6 EASY STEPS TO CREATE A PRINT ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN
A successful print advertising campaign is a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Instead of thinking of a campaign as a large expense of time, think of it as a lot of little steps that create a big picture.
Here are six easy steps to create a print advertising campaign to help you be as successful as possible.
1. Create a Plan
Before you start anything, take the time to really think about your print advertising campaign. Even if you have a great idea, it’s important to slow down and plan everything out. Otherwise, your print advertising campaign could look sloppy and be ineffectual.
If you’re not sure how to create a plan, start by asking questions, rather than looking for answers.
-Who do you want to target?
-Why is this print advertising campaign important?
-Where do you want to advertise?
-How do you want to advertise?
Once you have a set of questions, you then have a framework for your plan. The next step is to answer those questions. If you have a business that employs more than just yourself, ask your employees or business partners for their advice. Often there are a lot of unique perspectives that can help your good idea become great.
2. Decide on a Budget
As part of your plan, it’s important to know what your print advertising campaign budget will be. This can be a sensitive area, so be honest with yourself. Understand that while a successful print advertising campaign should bring in increased revenue, you need to spend money first to make money.
A budget should be a range of dollars. Think about the minimum that you want to spend and the absolute maximum that you are able to spend. It’s important to have a bit of extra money in reserve to help boost a part of your print advertising campaign for it to be truly successful.
3. Pick a Target Audience
This is another part of your plan, and one of the most important. Know who you want to advertise to. The best print advertising campaigns target a specific demographic. This way there is a clear message and it gets to the people that are most likely to purchase your product.
Target audiences can be broader like men, women, or children. They can also start to be more specific like single men, retired women, or babies. Knowing who will purchase your product and picking a target audience will help you decide just where to advertise.
4. Have a Consistent Message
Within your print advertising campaign, you should know what you’re trying to sell. Be clear and simple. There is a tendency to provide too much information which can bombard your audience and overwhelm them. You might panic and think that this is the one chance you have to share your message.
Instead, think about an idea that you want to convey about your product. Then, have a way for viewers to access more information like through social media or a website. That way when they have more time, they can spend that time getting more information.
A consistent message hooks your audience. It should make a statement and leave them wanting more. It should entice people and make them remember it at a later date. Above all, a consistent message will have people talking with other people, which creates an informal web of information.
5. Get Help from Experts
If you get stuck with your print advertising campaign, do not be afraid to ask an expert. In fact, this external help should be a part of your budget. Advertising experts live and breathe campaigns. They know what will work and what won’t.
If you’re worried that an external person will take over, be clear at the beginning. Explain the situation and be specific about what help you are looking for. And don’t be afraid to ask multiple people. Finding the right fit is important.
6. Repeat
Once you have created a successful print advertising campaign, it is important to go back and analyze what went right and what could be improved upon. With that knowledge, repeat. It’s important to fine tune any advertising campaign, but if something was really successful, don’t be afraid to repeat it. There’s not point in making extra work for you if what you have created has delivered the results you wanted.