The Top Five Advertising Techniques

[Md. Anikuzzaman]

Advertising is one of the key elements to running a successful business. Finding the best advertising methods for you business requires some experimentation and may vary according to your products, services or niche. However, a few basic strategies can be applied to any market and are commonly used in multiple fields.

Effective Headlines
Your headline is your initial contact with consumer audiences. It is crucial that you capture attention with an intriguing title. In fact, your headline is about 70 percent liable for the effectiveness of your advertisement, according to the Professional Advertising website. The headline must create an emotional response that encourages potential customers to continue to the ad content. For example, if you're selling wrinkle cream, "Get Rid of Wrinkles" is a good headline with a call to action and an ultimate benefit. However, "Get Rid of Wrinkles without Botox" is better because it eliminates a general concern. "Get Rid of Wrinkles while You Sleep - without Botox!" is best because it sounds easy and consumers love simplicity. Effective headlines can applied to most forms of advertising including TV, radio and print.

Cross Promotions
Teaming up with other companies is an ideal way to expand your audience. Find businesses promoting products or services that complement your company's offerings and initiate cross-promotion deals. A well-planned cross-promotion campaign saves both parties considerable advertising dollars, according to Best Business Practices. When two or more parties come together to sponsor a campaign promoting a group of related products, funds are pooled and expenses are shared. For instance, imagine you're selling baby furniture and marketing a new line of cribs. An ideal way to reach a larger audience and save on advertising expenses is to team up with a baby supplies company to cross promote. Instead of promoting just the crib, advertise a package that includes baby bottles, bathtub, pacifiers, mobiles, monitors and toys and share the expense with the supplier.

Humor
Humor and outrageous content are fantastic ways to gain a consumer audience and brand your name, even to those who aren't particularly shopping for your product. Hilarious TV and radio commercials capture public interest and leave a sometimes permanent impression of a corporate brand in the minds of consumers. For example, even decades after its 1984 debut, millions of people still associate Wendy's hamburgers with the "Where's the beef?" advertising campaign. Humorous or unusual imagery is also an effective way to gain consumer attention. Nestle's once painted public benches to resemble half-unwrapped Kit-Kat bars. Aquafresh ran a campaign for a toothbrush so flexible that the imagery portrayed a man with toothbrush passing through his mouth and out of his ear.

Internet Marketing
With the evolution of modern technology, Internet marketing is an absolute must for companies who need a cost-effective way to reach broader advertising markets. The Best Business Practices website reports that at least 70 percent of consumers research products and services online before shopping. A well-constructed website rich with relevant content puts business before a significantly larger consumer audience. Incorporating SEO -- search engine optimization -- techniques into your site design further broadens your reach. Internet advertising strategies, such as social networking, email and article marketing, substantially improve branding and online presence.

Premiums
In advertising, the term "premiums" describes everyday household items displaying company names, logos and information that are given away for free. A small investment in company T-shirts, hats, pens, [coffee mugs](https://society6.com/mugs?utm_source=SFGHG&utm;_medium=referral&utm;_campaign=2383), mouse pads, cigarette lighters or matchbooks are an effective way to get your name "out there." Such items achieve longevity in the hands of consumers and leave an almost subconscious impression. If you drink from a coffee mug daily that displays "Bob's Plumbing," chances are that when you need a plumber you'll call "Bob."

Source: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/top-five-advertising-techniques-21367.html