local store run by a large corporation, you are more likely to be put through to a national call centre, asked for your customer id, your zip code, put on hold for 3 minutes and had the telephone call recorded. As soon as a company starts to treat its customers like that then a gap in the market has just appeared. Large companies are rude. They treat their customers as cattle, only fit to be sold to and nothing else.Whatever it is that a large company sells, whether it is a
* You generally need more up-front money to buy up the large number of spots you need to get the job done.
* Is not visual, and many people retain better what they can see than what they hear. Also does not move, another aspect of capturing vital attention.
TELEVISION
The Good:
* Is usually in vivid exciting color, and color is a prime motivator of the human mind.
* Uses all elements of sight, sound and movement at once to form a powerful package that hits on all level of human senses (except touch and smell).
* Can deliver your message to all people in a room simultaneously.
* Is fast, but not as fast as newspaper or radio because it tends to require more production.
* Like radio it is intrusive. The customer does not have to seek out the ad, like they must to find a movie listing or a rummage sale. The ad comes to the viewer.
* Available nationally, regionally, or locally.
* Television ads can be purchased to focus on concentrated geographical areas, especially with the advent of cable.
* Has a wide variety of programming to match the nature or subject matter of your ad. Want to sell rock-n-roll CDs? Buy ads during Grammy Awards or American Idol. Want to sell feminine hygiene products? Buy time during soap operas.
* TV has more reach than any other medium in terms of all segments of society. Just about everyone watches TV, but not everyone reads newspapers or magazines.
* Is good for repepetition of ads.
* TV can deliver your ad at any time of the day, 24 hours a day.
* You can get an exclusive, that is, your ad need not compete with a clutter of other ads -- but you may have to pay dearly for it.
* Tends to be more cost efficient in terms of number of responses it produces compared to dollars invested.
* Is probably best for reaching those people who tend not to use any other form of media.
The Bad:
* Most often is very cluttered. your commerical may be sandwhiched deep within a string of other commericals, which have long since caused the viewer to head to the refrigerator. Also weakens long-term memory of your product message.
* Is sometimes hard to get. There are usually a limited number of TV spots available, and you may not get the program you want.
* Is perhaps the most expensive. There are a lot of production costs related to TV advertising.
* May be less demographically selective as some other media forms, although cable TV has helped in this category.
* Your audience can fluctuate widely. If 10,000 people see your ad one night, a mere 100 might see it the next if a high-interest program airs on another channel.
* TV is cost-inefficient when you are after highly focused target markets.
* VCRs are helping TV ads get beyond the "invisible ink" problem of broadcast media. A taped program may be viewed again and again -- on the other hand, your commerical may be fast forwarded.
MAGAZINES
The Good:
* Magazines offer a wide variety of subject matter and editorial focuses to reach readers when they have a state of mind you are looking for. Thus, you can tailor your message to a high degree of specificity.
* Magazines have glossy, polished paper that makes color photographs and other graphic elements look like works of art. You ad will look superb. (That doesn't mean it will sell, however!)
* Can reach very specific target markets without having to waste time or money on markets you do not care about.
* Like newspaper, you can have long copy. Full or even multiple pages let you make a pretty long and detailed pitch. Do people really read all that fine print? Yes! If you have their attention and interest.
* You can insert your catalog, card, flyer or whatever into the magazine.
* Like newspapers, they allow you to include reader response materials, such as coupons, entry or order forms, and more.
* They are not disappearing ink. In fact, magazines are even better on this count than newspapers because people are much more likley to re-read or go over a magazine a second time.
