Advertising For Dummies by Gary Dahl

Introduction     1
About This Book     1
Conventions Used in This Book     2
What You're Not to Read     2
Foolish Assumptions     2
How This Book Is Organized     3
Advertising 101     3
Creating Great Ads for Every Medium     3
Buying the Different Media     4
Beyond the Basics: Creating Buzz and Using Publicity     4
The Part of Tens     4
Icons Used in This Book     5
Where to Go from Here     5
Advertising 101     7
Advertising: Mastering the Art of Promotion     9
Making Advertising Work     10
Getting to Know Your Media Options     11
Regarding radio     11
Rating TV     12
Contemplating print     12
Musing upon direct mail     13
Scrutinizing outdoor advertising     14
Ogling online ads     14
Poring over publicity     14
Lessons from the Legends: Figuring Out Your Advertising Needs     15
David Ogilvy     16
Bill Bernbach     17
Wieden and Kennedy     18
Setting and Working within Your Advertising Budget     19
Determining How Much You Can Afford to Spend     20
Developing an Advertising Strategy and a Tactical Plan     22
Researching and evaluating your competition     22
Identifying your target market     23
Knowing your product's appeal     24
Maximizing Your Budget     24
Getting the most out of your creative and production     25
Using media you can afford     26
Boosting Your Budget with Co-Op Programs     33
Knowing Who Uses Co-Op Funds     33
Finding Out Which of Your Suppliers Have Co-Op Funds Available     35
Knowing who to talk to     36
You've found your funds, now how do you get the dough?     37
Understanding the Rules, Regulations, and Restrictions     37
Getting your ads preapproved     38
Obtaining proof of performance     39
Submitting your co-op claims package     40
Defining and Positioning Your Message     41
Understanding Why People Choose One Product or Service over Another     42
Image is everything     42
You've got personality!     42
Convenience: More than location     43
Don't sacrifice service!     44
Let 'em know your uniqueness     45
The price is right     45
Researching and Assessing Your Competition: What Sets Your Product Apart?     46
Developing a Strategy for Your Advertising Campaign     48
Case Study: Advertising a Chain of Women's Plus-Size Clothing Stores     49
Identifying the USP: The unique selling proposition     50
Knowing the budget - and staying within its limits     50
Shooting the ads     51
Selecting the right media     51
Applying these ideas to your ad campaign     52
Forming an Effective Ad Campaign     53
Identifying and Targeting Your Audience     54
Focus on your primary market     55
Research your market     55
Checking Out Your Competition's Ads so You Can Differentiate Yours     56
Focusing on Ads That You Respond to Most     57
Concocting a Creative Hook to Get Your Audience's Attention     59
Creative brainstorming     60
Creative example: Developing a campaign for a community college     62
Incorporating Your Creative Message into an Overall Media Ad Campaign     65
Ensuring consistency of your message in all media you choose     66
Keeping your message simple      66
Using words that sell     67
Delivering your message with clarity     69
Creating Great Ads for Every Medium     71
Online Advertising: Maximizing the Enormous Reach of the Internet     73
Measuring the Pros and Cons of Online Advertising     74
Creating Your Own Web Site     76
Deciding on your Web site goals     77
Choosing an effective domain name     78
Saving money (or your sanity): Your Web design     78
Designing a strong Web site     79
Promoting Your Site     83
Setting Goals for Online Ads     85
Ads that build awareness     86
Ads that encourage click-through     86
Ads that encourage sales     87
Choosing Among Online Ad Formats     87
Creating banner ads     88
Doing e-mail advertising     92
Using Print Ads: Small Spaces with Big Audiences     95
Exploring the Advantages of Print     95
Recognizing What Makes a Print Ad Successful     96
Writing and Designing an Eye-Catching Print Ad     99
Hammering out your headline     99
Shaping your subheads     101
Building your body copy      101
Generating your graphics     102
Don't forget the layout!     103
Radio: Effective, Affordable, and Fun     107
Summarizing Your Business in 60 Seconds     107
Who are you?     108
What are you selling?     108
When do you want consumers to act?     109
How can customers get in touch with you?     109
Why should customers hire or buy from you?     110
Deciding on the Format for Your Ad     112
Talking it up: Dialogue     112
Amusing (and schmoozing) the masses: Comedy     113
Giving just the facts: A straight read     114
Determining Who Should Read the Script     115
Doing it yourself     115
Using a studio announcer     118
Hiring a professional voice talent     118
Setting It All in Motion: How to Get Your Ad on the Radio     120
Demystifying TV Commercials: They Don't Have to Win Awards to Be Effective     123
Designing Your TV Commercial in Layers     124
Audio     124
Video     125
Computer graphics     125
Bringing the Audio and Visual Together     126
Deciding What to Feature in Your Commercial      129
Appearing in your own commercial     129
Promoting with a professional     130
Highlighting your place of business     130
Focusing the camera on your product or service     131
Figuring Out Where to Shoot     131
On location     131
In the studio     134
Producing Your Commercial     135
Using the TV station's production department     135
Hiring an independent production house     137
Editing Your Commercial     137
Collateral Advertising and Direct Mail: Brochures, Flyers, Newsletters, and More     139
First Things First: Planning Your Collateral Campaign     140
Watching Out for Collateral Budget Busters     141
Adding a little (or a lot) of color     142
Printing cheap: No such thing?     142
Designing the Best Collateral Ads for Your Business     145
Striving for a simple design and clear copy     146
Deciding what to include in your ad     147
