Choosing the Right (?) Media

Every advertising medium has its’ pros and cons.

No ONE advertising medium reaches everyone-but every medium has an audience (potential customers for your business)

What works is HOW you use the medium you choose.

Pick a medium you can AFFORD to be consistent with, that showcases your business & helps you rise above the clutter.

A guide to media pros and cons is below:

PRINT

20+ print publications in Asheville

Citizen Times, Mountain Xpress, Asheville Independent, WNC Magazine, Verve, WNC Woman, Sophie Magazine, WNC Parent, Laurel, Rapid River, Blue Banner, Topix, Western Carolina Business Journal, Weaverville Tribune, Asheville Disclaimer, Out in Asheville, Blue Ridge Outdoors, Asheville Magazine, IWANNA

PROS

Print targets the NOW buyer

Can target your demographic by interests

A good quality color, high res print ad can make your business look sleek

CONS

Passive media/non-intrusive

Difficult to stand out above the clutter

Can’t guarantee your ad placement (can easily be placed next to your competitor)

Poor at reaching consumers before their need arises

Print equals waste: environmentally UN-conscious

BILLBOARDS

PROS

BIG visibility-highest reach medium

Simple, creative messages work (no more than 8 words)

Great for directional advertising (TURN HERE)

CONS

Message loses its impact quickly (After 1-2 impressions, billboards become scenery)

Expensive to change the message

Short message requirement works best for already well-branded businesses

DIRECT MAIL

PROS

Highly targeted

You see a measurable return on good offers

CONS

High cost per contact for small ROI

You are often paying to go in the garbage

Junk mail has negative associations

TV

PROS

High reach medium

Great medium if you are pulling business from a wide geographic area

Combination of audio and visual

CONS

Paying to reach people out of your market (Ask youself: how far do people drive to get to my business?)

Expensive to produce

Expensive to reach adequate frequency

Local tv ads can look “corny” and unprofessional. Plain and simple: Bad tv ads will make your business look bad

INTERNET

PROS

Easy to target your demo

Works well for active NOW buyers

Yellow pages are equivalent to the dinosaurs. Google is where it’s at.

CONS

Passive media (easy to get lost in cyber-space)

Not a great stand alone media. Needs another media vehicle to drive site traffic

Expensive to build/maintain a high quality, professional website

RADIO

PROS

Inexpensive production costs

Local radio ads can sound as good as national ads

Best vehicle for cost efficient frequency

Active medium-intrusive-can reach customers before they decide to buy

Echoic retention implants your business name in the listeners mind (How did you learn your ABC’s?)

Is EARTH friendly

Works well with other mediums “See our ad in….””Visit our website at…”

CONS

Can not showcase visual images

Can not be tightly targeted geographically

Frequency required for maximum results

WORD OF MOUTH

Word of mouth is not advertising. Advertising is word of mouth (on steroids).