When getting ready to launch an advertising campaign, businesses are anxious to learn the best practices, tips and recommendations on what to do and how to do it right. But in fact, it’s not always about what to do. There are certain mistakes to avoid for the best outcome. So, today, learn what NOT to do amidst your advertising efforts.
Don’t start without identifying your target audience
This is a key condition, the corner stone of every business undertaking. It is vital that you know exactly who you’re trying to sell your product to. Which means, you should have solid data on the topic, not just your assumptions. Gather as much info as you can about your potential customers and create generalized customer profiles presenting each segment of your audience. Each segment should be then targeted by a specific ad copy, media channel etc.
Don’t be afraid to be original
While it may be tempting to follow the competitor whose campaign proved to be truly outstanding, or simply play it safe and not take the risk of doing something unexpected, it may lead to poor results. According to the Michigan State University study, the creativity and originality of an ad campaign has a positive impact on its performance on the market (mind, not the budget).
Don’t focus on you and your product in the ad
What you sell is not the product, but its abilities to solve the consumers’ issues or improve their lives. While it looks like being a well-known fact, there are numerous companies who repeat the same mistake over and over again. They speak about how great their product is without any reference to its use for the audience. So, make sure your campaign shows your deep understanding of your consumers’ problems and only then offer a solution.
Don’t overlook proper preparation
Imagine that your advertising campaign turned out an utter success overnight. The number of potential customers trying to get your product is growing exponentially… Sounds awesome so far? Well, come back down to earth and think whether you’re ready for a surge of new purchases/orders/contracts? Will you be able to handle them smoothly without delays, website downtime, nervous breakdowns? If you’re in doubt, take the time to get well prepared before you launch your campaign.
Don’t put off tracking results until the last moment
It’s a huge mistake of many businesses to set the campaign and start analyzing the results only after the budget is spent. With advertising, you’ve got to be vigilant and alert, always aware of the campaign progress and intermediate results. This enables you to change the course immediately and avoid breaking the bank if anything doesn’t work out as expected
All in all, advertising is highly individual and what works for others may not work for you. Building an effective ad campaign takes much experimenting, patience and diligence. However, avoiding the above mistakes will take you a few steps closer to the desired result.
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