Small Business Advertising: A wealth of information to grow on.

Successful small business advertising—the kind that gives you measurable results—isn’t so much about how much money you spend as it is about spending it wisely.

So before you drop one dime, you need to back up and get a plan. A marketing plan .

If you haven’t developed one yet, I would highly recommend you click here and go back to the "Small Business Marketing" section before you jump into advertising.

Because to put things in perspective…your marketing plan is your high road to success, and your advertising is the vehicle by which you arrive at your destination. Advertising ideas without some sort of strategy behind them makes about as much sense as selling saltwater to sailors.

So go…read the marketing section. When you’re through, come back here and we’ll talk.

Don’t worry, I’ll wait…

Good. Let’s get down to business advertising.

Advertising and marketing for small business is just as important—if not more so—as it is to a larger, more established business. And yet, small businesses often make the huge mistake of cutting their ad budget first when money gets tight.

Isn’t that a little like cutting off your nose to spite your face?

You bet it is.

Advertising is an investment. An investment in the future of your business.

Because in today’s society, the question really isn’t whether or not you can afford to advertise, but whether or not you want your business to succeed.

Ready to go?

Again, let me reiterate that the first thing you need on this journey is your road map…your marketing plan. The gas that fuels your vehicle (advertising) is information. You won't get very far without the gas, but you first need to know where you're going.

And this small business advertising section of the site is all about giving you the information you need to make educated decisions on how to spend your advertising dollars.

Learn about key media outlets.

Television Advertising – Everyone wants to do tv commercials because they’re sexy and extremely high-impact. Unfortunately, when it comes to small business advertising, tv can quickly blow the budget. But there are ways to make tv more affordable and impactful.

Radio Advertising is one of my all-time favorite advertising mediums because it a relatively low-cost, high-impact way to reach your target audience with pinpoint accuracy. I like it so much, if fact, that I’ve even written an e-book called The Insider’s Guide on How to Write and Produce Your Own Radio that should be ready to download sometime this fall, 2008.

Newspaper Advertising is a good way to reach a mass audience. While they’re not cheap, they can be reasonably priced. However, it’s very easy to get lost on a crowded newspaper page, so here are some ideas on how to make your ad stand out.

Magazine Advertising also has a mass audience and can be an ideal way to reach your customer. Magazines don’t have quite so many opportunities for overcrowding as newspapers, but they are usually more expensive. Still, magazines and trade publications can be a great small business advertising opportunity.

Yellow Pages Advertising definitely isn’t cheap, but is a great way to add credibility in your local customers’ minds.

Other pages I have under development include the following, so be sure to check back often for updates.

Outdoor Advertising gives you great visibility, and used as part of a cohesive campaign, can provide a lot of bang for your buck.

Internet Advertising has been growing like wildfire for more than a decade, and it offers unique opportunities for small business advertising. This will take you beyond just putting up a website, and show you ways to actually build your profits online.

How to Create a Great Company Brochure will give you some do’s and don’ts on how to develop and produce this important representative of your business.

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