An Entrepreneur’s Guide To Advertising In 2023

When starting a business it’s easy to assume your product or service is going to sell like hotcakes. I mean, why wouldn’t it? You came up with it! Unfortunately, the reality is that we have to get the word out before any buyer is going to change your world. To get the word out you should include advertising as part of your marketing strategy and business plan when it fits in the budget. Ads can be a tough area of business to feel successful in with the ever-changing platform managers, trends, and best practices–so your return on investment can be elusive. Working with a local advertising agency or marketing firm can help you navigate the maze and get the most attention out of your campaign–but doing it on your own is a great way to save money in the early stages of your business. In this blog we are going to explore the top ten questions that keep our entrepreneurs awake at night. Have you ever asked yourself any of these questions?

When advertising on a limited budget, it’s important to be strategic and focus on channels that offer the most bang for your buck. Social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn can be great options for reaching a targeted audience at a low cost, but keep in mind that social media is not direct-marketing. Social media becomes a sales tool when it works in tandem with the rest of your digital marketing efforts such as paid advertising and a well-developed ecommerce website. Email marketing is another cost-effective way to reach customers and promote your business; begin building an email subscription list from day one–soon you’ll have an entire network to work with. Tools like MailerLite and Reply.io have helped our team reach tons of new potential clients!  It’s also important to optimize your website for search engines and local search directories to improve your online visibility. I cannot tell you how many clients come to us dumbfounded that their website is not contributing to sales conversions, only for us to learn their SEO standing is lower than the Mariana Trench. Search for local SEO services or “seo services near me” to see where your website stands today. TwentyThree.Five’s dedicated SEO team is fully equipped to help you on your journey to Google’s first page. As a more traditional option, leveraging word-of-mouth is the single most important marketing tool you have at your disposal. Sometimes we get caught up with everything digital so much that we forget that our own networks are our most powerful sales tools. Ultimately, the key to advertising on a limited budget is to be creative and strategic with your approach, and to constantly measure and adjust your campaigns based on their effectiveness.

To effectively reach your target audience through advertising, you first need to have a clear understanding of who your target audience is and what motivates them. How old are they? What platforms do they prefer? What problem are they trying to solve? Once you have this information, you can choose the advertising channels that are most likely to reach them, such as social media platforms, search engine advertising, or traditional advertising methods like print or television. It’s important to craft a message that speaks directly to your audience and highlights how your product or service meets their specific needs. You should also consider using retargeting techniques to reach people who have shown interest in your product or service in the past. Additionally, it’s important to track the performance of your advertising campaigns using metrics like conversion rates and ROI, and adjust your strategies accordingly to maximize their effectiveness. Consistency in messaging and frequency of advertising can also help build brand awareness and increase the likelihood of conversion. Ultimately, by combining a deep understanding of your target audience with effective advertising strategies and metrics-based optimization, you can reach and engage the right people with your message.

Deciding whether to focus on traditional advertising methods or digital advertising methods depends on various factors such as target audience, budget, industry, and business goals. Our clients with more retail-oriented businesses such as cosmetics or apparel tend to find more success through digital advertising. Traditional advertising methods, such as print ads, TV commercials, and billboards, can still be effective for businesses that are trying to reach a local or older audience. On the other hand, digital advertising methods, such as social media ads, search engine marketing, and email marketing, can be more cost-effective and allow for more precise targeting options, making them ideal for businesses with a younger or more tech-savvy audience. Ultimately, the best approach is to combine traditional and digital advertising methods to create a comprehensive marketing strategy that reaches a wider audience and maximizes ROI. It’s important to continually monitor and adjust advertising strategies based on performance metrics to ensure that resources are being allocated effectively. Working with a local digital marketing agency like TwentyThree.Five can make this decision simple.

To make your advertising campaigns stand out from your competitors, you should focus on creating unique and memorable content that resonates with your target audience. This could involve using creative visuals, catchy taglines or slogans, or storytelling techniques that connect with your audience on an emotional level. It’s also important to understand what sets your business apart from your competitors and use that as a key selling point in your advertising. Additionally, consider using alternative advertising channels that your competitors may not be using, such as influencer marketing or guerrilla marketing tactics. Finally, don’t forget to continually test and iterate your advertising campaigns to see what resonates most with your audience and adjust accordingly. With the help of an advertising agency, a bit of creativity, and lots of persistence, you can create advertising campaigns that truly stand out from your competitors and capture the attention of your target audience.

