Is it full page newspaper or magazine ads? How about a banner or pay-per-click campaign? Could it be something else, like billboards,
direct mail, email or even guerilla marketing? The short answer is that the best advertising is a combination of advertising mediums with a single message.
Media today is fragmented and is becoming even more fragmented each day. As a result, consumers rarely spend the enough time around one medium to receive the same repetition from your message that they would have just a few years ago. If you want to consistently reach them and convert them into revenue producing consumers, you'll need to target them across multiple mediums. Keep in mind that there is a delicate balance in doing this. It is just as ineffective to spread your message across too many mediums as it is to focus on just one medium.
To get the best results on the kind of budget that many smaller businesses are working with, focus on 2 mediums that work well together and ensure that a similar message is used on each. An example would be a direct mail campaign in conjunction with an internet marketing campaign. A business with a larger budget may consider adding a third or even a fourth medium to their arsenal. Regardless of the number of mediums you end up utilizing, remember that your message has to be consistent across all of them to generate the kind of synergy that this program can generate. If you're handling your marketing on your own, take some time to think about how your prospects may conduct their average day. With that in mind you can come up with a starting point to determine an effective pair of advertising mediums. You should be aware of two things though.
- You will still need to advertise on a consistent basis. You usually need to reach your prospects several times before they become a client/customer.
- You should expect some trial and error. You are an expert in your industry — not in marketing. If you aren't getting the results you want from your campaign, test slight changes and adjust accordingly.
If you're putting your marketing in the hands of a marketing company, ensure that they have experience with the mediums that will be utilized. A search engine optimization firm probably won't be able to handle your direct mail campaign, likewise, a graphic design firm probably won't be able to handle your search engine optimization campaign. Unless the company you're dealing with is a full-service marketing firm, you may have to deal with a few companies to get the services you need.
