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Advertising plan construction kit: the top ten ?

An advertising concept is built upon two key criteria: objective and creative.

Objective criteria

1. Who is the target group?

  • Companies?
    The power promoter (decision maker)?
    The trade promoter (user)?
  • People?
    Individuals/specialised groups?
    General public?
  • Customers?
    Regular customers?
    Occasional customers/walk-in customers?
    New customers/non-buyers?
  • How large is the target group?

2. How/via which media can the target group be reached? How does it respond to information? Where do we need to advertise? Where do the priorities lie?

  • Newspapers and magazines
  • Trade press? Which?
  • Trade fairs, exhibitions, congresses?
  • Informative brochures?
  • Specific articles?
  • TV/radio?
  • Billboard advertising?
  • What else?

3. Relative information/influential information and influential function should be present in all advertising (proportionally 0-100%).

  • Do we need to provide more information because we are relatively unknown?
  • Do we need to be more influential because we are recognised but achieving too little?
  • How should the informative and influential components be shared in terms of percentage?

4. Budget

  • Best calculation: dependent upon advertising goals (strategically speaking)
  • 2nd best calculation: % of turnover or comparison to a competitor
  • 3rd best calculation: habit!
    • Intensity if the budget is restrained:
  • Advertise only on certain occasions
  • Advertise only in certain buildings
  • Advertise only for particular services

5. Continuity!

    One single effort such as an advert or a flyer is not going to make a big impression.
    Therefore: keep up the momentum!
    4 small adverts are more effective than one big one.

6. Advertising plan

  • Which material?
  • Which media?
  • When?
  • How much effort? in form of spread sheet/time line

Creative criteria

7. What should advertising achieve?

  • Improve recognition/make the company stand out?
  • Image building for the company? Describe the company?
  • Demonstrate technological advance? Focus on certain products or solutions?
  • Spark interest, prove technical know-how/ capability? Describe certain products and solutions?
  • Create enquiries?
  • Create orders?
  • Pave the way for contact by a salesperson?

8. USP = Unique Selling Proposition

    Which USP should be the core of the advertising statement? Quality? Speed? Economy? Uniqueness?

9. Powerful!

    Advertising always hits the reader or observer unexpectedly. They are not waiting for your advert. That's why advertising needs powerful wording - a good punch line - and expressive pictures.

10. Design according to the AIDA formula

  • A= Attention
  • I = Interest
  • D = Desire
  • A = Action

Irrespective of fashion and trends, this is the psychologically correct order for successful communication - equally so for a sales meeting and certainly for advertising.

The AIDA Formula

Attention
How do I catch the onlookers' eye?

  • Pictures/punch line

Interest
How do I keep their attention?

  • Convenience, advantages, USP

Desire
How do I gain their trust (proof)?

  • Figures, description, pictures, drawings, certificates

Action
Telephone number, name, web-address, reply cards, calculation aids, etc.


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