Advertising, on its own, is not marketing — it’s just advertising.
An individual marketing tool, like an ad, must integrate with a marketing toolbox and be guided by a strategic program with clearly defined goals. Only then is an ad capable of being an effective marketing tactic.
A marketing process is created when a strategic marketing program uses your company’s marketing toolbox to create consistent messaging that is delivered over a defined period of time, across multiple mediums.
With this messaging repeated consistently, it builds awareness and connects the target audience to the messages of your marketing program and the specific message of the ad — without this connection, the standalone ad is meaningless.
Ask yourself these two questions before launching an ad, regardless of format (print/digital):
1. Is the ad purposeful to current marketing efforts?
What happens after the ad gets attention is crucial.
Do you have a clear goal for this ad? Do you have a method of measuring its success? What was its purpose?
The ad must accomplish something for your company, not just act as an attention-grabbing tool.
2. Does the ad deliver your messaging?
Your ad must deliver your product or service messaging and contribute to the overall marketing program you have created. It must also do it in an interesting way.
With these two key questions answered, you will be better able to ensure that your ad is a key component of your marketing program.
If you’re interested in more blogs on advertising, be sure to check out our blog covering the fundamental rule of advertising.
