Everybody makes mistakes, but advertising mistakes can be particularly expensive. While you may be an expert in your industry and adept at managing your business, you may be a novice when it comes to advertising. You want your advertising to drum up business for you, so be sure to avoid the following mistakes.
1.) Reliance on Clichés
If you're basing your advertising campaign on language littered with clichés, you are going to be in hot water (cliché intended). Be sure to avoid common ad clichés that consumers will routinely ignore like "prices too low to advertise," "the more you buy the more you save," or "friendly and knowledgeable staff!” When putting together your next ad, be inventive and avoid relying on tired language. Consider hiring a copywriter who specializes in the medium you’re advertising on.
2.) Running an Advertising Campaign off the Edge of Your Desk
If you have a small business, it can be tough to budget for a full-time advertising or marketing professional. However, if you are delegating your advertising to someone who isn't trained to do this work or already has a mountain of other responsibilities, you're making a costly mistake. It's better to contact an outside marketing consultant to help you create an ad campaign to drive results.
3.) Failing to Measure Results
I always tell my clients they shouldn’t invest a single dollar with a marketing medium until they have decided how they will measure the ROI on that investment. How will you know your advertising campaign is working of you don’t monitor ROI? Monitoring ROI closely will help you decide if your marketing plan is on track or if you should begin a new course of action. Be sure to continually track metrics for all your advertising and marketing activities.
4.) Creating "Busy" Ads
Since you're paying per postcard or print flyer, it might be tempting to try to cram as much about your business as you can onto your ad. You might want to tell potential customers how long you've been in business or about the awards and acclamations you've received, but the problem arises when your main message—"come to our annual summer sale”—gets lost in all the verbiage. Keep your ads as simple and reader-friendly as possible.
For radio and television ads, stick to one thought per ad and keep the tag, voice talent, and music consistent on every ad. You only get 30 or 60 seconds in radio and TV spots. Use those precious seconds wisely!
5.) Advertising to Everyone
The most successful advertising campaigns target a specific demographic. You can create a more direct message when you keep your target audience in mind. If you are selling inexpensive tech gadgets to teenagers, you don't want to use outdated language. Knowing your particular target will help you create a message that is more likely to resonate with your singled-out customers when you speak their language.
6.) Failure to Proof Read
Whether you are spending $100 or $100,000 on your ad campaign, there is no excuse for copy errors. Listing a $700 ring for $70 in your ad, is a customer service nightmare. Double and triple check every word before you send it to print or to production.
Common Advertising Mistakes
These are some of the most common advertising mistakes you should avoid to get off to a great start advertising your business. Advertising and marketing are major investments in your business. Be sure to do all you can to make your campaigns wildly successful!