Developing an Effective Media Plan
Developing an Effective Media Plan
At no time has the need for knowledgeable, professionally-trained media planners been greater. After all, costs for space and time have risen dramatically to the point that budgetary controls are more critical than ever. And how do you know you are reaching the right people when there are literally hundreds of television and radio stations, thousands of newspapers and magazines and a host of direct mail and outdoor advertising options from which to choose?
Because of this huge selection, today's media planners must have broader knowledge of marketing goals, advertising objectives, audience profiles and media characteristics... All with the goal of reaching the largest number of prospects at the lowest possible cost, and in an editorial or programming environment suitable for the particular product or service.
Things to consider
Target Audience: Who are the present and potential prospects for the product or service? In recent years, media has been evaluated on its ability to maximize target-audience exposures. As a result, most agencies use some sort of weighted or demographic cost per thousand (CPM) to determine a medium's efficiency at reaching a specific audience.
Geography/Seasonality: Where is the product distributed? Where are the heaviest concentrations of prospects? Are there times of the year when sales are strongest? Answers to these questions help narrow media selection, determine the timing of a schedule and budget allocations per geographic area.
Creative Considerations: Are we effectively using the communicative strengths of the various media? Sometimes the very nature of the product may indicate the most appropriate media. Are demonstrations key to selling the product? Is a coupon involved? How much detail is necessary?
Reach/Frequency: There is often trade-offs that must be considered between reach and frequency. Is it more important to advertise to fewer people more often, or a broader base less
At no time has the need for knowledgeable, professionally-trained media planners been greater. After all, costs for space and time have risen dramatically to the point that budgetary controls are more critical than ever. And how do you know you are reaching the right people when there are literally hundreds of television and radio stations, thousands of newspapers and magazines and a host of direct mail and outdoor advertising options from which to choose?
Because of this huge selection, today's media planners must have broader knowledge of marketing goals, advertising objectives, audience profiles and media characteristics... All with the goal of reaching the largest number of prospects at the lowest possible cost, and in an editorial or programming environment suitable for the particular product or service.
Things to consider
Target Audience: Who are the present and potential prospects for the product or service? In recent years, media has been evaluated on its ability to maximize target-audience exposures. As a result, most agencies use some sort of weighted or demographic cost per thousand (CPM) to determine a medium's efficiency at reaching a specific audience.
Geography/Seasonality: Where is the product distributed? Where are the heaviest concentrations of prospects? Are there times of the year when sales are strongest? Answers to these questions help narrow media selection, determine the timing of a schedule and budget allocations per geographic area.
Creative Considerations: Are we effectively using the communicative strengths of the various media? Sometimes the very nature of the product may indicate the most appropriate media. Are demonstrations key to selling the product? Is a coupon involved? How much detail is necessary?
Reach/Frequency: There is often trade-offs that must be considered between reach and frequency. Is it more important to advertise to fewer people more often, or a broader base less