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Step 1
Get together with your advertising agency or representatives of the media where you advertise. Ask them to begin creating ads that follow the generally accepted rules of co-op advertising while they effectively highlight your business and attract customers.
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Step 2
Contact your major suppliers and tell them that you are interested in obtaining funds from them for advertising their products. Often, companies do offer co-op advertising to their customers but they need to be asked before agreeing to do so. If they have a bona fide co-op advertising program, they probably have specific rules you must follow. Also, be careful that the amount of co-op advertising they will allow is not reflected in the products you buy from them in the future.
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Step 3
Set up an accounting procedure that will keep track of the co-op advertising that is approved, along with copies of the advertising and the signature of the person approving the advertising. Typically, all of this will be required before your company will be reimbursed.
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Step 4
File for reimbursement. Every company has a procedure for approving payment for co-op advertising. Often, they will have a form that you will need to complete along with the copy of the print advertising or the script if the advertising ran on radio or television. In addition, you will be required to provide an invoice for the amount of their share of the advertising.
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Step 5
Know all you can about co-op advertising. Pick up a copy of the bible on the subject by going to the website mentioned under “Additional Resources” below.