Modern civilizations and societies are bombarded with commercial images. Advertising is everywhere and every business must engage in some form of advertising, publicity and public relations in order to succeed. But with advertising everywhere small businesses and corporations alike must compete for the consumer’s eyeball. Simply having a good ad is not enough and even having great placement alone will not suffice.I have titled this article book; Adventures in Advertising for the Advanced Entrepreneur, because advertising is an adventure and often an entrepreneur must chart unknown waters. Having started a small business, which grew into a rather large multi-state franchise system and later into a multinational franchise company, I soon realized that advertising is an adventure and not just another task. Many advertising tactics in markets where we had started simply did not work in other regions around the nation and they certainly did not work once we took the business model out of the country.In this article I want you to consider and discuss many types of advertising and some of the theories behind each type, as well as what worked and why. You should discuss advertising salespeople, account executives and the advertising industry as a whole. You should also contemplate the new forms of advertising and ways that companies on a limited budget can imprint their message in the minds of potential customers and consumers. Nothing good in life is ever easy and with advertising that same famous quotation holds true.Rather than reiterating and walking the party line of MBA marketeers and the advertising industry, we will take you on a different journey; one which will challenge your mind and show you the value of thinking outside the box as an entrepreneur when it comes to the expenditure of your advertising dollars. There may not be an easy way but there may be another way, which you might discover in your industry sub-sector to take your company to greater heights and accomplish all your objectives, goals and dreams.I thank you for reading this article and I am sure you will find tidbits of information, which will not only make you think but also help you become a better entrepreneur so that your company
* Is sometimes hard to get. There are usually a limited number of TV spots available, and you may not get the program you want.
* Is perhaps the most expensive. There are a lot of production costs related to TV advertising.
* May be less demographically selective as some other media forms, although cable TV has helped in this category.
* Your audience can fluctuate widely. If 10,000 people see your ad one night, a mere 100 might see it the next if a high-interest program airs on another channel.
* TV is cost-inefficient when you are after highly focused target markets.
* VCRs are helping TV ads get beyond the "invisible ink" problem of broadcast media. A taped program may be viewed again and again -- on the other hand, your commerical may be fast forwarded.
MAGAZINES
The Good:
* Magazines offer a wide variety of subject matter and editorial focuses to reach readers when they have a state of mind you are looking for. Thus, you can tailor your message to a high degree of specificity.
* Magazines have glossy, polished paper that makes color photographs and other graphic elements look like works of art. You ad will look superb. (That doesn't mean it will sell, however!)
* Can reach very specific target markets without having to waste time or money on markets you do not care about.
* Like newspaper, you can have long copy. Full or even multiple pages let you make a pretty long and detailed pitch. Do people really read all that fine print? Yes! If you have their attention and interest.
* You can insert your catalog, card, flyer or whatever into the magazine.
* Like newspapers, they allow you to include reader response materials, such as coupons, entry or order forms, and more.
* They are not disappearing ink. In fact, magazines are even better on this count than newspapers because people are much more likley to re-read or go over a magazine a second time. Many people even collect magazines or go through them for research in the library, giving your ad the chance to be seen again and again.
* Can reach a huge audience, easily in the millions with the bigger magazines.
* Magazines allow for a breathtaking array of creative options: pop-ups, special inks, holograms, unusual space configurations, personalizing elements for each reader of the publication, etc.
* They have national, regional and local reach.
* Magazine ads can reach specific demographic segments within the total readership of the magazine. That's because most magazines have departments and areas of specific topic or subject matter, helping you to target your customers.
* Magazine ads can reach possible nonreaders who might be part of an advertiser's secondary target audience.
* Because they are more highly focused and need less repetition, as in radio, they can actually be more cost effective than any other media form.
* Frequency of exposure is high, as we said, because magazines are often read more than once and by more than one person. Also, they may read other similar magazines you have targeted for your ads.
* May reach people that other media do not. Many people prefer to read magazines to newspapers, for example.
* Magazines can accommodate your listings.
The Bad:
* One of the biggest drawbacks is the long period before you buy the ad and when it appears. A magazine ad may take three to four months before it appears. If you need fast cash and customers, this is no help. Also, a reader may not get to his or her magazine right away upon receiving it.
* Tend to be expensive for one-time runs.
* Do not offer sound of movement, although some cutting edge ads, such as pop-ups or those with micro-chip intsertions are breaching this drawback. These are mega-expensive, however.
* Because they are more highly focused, they have less reach, which many do not consider a drawback.
* You must submit your final copy and ad prep many months before deadline. Some magazines have a fast close, and other will call up repeat advertisers with last minute deals, often because they have space to fill or when others back out at the last minute.
* Although once they start printing, you cannot backout. Generally, once you buy a magazine ad, you are locked in no matter what. Refunds are rare.
* You do not get high frequency unless you buy an entire year's worth, but then readers will see them about once a month for most magazines.
* You only get exposure to one person at a time, as opposed to a whole room or car-full as in radio or TV.
SUNDAY MAGAZINE SUPPLEMENTS
The Good:
* You get superior quality color on high quality paper, allowing for effective product presentation, if you are willing to pay top dollar.
