How to Create an Advertising Media Mix That Works
By Amy DesLauriers
Associate Product Manager
Read time: 3 minutes
The changing season brings excitement for fall, football season and pumpkin spice lattes, but it can also be a stressful time for business owners who need to plan for the upcoming year. It’s the time of year when two major questions come to mind: “How much do I need to spend on advertising and marketing? And where do I spend it?”
The answer starts with focusing your advertising decisions on finding the right people, then you can start being in the right place – at the right time. Read through these four thought-starters to make the process a little more calculated, a little less daunting and headed in the right direction.
Then, download the Advertising Planning Cheat Sheet for additional tips, tricks and insights to set your business up for advertising success.
If you don’t know where you are going, how will you get there?
Setting both business and campaign-level goals will lead to smart advertising decisions around budget, placement and messaging. Clearly defined goals will keep you and your team focused on the metrics that matter in achieving those goals. Be sure each goal is measurable. Saying you’d like to increase awareness of your product or brand is a good start, but how do you measure that? Setting a goal of a 10% increase in social media followers or web traffic, for instance, is easily measurable to help you determine whether your campaign is successful.
"Everyone is not your customer." – Seth Godin
Pay attention to who is walking through your doors and identify common themes. Ask questions such as:
- Who are they?
- How old are they?
- What do they like/dislike?
Understanding your customers will allow you to be more targeted in advertising – and more efficient. Using data to guide your decisions will make your investment more effective and more relatable to potential customers.
Do your homework, whether that means digging in yourself, seeking input from knowledgeable friends or consulting with an advertising specialist. Know your options, understand where your audience spends their time and request necessary information from trusted media sources. When in doubt, keep these two things in mind:
Video dominates across all demographics, with live TV making up two-thirds of daily video consumption.1 Video is often the most impactful vehicle to deliver a message.
Remember Finance 101? It’s time to diversify your advertising "portfolio." An integrated, multichannel approach will drive better results.
Video dominates across all demographics, with live TV making up two-thirds of daily video consumption.1 Video is often the most impactful vehicle to deliver a message.
Remember Finance 101? It’s time to diversify your advertising "portfolio." An integrated, multichannel approach will drive better results.
Allocate advertising budgets to media channels best-suited to achieve the goals you set above. Remember: Not all media channels are created equal.
The key is to strike the right balance of reach and frequency – and cost and impact. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket or use them all at the same time. Identify key sales opportunities throughout the year, and allocate funds there first. Follow consumer behavior trends and seasonality to make budget and timing decisions that will move consumers from awareness to interest and then purchase.
Advertising strategy and budgeting is not a simple process. With how quickly the media landscape is changing, you’re not the only one who doesn’t know where to start. Many decision-makers have the same questions.
As you plan for 2020, Midco® Business can be an additional resource for you. Our team of advertising specialists will assist you through the process, from goal-setting to creating an actionable strategy. You can also utilize an award-winning production team to develop marketing materials to fulfill your annual plan.
As an Associate Product Manager at Midco, Amy DesLauriers keeps a pulse on industry advertising trends - finding ways for our team to be increasingly innovative and competitive. Prior to Midco, she worked as a director of media strategy for eight years at a Sioux Falls-based agency. She holds a bachelor's degree in marketing from Minnesota State University-Mankato, and a Master's of Business Administration from University of South Dakota.
As an Associate Product Manager at Midco, Amy DesLauriers keeps a pulse on industry advertising trends - finding ways for our team to be increasingly innovative and competitive. Prior to Midco, she worked as a director of media strategy for eight years at a Sioux Falls-based agency. She holds a bachelor's degree in marketing from Minnesota State University-Mankato, and a Master's of Business Administration from University of South Dakota.
1 Nielsen: The Nielsen Total Audience Report, Q12019