ADVERTISING gives you absolute freedom to earn customer recognition, leads, sales. Yet smaller companies' ads barely pay for themselves in today’s marketplace. Why?

The media realm has changed a lot in the past two decades. Internet has virtually replaced trade magazines. Audio and video ads disappear in radio and TV bedlam. Blinking banners attack web browsers from all sides. And too many ad agencies prioritize commissions and creative glory over messaging.

Companies cling to costly or fruitless ad campaigns anyway, expecting them to grow effective with time and repetition (per age-old marketing doctrine). But the truth is, your customers won't absorb by repetition alone. Memories are fragile in our ADHD world; even powerful ads are easily forgotten.

Still, ads are vitally important to your business. The good news is, the drawbacks of modern chaos are balanced by detailed demographics. Now you can target virtually any customer set down to the tiniest qualifier. The key is selecting the right media and messaging for your audience(s).

The Guru can suggest which ad appeals will work—and when, how, and why they will work. Get noticed, remembered, sold.

Strategy. To affect choice? Sales? Share?

Budget. Do you match your financial resources to your ad campaign strategy, at least a year in advance? And is your budget flexible for unforeseen opportunities?

Focus on audience. During the design phase, do you focus on what consumers will take from your ad, rather than what you want to put into it?

Messaging vs. creativity. Does your ad campaign sacrifice clear, informative messaging for the sake of creativity? On the other hand, do you try to communicate so much data that it overshadows visual appeal?

Theme. Factual? Emotional? Direct response?

Placement. Does your ad space and design stand out against surrounding ads and content? Does it hold attention for more than second? Do you plan/request ad spece next to relevant editorial/entertainment content?

Frequency. Do you place enough ads, enough times, to win your customers' attention? Or do you strictly follow 4X-6X placement doctrine per your commission-paid ad agency? Customers learn via relevance, not just repetition.

Consistent Claims. Is your messaging consistent with your other marketing communications?

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