A CLIMBER'S GUIDE

As business people, we often secretly hope for that "once in a lifetime" opportunity that will punch our golden ticket for success.  The proverbial "break we've been waiting for" comes from being in the right place at the right time - so we think.  I could swap stories with you over the trials and tribulations of running a business but in this guide, I will keep it to advertising.  With very trying times ahead of us, it is more important than ever to have an advertising plan and stick to it.  In the end, your plan will be born from a decision and its success will result from having the discipline to stick to it.  

One of coaching legend Vince Lombardi's most famous quotes was - "Winning happens when preparation meets opportunity."

Think about that for a minute.  Winning comes down to making a decision to be prepared and having the discipline to follow that plan through to it's completion.   We've all made plans to exercise each day to improve our physical health – but we rarely have the discipline to stick with it.  The same goes for your advertising, and the health of your business.

Winning in advertising requires preparation; it does not require a magic formula, silver bullet or a golden key.  That plan should be based on the principles of successful advertising strategies.  Seth Godin, author of Permission Marketing wrote,

"Business leaders frequently look for quick fixes for their companies.  You don't win an Olympic gold medal with a few weeks of intensive training, there's no such thing as an overnight opera sensation, and great law firms or design companies don't spring up overnight.  Every great company, every great brand and every great career has been built in exactly the same way – bit by bit, step by step, little by little."

What you accomplish tomorrow has everything with what you do today.  Act in a shortsighted, knee-jerk manner and that's exactly what you'll see for results.  Prepare to be what you need to be in order to have long-term lasting success, and you'll achieve it.   Many of us prepare for success in our personal and business lives but believe me when I tell you, that in my travels, it is the exception to come across a business owner or manager that is prepared for success in advertising.  Everything seems to be last minute and reactive instead of long-term and proactive.  

Prepare a healthy advertising strategy and you'll have the opportunity to win everyday because opportunities are everywhere.  Start with knowledge.  Do not allow your advertising to be handled by someone who is guessing or posing as an expert without having at least a thoughtful discussion on the principles of effective advertising.  

Here's a list that you or the person you trust to lead your advertising should be able to answer with insight and expertise.  Use these questions as a tool to help you determine your level of preparedness with regards to advertising.

1.    How is print different than electronic advertising and what can you achieve with one vs. the other?
2.    When and how should I use cable vs. broadcast vs. radio?
3.    What's the difference between intrusive and passive media?
4.    How often should I advertise on the same station or program to generate the correct amount of frequency and why?
5.    How do you avoid waste when scheduling cable spots?
6.    How big does your trade area need to be to justify broadcast?
7.    Can you explain your market story and what do you need to know about the DMA in order to buy it correctly?
8.    How are the DMA vs. Metro Nielsen numbers misrepresented and how can you ensure an accurate representation in order to use them effectively in planning your media buy.
9.    How do you avoid overpaying for a spot in broadcast, cable, or per column inch in the local paper compared to other advertisers?
10.    What are the typical tricks that salespeople use to hide the truth or manipulate the numbers in all media?
11.    What are the benefits or drawbacks of the qualitative targeting of audiences?
12.    How often should a message run before it loses its maximum effectiveness and how much frequency does it need to ensure retention?
13.    How do I handle a proper mix of event-based ads vs. long-term branding and what are the pluses and negatives of each?
14.    What does branding really mean and how should I accomplish it?
15.    What defines a campaign and what determines an idea's existence within the framework of a campaign?
16.    How can you determine the right thing to say in your ads?
17.    What are the critical guidelines or principles for effective copywriting?
18.    How do you prepare for and properly use the Internet to both enhance and promote your business?

This is the short list.  Demand that anyone managing or selling you a plan be able to navigate through the world of advertising effectively.

Make a decision to settle for nothing less, exercise the discipline to follow a healthy plan, and you'll shift your ad budget from an expense to an investment.

"When opportunity comes it's too late to prepare." John Wooden.

Keep Climbing,
Jake

PS – Next guide we'll give an update on truck sales for those of you following.