Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Greetings once again.

What’s a Target Group?

Sounds like a bunch of innocent people at the wrong end of a shooting gallery.

In truth it may seem we are taking shots- unfairly- at our audiences wherever they are, but therein is the dilemma – Exactly where are they?

Not too long ago, I heard someone describe their target group as anyone with a credit card. Goodness you’ll have a long and expense campaign reaching the estimated five billion credit card holders around the globe. If you can pull it off- more power too you.

Genuinely, very few products have such a global demand. And if they do, someone might already be harvesting all these consumers. Perhaps consider constructing your target group so you can better qualify their attributes and quantify how big a market they are.

One major Canadian client I worked with a number of years back suggested they wanted to be ‘National’.

A noble sentiment, if somewhat unattainable given the scope of their budget. But it was a starting platform and allowed us to have a ‘base’ audience from which we could refine our ideal target group.

A FYI (For Your Information) at this writing, the most recent Government of Canada Statistics* advise that the national population of Canada is an estimated 35,158,304. All persons, all ages- 35.1 Million.

*Note: Population as of July 1.
Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM II, table 051-0001. Last modified: 2013-11-22.

So how do you determine who you’re trying to reach?

I defined this as my Target Group Editing. This is an arena which your media team should be able to help you. Logically, and methodically, reducing that huge universe to a more manageable size.

Some of these steps you saw already in the Spike of Angels Media Briefing Template which you first downloaded when you signed up.  Let’s start by eliminating who we don’t want. If this can be done in bigger chunks, (Ie: we want to reach only men for this brand of Scotch product- this eliminates women and children), then you can more quickly trim your target to manageable sizes.

Some preliminary questions:
  • Are you targeting men or women? Both?
  • What age group are you trying to influence?
  • Is there a particular geography you need to cover - national, regional, provincial, local?
  • Do they have the income, personal or household to support buying your product?
  • Are they living in major urban centres or rural areas?
  • Do you have an idea of their media habits?
    Ie: typically which media in their geography are they most exposed to ?
A sample target group follows. For this client, we wanted to reach the most appropriate audience who would be interested in purchasing a computer printer.

Sample Target Audience: For Computer Printers (circa 1999). From our 31 Million Canadians at that time, we edited our universe as follows:

Our primary candidate audience is defined as: A well educated male, living in a major urban centre, who enjoys an above average income, and currently has a home computer.

Here’s how we got there: This profile was created from our earlier research via PMB (Print Measurement Bureau) and NADBank which confirms the profile of the primary users of printers are:

  • Age/Sex: Predominantly, but not exclusively male, aged 25-54. 60% of Canadian adults 18+ are between ages of 25-54, yet they account for 85.4% of Business. Computer Customers (PMB 1997).
  • Education: University graduates account for less than 1/5th of all households, but they account for almost 1/3rd of computer ownership. 50% of home computer purchasers attended University, versus 36% of adult population.
  • Own personal computer: according to the Radio Marketing Bureau & Statistics Canada 31.6% or almost 4 Million Canadian homes had a computer at the end of 1996. That is triple the penetration from only a decade earlier(10.3% in 1986). Current figures show it having crested 40%
  • Have Home Office: and they also may operate small business from home.
  • Enjoy mid to High Household Income: 20% of the households with higher incomes were four times more likely to have a computer than those with incomes in the lowest 20%. 41.3% of Adults 18+ report incomes in excess of $50,000 but they account for 72.4% of Business Computer Customers
  • Live in major urban centres: 39.4% live in community sizes of 1 million +, with the following top five ranking of: Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa/Hull, Edmonton and Calgary.
Narrowing the Field

The preceding few pages will demonstrate that asking and answering some realistic questions about the target group can help you focus on delivering a campaign with more efficiency, impact and memorability.

In constructing our media recommendation, we knew our primary Target Group should be:

Men aged 25-54, who were university graduates who had incomes in excess of $50,000 and they lived in major urban centres, predominantly in the top five markets noted above.

This streamlined our original 31 million candidates substantially, and allowed us to select media which best reached them within our budget.

PLUS: All of this media refinement allowed our creative to work harder because we reached our candidate purchaser more strategically, and funds were not wasted on irrelevant media.

As in all media, online or offline, you do not have to ‘buy more’ to reach your customers, you just have to buy smarter.

Stay tuned.

Dennis Kelly
dennis@firstimpressionsmedia.ca

"Like to learn more? Nine Secrets of How To Improve Your Advertising and How To Actually Make Your Ads Outperform Your Competition  is not for everyone.  It’s for smart marketers who want proven tips to make their ads work harder and smarter.

Is that YOU?
If it is, click here for your copy of, "9 Secrets To Improve Your Advertising"

Do It Now. As a Masthead Online Reader, you can order your own copy for just $30, but only until you reach Media Spike #57.  After that, the price returns to $197.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Welcome—Did I ask you this already?

