Advertising represents a powerfully effective tool in helping you to attract different customers, building customer trust, and informing customers about your products. Most businesses utilise some type of advertising to aid them in promoting their services or products. Understanding what exactly advertising is and why it is so important can help your business develop more effective advertising!
Advertising
Advertising is defined as any paid promotion of a service, idea, or product, meant to influence one or a number of people. It can occur across several different mediums, including radio, print, digital media, and television. The central goal is to persuade someone to invest in a project or alternatively perform a specific action.
Types
Above the line: Advertising not targeted to a specific audience and created to reach larger audiences. Radio, magazine, and TV ads are typically this type.
Below the line: Advertising targeted towards a specific audience. This can include in-store ads, commercials and mailing lists created for a specific purpose.
Through the line: Often used for campaigns to build brands and has a mixture of above the line and below the line. Typically widely distributed advertising that utilises digital data or cookies to personalise the experience for the customer.
Why is it so important?
Increasing sales – The main goal of advertising is to increase the total number of people that are buying your business’ product. This can be achieved by utilising advertisements to convince customers that your product is desirable, useful, or high in quality.
Informing customers – Creating advertisements is a fantastic way to inform any potential customers about your product, and any features or advantages that it might have. Important information can be included too, such as the function of the product, unique qualities, pricing, and where it can be brought.
Helping to introduce products – Customers can be informed through advertising any time you introduce a new product. This enables your business to show a new product to a vast audience of people and generate interest in the product.
Informing you about competition – Advertising can be used to learn about any developments made by your competition, and to also monitor them. This is because when a competitor chooses to release a new product onto the market, they might create a certain advertisement to inform their own customers.
Retaining customers – Using forms of advertising can help to remind your customers about the importance of your brand and might encourage them to continue purchasing your product, especially if they buy into the brand story/image.
Increasing morale of employees – A truly effective ad might improve the morale of employees who hear about it or see it. Employees might find it far easier to talk to any potential customers if that customer is already aware that they exist.
Differentiating your brand – Most services and products have a multitude of businesses competing for various customers, so your business might need to find different ways to differentiate it from any competitors. Advertising elements that include fonts, logos, colour schemes, and tag lines are great ways to establish an all-important brand identity.
Increasing trust from customers – Advertising increases trust and familiarity between a business and their customers. If a customer views multiple advertisements about your product, they might consider you as a brand they can trust.
Link Directories are Gloucester’s leading local independent directory, linking local businesses with the local community. We publish 3 local directories – Abbey-Link, Hucclecote Link and Tuffley Link – and distribute to 16,000 homes over a 2-month period. If you would like more information about how we can help you advertise your local business to your target market, take a look at our website www.thelinkdirectories.co.uk or give us a call on 01452 621496 – we’d be happy to help!
