Advertising For Dummies, 2ed

Introduction

About This Book

Conventions Used in This Book

What You’re Not to Read

Foolish Assumptions

How This Book Is Organized

Part I: Advertising 101

Part II: Creating Great Ads for Every Medium

Part III: Buying the Different Media

Part IV: Beyond the Basics: Creating Buzz and Using Publicity

Part V: The Part of Tens

Icons Used in This Book

Where to Go from Here

Part I: Advertising 101

Chapter 1: Advertising: Mastering the Art of Promotion

• Making Advertising Work
• Getting to Know Your Media Options
• Regarding radio
• Rating TV
• Contemplating print
• Musing upon direct mail
• Scrutinizing outdoor advertising
• Ogling online ads
• Poring over publicity
• Lessons from the Legends: Figuring Out Your Advertising Needs
• David Ogilvy
• Bill Bernbach
• Wieden and Kennedy

Chapter 2: Setting and Working within Your Advertising Budget

• Determining How Much You Can Afford to Spend
• Developing an Advertising Strategy and a Tactical Plan
• Researching and evaluating your competition
• Identifying your target market
• Knowing your product’s appeal
• Maximizing Your Budget
• Getting the most out of your creative and production
• Using media you can afford

Chapter 3: Boosting Your Budget with Co-Op Programs

• Knowing Who Uses Co-Op Funds
• Finding Out Which of Your Suppliers Have Co-Op Funds Available
• Knowing who to talk to
• You’ve found your funds, now how do you get the dough?
• Understanding the Rules, Regulations, and Restrictions
• Getting your ads preapproved
• Obtaining proof of performance
• Submitting your co-op claims package

Chapter 4: Defining and Positioning Your Message

• Understanding Why People Choose One Product or Service over Another
• Image is everything
• You’ve got personality!
• Convenience: More than location
• Don’t sacrifice service!
• Let ’em know your uniqueness
• The price is right
• Researching and Assessing Your Competition: What Sets Your Product Apart?
• Developing a Strategy for Your Advertising Campaign
• Case Study: Advertising a Chain of Women’s Plus-Size Clothing Stores
• Identifying the USP: The unique selling proposition
• Knowing the budget — and staying within its limits
• Shooting the ads
• Selecting the right media
• Applying these ideas to your ad campaign

Chapter 5: Forming an Effective Ad Campaign

• Identifying and Targeting Your Audience
• Focus on your primary market
• Research your market
• Checking Out Your Competition’s Ads so You Can Differentiate Yours
• Focusing on Ads That You Respond to Most
• Concocting a Creative Hook to Get Your Audience’s Attention
• Creative brainstorming
• Creative example: Developing a campaign for a community college
• Incorporating Your Creative Message into an Overall Media Ad Campaign
• Ensuring consistency of your message in all media you choose
• Keeping your message simple
• Using words that sell
• Delivering your message with clarity

Part II: Creating Great Ads for Every Medium

Chapter 6: Online Advertising: Maximizing the Enormous Reach of the Internet

• Measuring the Pros and Cons of Online Advertising
• Creating Your Own Web Site
• Deciding on your Web site goals
• Choosing an effective domain name
• Saving money (or your sanity): Your Web design
• Designing a strong Web site
• Promoting Your Site
• Setting Goals for Online Ads
• Ads that build awareness
• Ads that encourage click-through
• Ads that encourage sales
• Choosing Among Online Ad Formats
• Creating banner ads
• Doing e-mail advertising

Chapter 7: Using Print Ads: Small Spaces with Big Audiences

• Exploring the Advantages of Print
• Recognizing What Makes a Print Ad Successful
• Writing and Designing an Eye-Catching Print Ad
• Hammering out your headline
• Shaping your subheads
• Building your body copy
• Generating your graphics
• Don’t forget the layout!

Chapter 8: Radio: Effective, Affordable, and Fun

• Summarizing Your Business in 60 Seconds
• Who are you?
• What are you selling?
• When do you want consumers to act?
• How can customers get in touch with you?
• Why should customers hire or buy from you?
• Deciding on the Format for Your Ad
• Talking it up: Dialogue
• Amusing (and schmoozing) the masses: Comedy
• Giving just the facts: A straight read
• Determining Who Should Read the Script
• Doing it yourself
• Using a studio announcer
• Hiring a professional voice talent
• Setting It All in Motion: How to Get Your Ad on the Radio

Chapter 9: Demystifying TV Commercials: They Don’t Have to Win Awards to Be Effective

• Designing Your TV Commercial in Layers
• Audio
• Video
• Computer graphics
• Bringing the Audio and Visual Together
• Deciding What to Feature in Your Commercial
• Appearing in your own commercial
• Promoting with a professional
• Highlighting your place of business
• Focusing the camera on your product or service
• Figuring Out Where to Shoot
• On location
• In the studio
• Producing Your Commercial
• Using the TV station’s production department
• Hiring an independent production house
• Editing Your Commercial

Chapter 10: Collateral Advertising and Direct Mail: Brochures, Flyers, Newsletters, and More

• First Things First: Planning Your Collateral Campaign
• Watching Out for Collateral Budget Busters
• Adding a little (or a lot) of color
• Printing cheap: No such thing?
• Designing the Best Collateral Ads for Your Business
• Striving for a simple design and clear copy
• Deciding what to include in your ad
• Getting help with your design
• Handing Off the Dirty Work: Direct-Mail Houses
• Asking the direct-mail provider some important questions
• Planning your postage

