Get the Most Out of Advertising

This year, spend less on advertising and get the same or even better results! Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Don't go too big. You may not need full page color print ads or animated online advertising. Try two-color or black and white print advertising and test your response rate. There is some indication that people will pay more attention to ads with less color because it is out of the norm.
  
• Wait until the last minute to place your ad order. The advertising salespeople will be more inclined to drop prices in order to meet their quotas.
  
• For print advertising, demand that you get the right-hand page in the front of the publication. Studies show this area can generate twice the results as a left-hand page towards the back.
  
• Avoid advertising in places dominated by your competitors. If you are competing against similar companies, you will inherently attract a lower percentage of potential customers.
  

Following these simple tactics can help decrease your advertising spending while maintaining or increasing your marketing results.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (http://www.firststarcapital.com/ ). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.