There are several common mistakes we find our entrepreneurs should avoid when advertising their business. The most common mistake is not clearly defining your target audience, which can lead to ineffective advertising campaigns being shown to people who are unlikely to be interested. Once you’ve defined the perfect audience for your campaign it can seem logical to pump-out ads on every platform you can think of immediately. This can dilute the impact of the campaign and lead to running out of money for ongoing campaign work. Work with your digital advertising agency to determine the most effective platforms for your business. When building your ads, they should include a clear call-to-action (CTA) to draw potential buyers in. Not having a clear message or call-to-action in the advertising can be a campaign-wasting mistake, as it may not resonate with the target audience or result in conversions whatsoever. Additionally, not tracking the metrics of the advertising campaign can lead to wasted resources and an inability to measure the success of your ads. Finally, not testing and A/B testing your advertising campaigns can prevent you from identifying what works and what doesn’t; make adjustments to your strategy accordingly for long-term success. By avoiding these common mistakes and taking a strategic approach to advertising, entrepreneurs can effectively reach their target audience and achieve their marketing goals.

Creating a compelling and effective advertising message is crucial for catching the attention of potential customers and motivating them to take action. To create such a message, it’s important to understand the target audience and what motivates them. This involves conducting research on their needs, wants, and pain points. Once you have a clear understanding of your audience, you can craft a message that resonates with them and addresses their specific needs. Your message should be concise, clear, and memorable, and should highlight the unique benefits of your product or service. It’s also important to choose the right tone and style for your message based on your brand personality and the preferences of your audience. Finally, testing and refining your message through A/B testing and analyzing customer feedback can help ensure that it’s as effective as possible.

Though the frequency of running advertising campaigns for a business depends on various factors, such as the industry, target audience, budget, and business goals–really once we have determined advertising is right for your business, we suggest maintaining a steady and ongoing stream of advertising regardless of industry (mostly). As a rule of thumb, it’s generally recommended to run campaigns consistently to maintain brand awareness and stay top-of-mind for potential customers. Many businesses opt for a monthly advertising cadence, while others may run campaigns quarterly or even bi-annually during holidays. It’s essential to track the success of each of your campaigns to determine whether the frequency is appropriate and adjust accordingly. Each business is different, only though testing will we figure out what is best for yours! For example, if a monthly campaign is resulting in a high ROI, it may be worth increasing the frequency or investing more resources into the campaign. Ultimately, the frequency of advertising campaigns should align with the business’s overall marketing strategy and goals.

Choosing the right advertising channels to reach your target audience depends on several factors, such as your target audience demographics, behavior, and interests. For example, if your target audience is primarily on social media, then advertising on social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter may be a good choice. If your target audience is more likely to consume print media, then advertising in print publications such as billboards or mailers could be more effective. Additionally, if your target audience is more likely to consume video content, then advertising on platforms like YouTube or running video ads on social media could be effective. It’s important to understand your target audience and their media consumption habits to make informed decisions about which advertising channels to use to reach them. A multi-channel approach may also be effective, using a combination of channels to reach your audience where they are most likely to engage with your brand. Regularly analyzing the performance of each channel can also help you optimize your advertising strategy and make adjustments as needed.

To track the ROI of your advertising campaigns, you need to first establish clear goals and objectives for your campaign. These goals don’t necessarily have to be monetary, they could be anything from increasing website traffic to creating brand awareness or increasing sales. Once you have established your goals, you should identify the metrics that will help you measure the success of your campaign, such as click-through rates, conversion rates, or customer acquisition costs. It’s important to track these metrics regularly and consistently, and to use them to make informed decisions about how to optimize your campaigns. If you choose to use a monetary metric such as conversions to track your advertisements’ success, keep in mind that there are more factors than just the ads that affect your conversion rates. Everything from your SEO standing to the quality of your social media accounts can greatly impact your results. You can use tools like Google Analytics or individual social media platforms’ analytics to track the performance of your campaigns and make adjustments as needed. Ultimately, tracking the ROI of your advertising campaigns will help you ensure that you’re getting a positive return on your investment and that your advertising efforts are contributing to the growth and success of your business.

At TwentyThree.Five, we believe that working with a local marketing agency is the best way to achieve your marketing goals and grow your business. With our expertise in digital marketing, creative services, and community involvement, we can help you to reach new customers, build your brand, and succeed in today’s competitive marketplace. With our expertise and commitment to providing personalized service, TwentyThree.Five is the perfect marketing partner for businesses of all sizes. If you’re ready to start a project and take your marketing efforts to the next level, contact us today. We look forward to helping you achieve your marketing goals and grow your business!