* Great for insertions. You know the way it is with all Sunday papers and magazines -- lots of extras which many readers actually buy the publication for in the first place. Many people live to scan and clip coupons.
* You get ample opportunity for long copy. Sunday magazines are among the best place to make a long, detailed ptich.
* As we said, people love to clip coupons, and this is the place people will most likley use any kind of special insertion, from coupons to sweepstakes, contests or surveys.
* Have better chance of repeat exposure to your ad than newspapers or magazines. People tend to hang onto the Sunday paper longer and also give it a better read because they are more relaxed and have more time on Sunday to linger over the paper.
* Can reach large numbers of people in a short time.
* You can get very creative, as you can with magazines. This means pop-ups, specials inks, scratch-and-sniff -- even insertion of product samples.
* Distribution of the advertisement to possible nonreaders who might be part of an advertiser's secondary target audience.
* Because of high readership and better repetition factor, can be a good deal for the your scarce advertising dollar.
* Production costs for your ad will be less than all other media, except for newspaper.
* Can reach people who do not ordinarily read newspapers or pay attention to other media. Many consider the Sunday papre "special."
* You get immediate delivery to entire audience -- even millions of people -- in just one day.
* They can have national, regional, or local distribution, although national is less likely with most Sundays, except the real biggies, such as the New York Times.
* Sunday publications have higher penetration and greater readership locally than do competing publications or other media.
* You can use dealer listings.
The Bad:
* Ads do not force themselves on reader as in radio or TV. In other words, they are nonintrusive.
* No sound or movement in general.
* Usually require advertising materials well in advance of issue date. Some even have longer lead time time than magazines.
* Relatively inflexible for accommodating last minute changes. Most Sunday ads are set in stone after you issue a check. You won't get a refund.
* Frequency is lacking because they only come out on Sundays, and people don't make connections from one Sunday to the next, in most cases.
* Are extremely expensive if you want national or regional coverage.
* Large space ads are very expensive and they are here today and gone tomorrow most of the time.
* Again, they are relatively short-lived, and quickly end up lining a bird cage or wrapping a fish.
* Are not good for delivering ad messages to young people: teens, young adults and children.
* Most often only expose ad to one person at a time, unlike radio or TV, which can deliver a message to a roomful of people all at once.
INTERNET
The Good:
*The Internet is the global community of computers that makes the exchange of information, pictures and sounds possible.
*Can be in vivid exciting color, and color is a prime motivator of the human mind.
* Is fast. Can achieve astounding success if your website receives enough traffic.
*Available, nationally, regionally, locally and internationally.
*An ALTERNATIVE form of marketing that has many strengths and weaknesses.
*Can be done at low or no cost and levels the playing field. A home based business can appear an compete with large companies.
*A large assortment of creative options: popups, popunders, audio, video, personalizing etc. The list goes on and on.
The Bad:
*The learning curve can be a long one. It takes time before you really understand what you are doing.
*No insertions.
*No social contact. You work alone.
*Ezine ads, classified ads, top ads and solo ads can be expensive.
*Failure rate is high.
*Earning an income online isn't difficult--but it can be confusing if you don't manage your time and money, have a consistent plan and stick to it to avoid becomeing derailed.
There you have it. Based on what you have learned above, you should now be in a better position to decide which medium is best for your business, product or service.
Of course, the only perfect way to make a final decision is through test marketing with each medium. You can do that by starting out with small, inexpensive ads in each medium. Those that bring the best results deserve to get your future business and a larger share of your advertising dollar.
Good Luck!
HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
<a href="http://www.atriclecheck.com/article/6983/atriclecheck-The-Best-Advertising-for-Your-Dollar-Newspaper-Radio-TV-or-Internet--How-To-Tell-Which-is-Best.html">The Best Advertising for Your Dollar: Newspaper, Radio, TV or Internet? How To Tell Which is Best</a>
BB link (for phorums):
[url=http://www.atriclecheck.com/article/6983/atriclecheck-The-Best-Advertising-for-Your-Dollar-Newspaper-Radio-TV-or-Internet--How-To-Tell-Which-is-Best.html]The Best Advertising for Your Dollar: Newspaper, Radio, TV or Internet? How To Tell Which is Best[/url]
Related Articles:
How To Find The Crowd In Your Niche Market
The Automotive Industry, Interactive Games & Advertising
Bookmark it:
|