Question 1

What is an advertising strategy?

Accepted Answer

An advertising agency can develop a strategy that will help you reach your target customers. The strategy should include:
what you are trying to achieve (for example, raising brand awareness or boosting traffic to your website)
who you are trying to reach (potential and existing customers)
what message you want to put across (for example, your product’s unique selling proposition)
which media you will advertise in
when and how often you will advertise
how much you plan to spend
how you will measure the effectiveness of your advertising

Your advertising strategy should be consistent with your marketing strategy. Your advertising strategy focuses on getting your message out through the media, while your marketing strategy includes how you set about understanding your customers’ needs and positioning your business against the competition, as well as what alternatives to advertising you use for promotion and sales.

Question 2

Does my business need to advertise?

Accepted Answer

Businesses seek new customers in different ways. For many, advertising is the obvious choice. Alternatives can include public relations, direct selling, email marketing, and use of social media. Deciding which options are best for you requires careful consideration of your company’s resources and marketing objectives.

Advertising can be a good choice if:
you want to reach a wide audience (rather than contacting potential customers individually)
you know who your target customers are, and which publications or media they view
you want to put across a relatively simple message (for example, if what you offer is easy to understand)
you want short-term results (for example, if you want to run a seasonal promotion to boost sales during a quiet period)
Advertising can be a bit of a gamble. It can be difficult to be sure that your advertisements will reach the right audience, or that they will have the effect you want. However, pay-per-click advertising (also known as PPC) helps overcome this risk by only charging you when someone clicks on your ad and visits your website.

Question 3

What can advertising do for my business?

Accepted Answer

A well-designed advertisement can:
generate sales or enquiries
improve your company image
create awareness of your products or services
get the word out about a sales promotion or offer
help establish you in a new location
Before you start writing your ad, decide what you want it to achieve. Lead with a customer-focused proposition – what problem can you solve for your audience? Present information clearly, rather than focusing on style.
A good advertisement can spur a lot of people to inquire about your product, but it might not result in many sales because the wording is poor or the ad is aimed at the wrong audience. If you want to be sure that you’re advertising effectively, then it’s important to measure how well each ad campaign works.

Question 4

What are the steps in planning an advertising campaign?

Accepted Answer

The most effective time to advertise is when your target audience is most likely to buy. Building awareness of your offer as early as possible in the buyer’s decision process can pay dividends.
During quieter times, businesses can benefit from advertising to help boost sales more significantly when they’re struggling. However, if your customers are other businesses, you may need to consider their buying cycles and when their budget becomes available.
Set out what you want to achieve from your adverts, which might include:
launching a new product or service;
letting customers know about a change of premises or expansion;
targeting a new market segment;
promoting a special offer.
The campaign should include budgeting, design, timing and follow-up. Also consider how to handle enquiries that come in and how a surge in orders might affect how much stock or how many staff you need to have on hand.
According to marketing experts, it is important to make your adverts stand out in order to maximize the impact of your limited budget.
Who do you want to talk to?
It is important to research your target group in order to create a profile for marketing purposes. For example, are you contacting prospects or regular customers? Are they mainly male or female? Are they from a certain age group? Do they have a particular lifestyle?

If you have three different audience segments, each with different needs and preferences, it may be best to run three different campaigns.
Where are these people?
When deciding on your target audience, keep in mind that the advertising channel you choose should suit the target.
Advertisements can be placed in a variety of media. You can choose from newspapers (local, national, trade or freesheets), magazines (general interest, specialist, in-house or local), local radio stations, cinemas and posters on public transport. If you cannot afford the cost of an advertisement in a newspaper or magazine, advertising online can be a good way to reach large numbers of people who are always connected to the internet.
Why?
The purpose of an advertisement is not always to spur sales. It might be to educate consumers about new products or special offers, to create awareness of what a business does, or even to reassure existing customers.
If you’re not sure what you want to achieve, your advertising will lack direction.
What do you want to say?
Keep your message clear and to the point. Stress the advantages of your product or service rather than its features. Try to build a unique selling proposition into your advertising message, and make sure it is one that no competitor can duplicate.

Question 5

How much should a business spend on advertising?

Accepted Answer

Review your budget and assess whether it is sufficient to achieve your business objectives. Consider how your competitors advertise, and whether you should replicate their methods to ensure your message is heard in the marketplace.
Consider how far you are from achieving your objectives and whether or not additional funds will make a difference in achieving them. Calculate how many extra sales you need to make to justify your spend.
If you want to get the most value for your advertising dollars, test and refine your campaigns as you go. Online advertising allows you to manage and control costs by measuring results and improving return on investment.

Question 6

Where should my business advertise?

Accepted Answer

When targeting segments, carefully match your customer profile to the reading habits of people in those segments. For example, if your target segment includes affluent women between the ages of 25 and 45, check the circulation figures verified by the Audit Bureau of Circulations on the ABC website for newspapers and specialist magazines published in your area that cater to this demographic. The BRAD directory may also prove helpful for finding lists of publications whose readership is close to your target niche or segment.
When placing an advertisement, ask for a media pack which should include a rate card and back copy of the publication. Check circulation figures, which are often available from ABC auditors but may be very different to the number of people who will actually read it and see your advert. Freesheets may be widely distributed but often discarded unread. Paid-for trade publications may be read by several professionals in a business.
To determine the most effective platform for your campaign, consider the number of potential viewers reached and the likelihood that they will take action. For example, a poster in a high-traffic area or an advertisement in a national publication is likely to be widely seen by a large number of people but probably not by your target audience.
When comparing the cost of advertising in a specialist magazine to that of a large newspaper, it’s important to factor in a publication’s audience size. If the publication reaches a specific target audience effectively, the cost-per-thousand of advertising there may prove to be cheaper than placing ads in a larger publication.

