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Step 1
Determine your advertising program budget and campaign length. Define your advertising goals. Decide if you will focus on a general marketing message to give your company or services "top of mind" status. Publicize specific events if need be. Advertise a new product launch. Decide if your campaign will consist of a series of seasonal promotions--all with a similar theme. Decide on an effective time frame for communicating your marketing message, as well as a reasonable budget. Your budget should include costs for media buys, creative development, administrative time and a 10 to 15 percent contingency for unexpected costs like shipping upgrades, or last minute changes.
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Step 2
Research available advertising venues that will maximize your budget while reaching the highest percentage of your target audience. You may have a stable of media representatives that regularly seek your business. Evaluate each for readership statistics, demographic profiles, and bonus coverage. With this information, you can determine a ballpark cost per impression for your advertising dollar. Consider newer niche media. These outlets may not have as large a reach, but the target audience will generally be more specific. Also, consider on-line media options such as Internet-based magazines specific to your geographic or business sector, news outlets or search engine pay per click programs.
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Step 3
Make contact with account representatives for each of the media outlets you will include in your advertising program--newspapers, magazines, television, billboards, on-line media and sponsorships. Make sure you have the most recent rate cards and ask for any special rates that may apply to your wish list of ad runs. With this information, you can determine the specific outlets and number of runs that will fit within your budget.
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Step 4
Establish a master calendar. Include space reservation, ad copy deadlines and publication dates within your calendar. This will allow you to stay on track in getting your advertising runs booked and artwork submitted in plenty of time.
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Step 5
Gather any advertising materials that must be included in your ad copy. Compile copies or digital files for any photos, graphics or logos that you would like to use in the design of your ads. Type a list of the essential verbiage that will need to be communicated in the ad including the specifics of any special offers, dates and times of special events, your call to action, and contact information. You may also compose a 30 to 45 word company or services description that can be printed with any reader service listings included with your media buy. You can leave the "slogan" or headline of your ads and any design elements to your creative team, and take advantage of their expertise in that area.
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Step 6
Interface with your creative team. Whether you'll be using your company's design agency or working with a media outlet's creative department, you'll need to allow plenty of time for the design of your ads, approvals and revisions. Be sure to communicate your specific goals for the advertising campaign and provide your compiled materials. Also, provide your creative staff with the ad submission guidelines and dimensions for each of the media outlets included in your schedule. Also, be sure to provide your creative team with a copy of the master schedule so everyone is on the same page with deadlines. Make it clear whether you want your agency to submit artwork to the publications or send you print-ready files so you can submit. If your agency will be submitting artwork, add follow-up reminders to your calendar so you can make your media representatives aware of when ad copy is sent.
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Step 7
Block out time each month to execute your advertising program. Your space reservation and art submission deadlines will vary depending on the type of media outlet and frequency of publication. To save on your administrative budget, it may be helpful to handle all of your management requirements for your marketing calendar once every month. Type and email or fax insertion orders for the entire month at once. These can be sent to your media account representatives. Send your art files to various publications as well. Although each publication may have a separate email address for ad copy submissions, it is a good idea to copy these to your ad representative as well so they are aware. Always request a confirmation of receipt for both your insertion orders and art submissions.