Chapter 11: Opting for Outdoor Ads: Billboards, Posters, Ads on Buses, and Other Signage

• Recognizing the Advantages of Outdoor Advertising
• Measuring the Effectiveness of Outdoor Ads
• Choosing Among Your Outdoor Advertising Options
• Designing Memorable Outdoor Advertising
• Pursuing potential customers
• Making your ad readable
• Keeping your ad clear
• Making it worth remembering
• Looking at a Success Story: Chick-fil-A’s Billboard Campaign
• Aiming for the target audience
• Setting up the marketing strategy
• Capitalizing on the creative strategy
• Reaping the results

Part III: Buying the Different Media

Chapter 12: Investing in Internet Advertising

• Hiring Someone to Create Your Business Web Site
• Choosing a Web designer worthy of your hard-earned dollars
• Contracting with and paying a Web designer
• Finding an ISP to Run Your Site
• Ranking Your Site: Purchasing Key Words on Search Engines
• Buying Banner Ads on Other Web Sites
• Using ad networks
• Placing your online ads yourself
• Online advertising via affiliate programs
• Finding out whether your banner is working
• Assessing the Cost-Effectiveness of E-Mail Advertising

Chapter 13: Buying Ad Space in Print Media

• Choosing the Right Publication for Your Print Ad
• Calculating Your Print Ad’s Cost
• Finding a Good Sales Rep
• Cold-calling a publication: Don’t do it!
• Going straight to the top: Call the sales manager
• Asking for referrals
• Becoming a Formidable Ad Buyer
• Acting as though you’re reluctant
• Making your sales rep think she’s got competition
• Complaining when the time is right

Chapter 14: Purchasing Ad Time on the Radio

• Determining the Best Radio Station for Your Ads
• Specifying which demographic you’re after
• Doing your homework
• Buying the station
• Talking the Talk of Radio Advertising
• Cume
• Ranker
• Dayparts
• Reading the Fine Print
• Hammering out the details
• Holding ’em to it
• Waiting Patiently for the Results
• Giving your audience time to respond
• Buying radio time: Too little, too much?
• Evaluating your radio ads from time to time
• Taking Advantage of Seasonal Incentives to Reduce Your Costs

Chapter 15: Getting Your Ads on Television

• Buying the Programming, Not the Station
• Comparing TV Stations: Request Media Kits
• Ready to Negotiate? Better Know Your TV Marketing Terms First!
• Understanding timing and sweeps
• Measuring ratings and market shares
• Working with a Sales Rep
• Talkin’ the talk: Negotiating successfully
• Is Cable Advertising Right for You?
• Working effectively with a cable sales rep
• Hitting the bull’s-eye with cable ads
• Doing the math: Cable TV market penetration

Chapter 16: Deciding Whether to Hire an Ad Agency

• Determining When You May Need to Hire an Agency
• Finding the Right Agency for Your Business
• Getting to Know the People Handling Your Account
• Compensating Your Agency
• Media commissions
• Creative and production charges
• Markups
• Retainers
• Working with Your Agency to Get What You Need

Part IV: Beyond the Basics: Creating Buzz and Using Publicity

Chapter 17: Creating Buzz and Word-of-Mouth Advertising

• Getting the Terminology Straight
• Seeing the Power of Word of Mouth
• Examining word-of-mouth marketing success stories
• Beware of negative buzz!
• Tips and Techniques on Generating Buzz
• Coining a great new phrase
• Hiring beautiful people to promote your product
• Taking advantage of celebrity endorsements
• Throwing a party
• Hitting the streets
• Figuring out where to find your big mouths
• Creating a blog about your business

Chapter 18: Leveraging Your Advertising with Public Relations, Publicity, Specialty Items, and Events

• Starting a Public Relations Campaign
• Understanding How Publicity Can Bring Customers
• Writing an effective press release
• Getting the story to the right media
• Advertising on Specialty Items
• Recognizing the advantages of specialty advertising
• Selecting specialty items with a purpose
• Keep the copy simple on a specialty item
• Generating Traffic: Promotional Events
• Radio: The promotions king
• Other promotional opportunities
• Participating in Sponsored Events
• Determining whether you can staff the event
• Calculating the costs: A valuable investment?
• Deciding which events are worthwhile
• Finding sponsored events that work for your business

Part V: The Part of Tens

Chapter 19: Ten Secrets for Writing Memorable Advertising

• Ignoring the Rules of Grammar
• Making Your Ads Effective
• Knowing Why People Buy Your Products
• Finding a Creative Hook
• Remembering That Creativity Is Hard Work
• Letting Your Creative Hook Dictate Your Media Buy
• Considering Your Budget
• Striving for Continuity
• Keeping It Simple
• Being Clear in Your Message

Chapter 20: (Almost) Ten Ways to Know It’s Time to Hire an Agency

• Your Ad Budget Has Become Substantial
• You Need the Expertise of a Professional Media Buyer
• Your Creative Light Bulb Has Burned Out
• You’re Overwhelmed by the Demands of Production
• You’re Having Trouble Keeping Up with the Bookkeeping
• You’re Leaving Co-Op Funds on the Table
• Your Time Is Being Taken Up by Media Reps
• You’re Running Faster to Stay in the Same Place
• You Want a Bunch of Free Stuff

Glossary

Index