What did we get for it?

We spent all this money and what did we get for it?

So went the controlled rant of one client in the past 24 hours as we were reviewing last year’s activities.

This is a modest but consistent client for us and one of my colleagues last year encouraged more social media during our last 12 month campaign.

Not necessarily a component I would have pushed so aggressively, but it was part of the schedule nonetheless. Until the day of reckoning—yesterday—when the client asked, ‘We spent $24,000 on social media’ and what did we get?’

No appreciable or measurable increase in traffic to our site, or to our health clinic. We were ‘Liked’ apparently 20 to 30 times, but no like ever translated to someone walking in our door. There was no increase in the call to action on the website or 1-800# to schedule an appointment.

So what did we get for it?

Tough to answer when the media can’t defend itself and lip service of saying it’s raising awareness pales in the wake of Not Raising Sales.

To his credit, my digital colleague did tapdance to express that it was contributor to the overall effect of the campaign and it reached a new audience. Very true. But new or incumbent, if they ain’t buying, it doesn’t matter who likes you.

Happily, our newspaper banner ads, and magazine 1/3rd page ads pulled the trigger on sales more than any other media and the spikes in business were readily identifiable to when print media appeared.

We spoke to social media briefly in Media Spike #35, and again we do not want to trample this format but believe it needs to be used differently to deliver a desired return.

My clients’ $24,000 disappeared into the ether of online without a trace, and without a glimmer of return on investment.  But they are the lucky ones as I’m certain many clients have invested substantially more dollars to come away with the same perplexed feeling.

What did we get for our money?

Dear reader, you may remember that through this series, I have touched on, I think just about all forms of media, to varying degrees.

I believe they all need to continue to be a part of the fabric of communication. Newspaper, and radio, online and television, outdoor and magazines, and subsets of all of these are just more tools in our efforts to communicate.

However as more advertisers are becoming more market savvy, the demand for ROI is more and more critical.  If you can’t find a way to measure it, don’t use it.

Stay tuned.

Dennis Kelly
dennis@firstimpressionsmedia.ca

"Like to learn more? Nine Secrets of How To Improve Your Advertising and How To Actually Make Your Ads Outperform Your Competition  is not for everyone.  It’s for smart marketers who want proven tips to make their ads work harder and smarter.

Is that YOU?
If it is, click here for your copy of, "9 Secrets To Improve Your Advertising"

Do It Now. As a Masthead Online Reader, you can order your own copy for just $30, but only until you reach Media Spike #57.  After that, the price returns to $197.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Hello and welcome.

Why Advertise?

Genuinely? Why are you advertising.  Shouldn’t it be like actor Kevin Costner’s classic movie ‘Field of Dreams’ in which the voice says, ‘If You Build It, They Will Come!

The sad reality is just putting a glitzy, or sexy or pretty ad out there doesn’t turn the cash register. Your ads have to give the customer something they need to relieve pain or something that gives them pleasure.

With the possible exception of your inventory and your payroll, advertising is often many company’s largest investment. It costs so much…doesn’t it?

Interesting Dilemma!!  If it doesn’t work, it’s an expense, and why did we waste so much money?  If it works and delivers sales and referrals and more business, it’s an investment, and you get promoted!

So why do we do it?

Before we share our thoughts on this, let me ask you something. What do your neighbours do for ‘work’?  When they go off on their commute each day to the office or factory or wherever, what are they doing?

Do you know?
Maybe they’re in marketing too. Perhaps computer professionals.

Maybe accountants and financial managers. Could be some of them specialize in recreation management, while others are professional chefs and caterers.

You’re all living in the same neighbourhood and with some variations, you’re all in roughly the same income bracket. But if you are making $61K per year for instance and you know what you’re doing, what does your neighbour do that allows them to live in the same neighbourhood as you.

Most of us don’t wear our occupations on our sleeves so you’ll usually never know unless the work clothes –ie; uniform, are a giveaway.

So it’s possible, no indeed probable, that someone who can solve your tax planning, fix your plumbing, do your daughter’s dance lessons, is on the same bus or train with you and you don’t know it.

Trouble is, that’s the way too many businesses operate.

They don’t tell the community – local- national- International- what it is they do and they wonder why no-one buys from them.

As you’ve gathered by now, my role is a media planner and buyer and negotiator and strategist and as readers who have been with me this far along, you’re seeing my style day after day. So far about an eight week interview.

So rather than pick blindly out of a newspaper or online promotion, you get to learn first hand my style. Demonstration day by day, a slow drip approach, builds a lot more comfort and confidence than thrusting myself at you with an IN YOUR FACE presence. And this is what your advertising needs to do.

It needs to tell others what you do and why they should hire you or buy your product or service.

