Her Magazine is New Zealand’s only women’s business lifestyle magazine! Her Magazine highlights the achievements of successful and rising New Zealand businesswomen. Her Magazine encourages a healthy work/life balance.
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Big Features in a Small Package How to get the most out of your advertising HAVE YOU OFTEN THOUGHT 'I can't afford an advertising agency?' or 'I'll just design it myself?' Or even 'I'll use my best friend's sister's brother?' We have heard it all before, and have seen the results! Advertising doesn't have to cost an arm or a leg. You can get big features in a small package if that is what you are looking for. So here are some simple tips for you to get it right first time and get the results you need! Advertising needs to be direct Potential clients seldom have time to stop and smell the roses. Get straight to the point sooner in your advertising and capture your audience's needs. Yes, we believe you should have some 'subliminal messages' in your designs, but you still need to get straight to your target market with 'what next'. Repetition, repetition, repetition Don't waste time sending out one flyer to a thousand letterboxes, as you will get little or no result. You need to send your flyers to fewer, but send them multiple times. The more times you get in front of your target, the more likely you are to get results. Statistically, it takes 3-5 contacts with a potential client to even be noticed in New Zealand. So if you are giving up at three times, will you succeed? Probably not! What are you trying to say? Is your advertising message the right one? Have you clearly said what you are offering? Good sales result from listening to what your customer wants to buy, not from you deciding what you want to sell them. A winning website If you want a website that gets results, we would suggest you don't build it yourself. Yes there are template sites you can buy, and yes, there are cheap places to go to get work done. But have you really looked around wisely? You need an experienced and proven company that listens and is going to get you the results you want. Get the edge If you knew that your business is one of only 36% of businesses in New Zealand with a website, would you think you had a strong advantage? We say absolutely you do! Websites can be simply one page or large and complex e-commerce sites, but it is hugely important not to cut corners. Stop! Think! Ask questions! Often when businesses think about marketing they advertise what they do, but do not necessarily think deeply enough about what their clients actually need to hear. When it comes to advertising, have you told potential customers only what you do, where you are, how long you've been around? But not when you are available, or what you could do for them right now? Do you have a one-on-one person to help them? Can they fill out forms online? Do you work weekends? Are you only open 9 to 5? These are all those obvious things you know about your business, but your client doesn't! Get it right first time One of the big secrets to getting your message right means being clear and smart, directing your message at the right person/ company, and presenting it very professionally. You get to make your first impression in only three seconds! You want and need to make money, so spending time in the beginning making a big impact will make the difference! Phillippa Jacobs www.megaadvertising.co.nz HER MAGAZINE | February/March 2012 | 61