Question 7

Where are the best places to advertise online?

Accepted Answer

You want to advertise on web pages that your target audience are likely to see. Your choices for where to advertise online include:
search engines like Google
social media platforms like Instagram
individual websites that match your customers’ interests
digital advertising networks that automatically place your ads on relevant websites
A digital marketing agency can tell you more about the costs of advertising online, including pay-per-click advertising, and what you can expect to achieve.

Question 8

Should we use an advertising agency?

Accepted Answer

As a general rule, if you plan to spend more than AED 50,000 on advertising, it is advisable to use an advertising agency. Typically, agency fees will amount to approximately 15 per cent of your advertising budget. However, if your budget is smaller, you might consider using a freelance copywriter to help create your ads.

When seeking a design agency to help your business, look for an agency that has experience in the industry in which you operate. Look at samples of their past work and ask whether there are any satisfied customers you can speak to, or testimonials you can read.
When seeking creative assistance, it’s helpful to get a feel for what your potential vendors can offer you by asking them for initial ideas. However, don’t expect too much without providing a full creative brief.
When you decide to do your own advertising, or to hire an ad agency, remember that your advertising creates an image of your company. If you go with a mediocre advertising campaign, it could be more damaging than if you had not advertised at all.

Question 9

How can I make my adverts stand out?

Accepted Answer

Writing an effective advertisement requires skill and knowledge of various design principles. A casual reader will spend about two seconds looking at an ad, so if it has not caught the eye or grabbed their attention in that time, the reader will move on. Effective use of design elements is therefore crucial to success.

A well-chosen headline can make a big difference to how your advert is perceived by its readers. It could be in the form of a question, statement, invitation or even a customer testimonial. The same goes for illustrations and colour use. You should always leave design to the professionals; poor design can tarnish your reputation. The image of the advert should reflect your market position and values.

Question 10

How long does it take to see results from advertising?

Accepted Answer

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to advertising. For example, an online ad offering a short-term discount might have almost immediate effects; on the other hand, building your brand image might need an advertising campaign that is sustained over several months.
The success of an ad campaign depends on reaching a significant proportion of your target audience. Not everyone will notice your ad when it appears, which means that you may need to run the ad for a sustained period before people notice it and have an effect on their perception of your product.
To ensure that your advertising campaign is successful, you should closely track its effectiveness. If you are not getting the anticipated results, tracking what is going on will show you when and how your advertising needs to change. The quickest results tend to come from online advertising.
Advertising should not be used as a quick fix or Band-Aid solution. It should be planned in tandem with other customer communications, and integrated into an overall marketing strategy.

Question 11

Should we try to match our competitors' advertising?

Accepted Answer

Keep an eye on your competitors’ advertising campaigns; this can give you valuable insights into their marketing strategies. Just don’t try to copy them.

Marketing is about creating a competitive advantage. If you make the same products or services as your competitors, you will not be in a position to charge higher prices. Either be different, or do better than your competitors – but above all, develop a product or service that is unique and valuable to your customers.
It is better to focus on creating an attractive, profitable customer offer.

Advertising Service	How It Supports Your Campaign
Outdoor & OOH Advertising	Billboards, outdoor screens and location-based media for brand visibility
Digital Marketing	Search, display and performance campaigns to reach relevant online audiences
Social Media Marketing & Ads	Content, paid campaigns and audience engagement across suitable platforms
PPC Advertising	Paid search strategy, keyword targeting, optimisation and conversion measurement
Newspaper & Print Advertising	Print placements for corporate announcements, promotions and relevant readerships
Radio Advertising	Audio campaigns selected according to station audiences and available inventory
Creative, Video & Photography	Campaign visuals, video production and branded creative assets
Brand Identity & Design	Logo, marketing collateral and campaign design for consistent brand presentation

Campaign Component	EDS Approach
Strategy & Audience	Define business goals, target customers, locations and relevant channels
Media Planning	Assess formats, placements, schedules, availability and quotations
Creative Development	Adapt messaging and artwork to each approved advertising format
Campaign Coordination	Coordinate suppliers, bookings, production and implementation as agreed
Measurement & Reporting	Review platform metrics, enquiries and other available performance indicators

Channel	Typical Objective	Important Consideration
Outdoor / DOOH	Broad visibility and location-based awareness	Inventory, permissions, location and duration
Google Search / PPC	Capture existing customer demand	Keyword intent, competition and landing pages
Social Media Ads	Awareness, engagement and leads	Audience fit, creative and platform policies
Radio	Reach relevant listening audiences	Station suitability, airtime and spot frequency
Print & Publications	Corporate and audience-specific messaging	Publication readership and insertion requirements
Cinema & Video	Visual storytelling and launch campaigns	Audience, creative specifications and available placements

Business Objective	Potential Advertising Approach
Launch a New Brand	Integrated awareness across selected outdoor, digital and social channels
Promote a Product or Offer	Targeted paid media, creative campaigns and relevant retail placements
Generate Business Enquiries	Search advertising, landing pages, lead-focused social campaigns and tracking
Reach a Specific Dubai Area	Location-based outdoor formats and geographically targeted digital campaigns
Build Corporate Reputation	Consistent brand communication, print, digital and appropriate media activity
Support Events & Exhibitions	Event creative, outdoor placements, social promotion and video assets

Cost Factor	What Affects the Quotation
Media Type & Location	Outdoor site, platform, station, publication or placement
Campaign Duration	Number of days, weeks or months and booking frequency
Audience & Reach	Target market, location, inventory and media competition
Creative & Production	Design, video, printing, fabrication or installation
Approvals & Management	Applicable permits, operator requirements and agency scope

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