Advertising is key to business success

If you're like most of us, you probably spent a least a few minutes watching Super Bowl XL. You may have been a Steelers or Seahawk fan, or maybe you were drawn to the advertisements.

For 40 years now, the Super Bowl has been televised and a passion has developed about the commercials aired.

Most viewers believe the spots must be humdingers since advertisers are paying the network $2.4 million for 60 seconds of airtime.

Back in 1967, when the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs played in the World Championship Game (it wasn't called the Super Bowl until later), NBC sold a 30-second advertisement for a mere $37,500.

That initial game was played in the Los Angeles Coliseum and the stadium was a third empty.

The lesson here: If you are going to spend that kind of money, the advertisement had best motivate people to purchase the product.

Even if you are a small business and have an advertising budget a bit smaller than that of Coca-Cola, IBM or Budweiser, you still want results from the message.

Regardless of which media you use when creating an advertisement, make sure it has the following elements.

# Tell people who you are. What is your company's name and slogan? Repeat it so that it stays on customers' minds. For instance, who is the "King of Beers?" "What can brown do for you?" "Fly the friendly skies of ____ ."

# Tell people what it is that you do. What product/service do you offer? Inform people about it and why it's so great.

# Who are you trying to reach with the advertising message? Pick the media that will best reach this group of people. Don't try to sell to teenagers through a newspaper. Don't sell to AARP members on MTV.

# How is your product/ service going to solve a problem? The message should sell the consumer on the fact that you have the solution for the problem.

# What makes you different from the other guys? Specifically, how is the product/service significantly different and better than the competitors? Don't be subliminal. Hit the customer right between the eyes with the difference.

# Make the customer yearn for the product/service. What is so enticing about it that tomorrow would be too late? I must have it right now or I will die.

# How can customers get their hands on it? Make it as easy as possible for the customer to make the purchase.

J.C. Smith is a consultant for the Gainesville district office of the University of Georgia Business Outreach Services. Telephone: (770) 531-5681. E-mail: jcsmith@sbdc.uga.edu. His column appears Tuesdays.

Originally published Tuesday, February 7, 2006

From : //www.gainesvilletimes.com/news/stories/20060207/localnews/64511.shtml

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