Advertising on demand
The winter holidays are now officially over and we are back in office ready to make your weeks funnier with our memes and share some of the experience we ourselves have and will continuously be accumulating as part of our journey.
What to expect from Triangela in 2017?
– Well, the same weekly posts we have accustomed you with on a diverse range of subjects from programming to marketing, data administration, or anything else you might find stimulating to discuss on.
– A lot of openness to communication with you, our virtual friends. That being said, never hesitate to reach out to us with opinions, comments or suggestions. We are particularly interested in getting to know you and that which you consider useful.
– And, something more we are truly excited to make an announcement on: an extra service in web copywriting we gladly started offering our customers since January 1st 2017.
Before turning to today´s topic, we, at Triangela, wish you all a very inspiring, merry year, and, of course, happy reading! 🙂
Online advertising
Target them and shoot your ad-arrow
Competition is growing stronger by the day among suppliers of different services and goods, and with it, so is the trend of online advertising.
Consider you run or consider running a small company. The first question you usually find yourself asking friends, relatives, business partners, even your own reflection in the mirror, is how will you get people to notice you? Indeed, the quality of what you produce, the customer relations you build and the contacts with other entrepreneurs like yourself, all count for a fairly consistent proportion of your company´s wellbeing, but how will you expand all that? How will you penetrate new markets?
Most often the questions above have a common answer: social media. I remember even to this day one of the first pieces of advice I got from a very good friend days into registering Triangela. “Maria, Google AdWords is the real deal”. At that moment, I croaked my voice and raised my eyebrows, simply arrogant. What was Google AdWords and who needed all this knowledge in advertising and marketing anyway?
Time, however, has proven it had only been superficial of me to think in such a way. Running a business does require understanding and consistent accumulation of new information on everything from Google AdWords, to Facebook or Instagram advertising. As for contacts, never underestimate them either. A delighted client will show loyalty and return, often bringing other potential clients along with him. Yes! Advertising is worth your time and money BUT it has to be done RIGHT and by right, I mean with a little critical approach. Learn from mistakes and don’t worry: no small entrepreneur has ever gone bankrupt from over-marketing his product.
Let’s imagine you take my word on that. Now you might wonder where to start from? How will you use each of the advertising tools the worldwide web offers you? Will you have the resources necessary to use them all? Do you even need to use them all? Yes, I know…I felt the same anxiety when the complex world of advertising opened in front of my very eyes, yet see a complexity of such nature as an opportunity rather than a panic instigator. It most of the times is. How?
Next stop: sharing some of the tips that have helped me during the last months. Gabriella (she knows) and other professionals out there, please be gentle! Everyone is entitled to be wrong! 🙂
Hence, without further ado, here we go!
Number 1: Know your product.
Though it may sound like common sense, don’t take your product for granted. Treat it with respect and let it “talk” to you. It only takes a couple of minutes to “attend a meeting” with your product and “listen” to what it has to say. As it “speaks”, write a short list with the answers to the following questions:
- What shortage/problem is your product intended for?
- Is there a market for such a product?
- What does your product bring to the market? (better said) How is your product better/newer/more efficient than other products of the same kind?
- Where will production costs round up at?
- If costs seem too high to manage, then
5.a. How could you decrease costs?
5.b. Would a simpler version of the product be an option?
5.c. Is the product worth your investment? (DON’T BE SCARED OF THIS ONE! It will always be more comfortable to find flows in your product at an incipient stage rather than when your money has already been tied up in a lost cause.)
Number 2: Know your customer.
I cannot emphasize enough how important this aspect really is. Please, do not put your pen down until you have answered at least the following questions:
- Do you intend to sell to businesses or individuals?
- If the answer to point 1. above is businesses, then,
2.a. What is the average size of the businesses targeted by your product?
2.b. Do these businesses serve a specific industry?
2.c. Is there a geographical region your product particularly targets? Here, have in mind the characteristics of these regions and how they could influence your product. For example, if you wish to start selling your product on the local market before you go international, you might want to add some cultural features to the presentation of your product: like a homepage in a specific language; or maybe tailor your product (if its nature permits) according to customs or celebrations/events of the region.