Your advertising is your lifeblood of your business. Don’t ever cut the jugular because this is where your business is coming from.

So back to our opening question. Why Do You Advertise?  Well...

Here’s Why to Advertise!

  • It creates store traffic: The more people who come into your store (or know about your business) the more opportunities you have to make sales.
  • It attracts new customers: Your market is always changing and evolving and regular advertising keeps up with them until their lifestyle meets your product.
  • It encourages repeat business: Due to endless shopping options, now you need to work harder to build and retain loyalty.
  • It generates continuous business: Even slow days can produce sales. You have overhead to meet and new people to reach.
  • It is an investment in success: By keeping your message fresh in your consumers mind, you’ll be the natural choice when it’s time to buy.
  • It keeps you competitive:  There are only so many customers in the market ready to buy at any one time. You have to maintain a steady presence so your regular customers (and prospective ones) know you’re still there or you’ll lose to more aggressive competitors.
  • It projects a successful image: Advertising tells customers and competitors that your doors are open and you are ready for business.
  • Advertising doesn’t cost...it pays!!

Stay tuned.

Dennis Kelly
dennis@firstimpressionsmedia.ca

"Like to learn more? Nine Secrets of How To Improve Your Advertising and How To Actually Make Your Ads Outperform Your Competition  is not for everyone.  It’s for smart marketers who want proven tips to make their ads work harder and smarter.

Is that YOU?
If it is, click here for your copy of, "9 Secrets To Improve Your Advertising"

Do It Now. As a Masthead Online Reader, you can order your own copy for just $30, but only until you reach Media Spike #57.  After that, the price returns to $197. 
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
A vibrant welcome as we dive into today’s message.

A keyboard of fireworks

As explosive as a hair-triggered fireworks display, legendary performer Mr. Elton John (aka- Reginald Kenneth Dwight) was the epitome of flamboyance.

Outrageous glasses and costumes. Sometimes funny, always colourful and an electrifying stage presence, he commanded attention…but when he began to play- he COMMANDED INTEREST.

For all his attention getting stunts and visuals, he had the musical chops to back-up his stage presence with enormous singing, songwriter and piano playing talents.

He was an ad for HIMSELF everywhere he went.

Love him or hate him for his music, his relationships, his style, you can’t help but marvel at his consistency of entertainment and talent to satisfy audiences again, and again and again from the 1970’s to the present.

My question to you is simply- Why aren’t you doing the same thing?

What? Hey Dennis- I’m no rock star?  I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing those outlandish outfits and besides I can’t play piano like Elton.

You’re absolutely right….and I can’t either.

However, that doesn’t mean your ads should be bland and lost in the crowd.
They should be distinctive. Have a recognizable signature of yours on them. Maintain continuity from ad to ad, media to media, year to year, so that your branding is always consistent.

Not unlike Mr. Elton, it can’t hurt you to freshen up your look or add more SKU’s (Stock Keeping Units) to your portfolio. Maybe not a new recording, but a new product or new service each month, or model year etc., to show your audience that you are still in there pitching.

Remember to change your headline frequently to see how well it’s working and track what responses you’re generating. Much as you are interested in developing and sustaining a great image, your ads should be designed and implemented for SALES.

Try this: Invest $100,000 in your salesman.
Send him (her) out there for two months to call on as many people as he can in a day.Perhaps at an aggressive pace of 8 -10 appointments per week, he makes about 60-80 client
meetings in 2 months.  At the end of two months, he reports:

• I’ve made no sales
• Although many people like me
• They liked how I looked- said I was a good image for the company
• I took 10 of those people out to lunch
• 12 others asked me to call them back next month

You’d wonder – probably out loud- why you’re paying this salesman $100,000 to not generate any sales.

Think of your advertising like that. $100,000 spent in any or all media is a lot of money. You’re expecting your salesman to represent you and close the sale. Why would you expect any less of your advertising?

After all, as we witnessed back in Media Spike #10- Advertising is Salesmanship in Print. If you expect your sales rep to make a sale, why not expect the same from your ad?

It should be driving to a sale. Or be an integral part of a sales strategy.  Spending $100,000 on Image to look good and deliver no new business is a very tough return on investment.

Do your ads have to be as Over the Top as Sir Elton?  Probably not.  But they do have to show you’ve got the quality, consistently from month to month, year to year- like Mr. Elton, to get audiences coming back for more.

If you’re going to invest in your company by telling everyone what you do, THEN TELL EVERYONE WHAT YOU DO.  You need not be as flamboyant as some showmen- but you do need to make yourself memorable. So memorable, that your audience want to buy from you, again and again and again.

Stay tuned,

Dennis Kelly
dennis@firstimpressionsmedia.ca

P.S. In his career to date, Mr. –Sir Elton John- has sold more than 300 Million records and won numerous awards, accolades and fans in a career spanning over 40 years and counting. He’s doing many things right.