Getting help with your design     151
Handing Off the Dirty Work: Direct-Mail Houses     154
Asking the direct-mail provider some important questions     154
Planning your postage     157
Opting for Outdoor Ads: Billboards, Posters, Ads on Buses, and Other Signage     159
Recognizing the Advantages of Outdoor Advertising     160
Measuring the Effectiveness of Outdoor Ads     162
Choosing Among Your Outdoor Advertising Options     163
Designing Memorable Outdoor Advertising     166
Pursuing potential customers     167
Making your ad readable     168
Keeping your ad clear     169
Making it worth remembering     169
Looking at a Success Story: Chick-fil-A's Billboard Campaign     170
Aiming for the target audience     171
Setting up the marketing strategy     171
Capitalizing on the creative strategy     171
Reaping the results     171
Buying the Different Media     173
Investing in Internet Advertising     175
Hiring Someone to Create Your Business Web Site     176
Choosing a Web designer worthy of your hard-earned dollars     176
Contracting with and paying a Web designer     178
Finding an ISP to Run Your Site     179
Ranking Your Site: Purchasing Key Words on Search Engines     181
Buying Banner Ads on Other Web Sites     181
Using ad networks     181
Placing your online ads yourself     182
Online advertising via affiliate programs     182
Finding out whether your banner is working     183
Assessing the Cost-Effectiveness of E-Mail Advertising     184
Buying Ad Space in Print Media     187
Choosing the Right Publication for Your Print Ad     188
Calculating Your Print Ad's Cost     189
Finding a Good Sales Rep     191
Cold-calling a publication: Don't do it!     191
Going straight to the top: Call the sales manager     192
Asking for referrals     192
Becoming a Formidable Ad Buyer     193
Acting as though you're reluctant     193
Making your sales rep think she's got competition     195
Complaining when the time is right     196
Purchasing Ad Time on the Radio     199
Determining the Best Radio Station for Your Ads     200
Specifying which demographic you're after     201
Doing your homework     202
Buying the station     204
Talking the Talk of Radio Advertising     205
Cume     206
Ranker     206
Dayparts     207
Reading the Fine Print     207
Hammering out the details      207
Holding 'em to it     209
Waiting Patiently for the Results     210
Giving your audience time to respond     210
Buying radio time: Too little, too much?     211
Evaluating your radio ads from time to time     211
Taking Advantage of Seasonal Incentives to Reduce Your Costs     212
Getting Your Ads on Television     215
Buying the Programming, Not the Station     216
Comparing TV Stations: Request Media Kits     217
Ready to Negotiate? Better Know Your TV Marketing Terms First!     218
Understanding timing and sweeps     219
Measuring ratings and market shares     219
Working with a Sales Rep     221
Talkin' the talk: Negotiating successfully     223
Is Cable Advertising Right for You?     226
Working effectively with a cable sales rep     227
Hitting the bull's-eye with cable ads     229
Doing the math: Cable TV market penetration     229
Deciding Whether to Hire an Ad Agency     233
Determining When You May Need to Hire an Agency     234
Finding the Right Agency for Your Business     236
Getting to Know the People Handling Your Account     237
Compensating Your Agency     238
Media commissions     239
Creative and production charges     240
Markups     241
Retainers     241
Working with Your Agency to Get What You Need     242
Beyond the Basics: Creating Buzz and Using Publicity     245
Creating Buzz and Word-of-Mouth Advertising     247
Getting the Terminology Straight     247
Seeing the Power of Word of Mouth     248
Examining word-of-mouth marketing success stories     249
Beware of negative buzz!     250
Tips and Techniques on Generating Buzz     251
Coining a great new phrase     251
Hiring beautiful people to promote your product     251
Taking advantage of celebrity endorsements     252
Throwing a party     253
Hitting the streets     253
Figuring out where to find your big mouths     254
Creating a blog about your business     254
Leveraging Your Advertising with Public Relations, Publicity, Specialty Items, and Events     257
Starting a Public Relations Campaign     258
Understanding How Publicity Can Bring Customers     259
Writing an effective press release     260
Getting the story to the right media     263
Advertising on Specialty Items     266
Recognizing the advantages of specialty advertising     267
Selecting specialty items with a purpose     269
Keep the copy simple on a specialty item     271
Generating Traffic: Promotional Events     271
Radio: The promotions king     272
Other promotional opportunities     275
Participating in Sponsored Events     275
Determining whether you can staff the event     276
Calculating the costs: A valuable investment?     277
Deciding which events are worthwhile     277
Finding sponsored events that work for your business     278
The Part of Tens     270
Ten Secrets for Writing Memorable Advertising     281
Ignoring the Rules of Grammar     281
Making Your Ads Effective     282
Knowing Why People Buy Your Products     282
Finding a Creative Hook     283
Remembering That Creativity Is Hard Work     284
Letting Your Creative Hook Dictate Your Media Buy     284
Considering Your Budget     285
Striving for Continuity     285
Keeping It Simple     286
Being Clear in Your Message      286
(Almost) Ten Ways to Know It's Time to Hire an Agency     287
Your Ad Budget Has Become Substantial     287
You Need the Expertise of a Professional Media Buyer     288
Your Creative Light Bulb Has Burned Out     288
You're Overwhelmed by the Demands of Production     289
You're Having Trouble Keeping Up with the Bookkeeping     289
You're Leaving Co-Op Funds on the Table     289
Your Time Is Being Taken Up by Media Reps     290
You're Running Faster to Stay in the Same Place     290
You Want a Bunch of Free Stuff     291
Glossary     293
Index     297