2.d. Would these customers deem your product as cost efficient?
- If the answer to point 1. above is otherwise individuals, then,
3.a. What gender and age categories is your product intended to be popular amongst?
3.b. What are these individual´s interests?
3.c. Would these customers deem your product as cost efficient?
- In the scenario in which your product is meant for both businesses and individuals, you should be prepared to answer points 2. and 3. above equally well.
Now that you have identified your customers, next you should discover….
Number 3: Where is it most likely to come across them?
Neither everyone habituates the same websites, nor do they read the same journals, use the same social media tools, or attend the same conferences or meetings. Conclusion?
Advertising sources will be treated differently by different groups of people. Some will prefer Facebook ads, while others will passionately scroll down their favorite online magazine`s posts searching for all those new coming gadgets and services in the particular field. Some will type a description of their problem on Google`s search engine and click on the first link that pops up, while others will ask a partner or close colleague for guidance on the matter to be dealt with.
So, in order to make your advertising investments worth their dimension, you will have to fashion them with regards to your target customers´ behavior.
1. Are your target customers small companies?
If so, word of mouth and having a strong network of contacts might be what you are looking for. Studies show 80% of small companies across the world value a friendly advice from a person they can trust more than anything else. Time and cost efficiency is to entrepreneurs in this category primordial, therefore they will be more than happy to burn overwhelmingly long steps to uncovering solutions in order to get back to business ASAP.
Remember: if your product fits small companies best, you should be prepared to do it justice with an on the spot, masterful presentation. When partnering in a project with small companies, not seldom will you end up dealing with CEO´s, CFO´s, or close connections of these professionals within the company, all people with strong critical thinking and very good awareness of processes. So, don’t mess it up!
2. Are your target customers mid-sized and large companies?
Then Google AdWords might serve you well. Whether your product will benefit the company as a whole or just a department within the company, never underestimate the power of large scales. You might build connections within and of course you might get a call based on a reference (no one says it is impossible). Yet, the chances that your contact person might not be in the right place at the right time when his colleague across the corridor or at the top floor needed something like your product, might be higher. So, what will this colleague do instead? Yep! Give Google a go! In the end, it´s common knowledge the Google engine never disappoints.
And here is where AdWords come into play. I could write an entire article about how to use AdWords, but since the topic is different on this occasion, I will resume to the most valuable tips about them:
- In the Google AdWords admin tool, come up with good search words. Put yourself in your customers’ shoes. What phrases/word/ or cluster of words might they be typing to arrive at a product that solves the shortcoming your product does? Also, accept word recommendations.
- Be concise when you compose an advertising announcement.
- Don’t forget to include contact information for those interested to reach you personally.
- Include in the ad a call to action: give an extra reason to your customers to visit the webpage of your product: maybe a campaign, or discount.
- Make it easy for them to get to your product directly. Don’t transform the user experience into a hunt in the dark without a lantern. How do you do that? Usually by attaching to the announcement the exact link to the most important part of your product´s webpage.
“Facebook ads!” “Facebook ads!” I hear cheers all around. Yes, why not? But be careful! Facebook ads can be just efficient as useless and unfortunately it does not depend solely on how you design them. Targeting your customers as specifically as possible (by profession, age, gender, location etc.) within your Ad budget should be your number one urgency.
Don’t forget about the call to action in text as well as images. After all, this is Facebook and not once have images called on the attention of users quicker than words have. However, never forget your customer. Ask yourself what kind of pictures he´d prefer? Would he prefer any? How much would be too much?
Speaking of too much… 1667 words already? I will stop now, give you some time to process my post and next week, I´ll be back (as a famous character used to say). What then? We will be turning toward individuals, their approach on advertising and marketing and their sweetheart-channels most probable to favor your product. A bonus on why Google Analytics should be your priceless companion, to be also expected.
Happy week to you all and feel free to send us your thoughts!