"Like to learn more? Nine Secrets of How To Improve Your Advertising and How To Actually Make Your Ads Outperform Your Competition  is not for everyone.  It’s for smart marketers who want proven tips to make their ads work harder and smarter.

Is that YOU?
If it is, click here for your copy of, "9 Secrets To Improve Your Advertising"

Do It Now. As a Masthead Online Reader, you can order your own copy for just $30, but only until you reach Media Spike #57.  After that, the price returns to $197.

Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Welcome back.

Does the media campaign sometimes get lost in translation?

Perhaps you’ve been the recipient of or the deliverer of a proposal that goes a lot like this:

Dear Client,

This campaign will launch with a 4 week radio flight at a weekly 200 GRP’s weight with a target objective of 40% reach at a five time frequency.

This will come to a 65% reach at a 12.3 times frequency.  It will be skewed to affluent females aged 25-54 living in  urban centres with HHI of $75Kplus, and who are the principal grocery shopper!

Usually after this slide a timid hand is raised with an almost sheepish question of.. Ahem…excuse me sir, but what did you say?

Jargon

Every industry has it’s own language that allows you to communicate quickly and efficiently with colleagues in your business. But to someone on the outside, a simple paragraph like the above may as well be Greek (or my personal nemesis - Calculus).

Technical Speak. There are a multitude of abbreviations, acronyms, and short forms in media that could make phone texting read like Shakespeare by comparison. In a recent Media Spike (#37), we noted a number of media abbreviations and definitions for your reference.

We have reiterated a few of them here and show them in practical application.

A few prominent terms occur regularly in ad planning and to help you get a better idea of what’s going on, here are some explanations:

Reach:

This is a measurement of the cumulative unduplicated target audience potentially exposed one or more times to a particular program, station or publication in a given time frame. (How many different people in your defined target group could see your ad.)

Reach is usually expressed as a percentage of the target population in a defined area, or the impact your campaign will have against a defined audience.

IE: We expect to reach 33% of men aged 18-24 with this campaign. This is also expressed as 33 ratings as each rating is 1% point of the defined audience.

Frequency:

This is a means of measuring the number of times your ‘reached’ audience will be exposed to the commercial in a stated period of time.

IE: Through the life of this one week campaign, our target group will hear our spot an average of 3.1 Times.  Thus a 3.1 frequency.

GRP’s: Gross Rating Points:

This is the total of ratings achieved by a given schedule against a
pre-determined target group.

    This is calculated by multiplying your reach times your frequency.

    We just said we had a campaign, which ‘reached’ 33% of men 18-24,
    and we reached them with a 3.1X frequency.

Therefore our campaign delivered: 33 X 3.1 = 102.3 GRP’s (Gross Rating Points) (as a benchmark, a 100 GRP radio campaign is not uncommon.)

There are numerous permutations and combinations of media, and within each media, which can be used to help you create that lasting impression.

Mediaspeak

So what did I say in the earlier paragraph?  Anyone care to translate?
  • Our intention is to run a 4 week radio campaign in urban centres.
  • Each week, we want to have reached 40% of our affluent female grocery shopper fives times.
  • At the end of four weeks, we hope that 65% of our audience have heard the message 12.3 times.
  • A good media person should be able to walk you through the language they work in, and express it in terms you can understand.
Please bear in mind the above are just a few samples of the terminology you can expect to hear in many media presentations. Do not EVER hesitate to ask for clarification. Most of us media people are bursting to give you every answer we can to help the education and improve your confidence in us.

Stay tuned

Dennis Kelly
dennis@firstimpressionsmedia.ca

"Like to learn more? Nine Secrets of How To Improve Your Advertising and How To Actually Make Your Ads Outperform Your Competition  is not for everyone.  It’s for smart marketers who want proven tips to make their ads work harder and smarter.

Is that YOU?
If it is, click here for your copy of, "9 Secrets To Improve Your Advertising"

Do It Now. As a Masthead Online Reader, you can order your own copy for just $30, but only until you reach Media Spike #57.  After that, the price returns to $197.
About Me
Dennis Kelly
 
 
A professional to his fingertips, Dennis Kelly of First Impressions Media brings a deft touch as your media magician. Extracting incremental media value for you from suppliers is second nature for Dennis. His versatility in all media is bred of 3 decades of hands-on media planning & buying experience in the media trenches. As a steward of your media budget, Dennis excels in delivering smart, efficient, creative and targeted campaigns to showcase your creative to the right audience.

Dennis is the author of “ 9 Secrets of How To Improve Your Advertising” and is available to Masthead Reader for $197 through a special offer at this link
 
 
 
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Thank you Gloria. What a perfectly apropos link. Thank you for sharing that. You are quite correct. ...
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