If you're running a small or medium business, chances are at some point you've asked yourself: "Why am I spending so much on advertising and it's not working?"

You might want to hear something else but the truth is that effective advertising strategies look different from four perspectives. There’s yours as the owner of your business; then there’s how employees perceive them; next comes channel promotion like salespeople do; finally – what customers think about it matters too.

Every Business Owner is Mesmerized at First

If you're scratching your head because your advertising strategy just isn't working, don't worry - you're not alone.  As a small business owner myself I was just so excited at first just to advertise that I HAD MY OWN BUSINESS!!!  In fact, most businesses have been in these shoes at one point or another.  Keep reading to find out why your advertising might not be working and how you can fix it.

Remember to FOCUS on Results You Expect

Define your reason for advertising and who the audience is you want to capture.

Advertising is just one leg of your overall marketing program and is ideally used to promote local businesses and target potential customers or clients. It’s can be an effective way to get the word out about products or services, create brand awareness, and build a long-term relationship with your audience.  Plus, it’s a great way to build an audience who can become loyal customers!

Look at Your Advertising From a Customer's Point of View

The good news is that looking at your advertising from your customer's perspective can be just the fix to get your advertising strategy back on track. Advertising is a funny thing - at its best, it can be eye-catching and effective in generating results, but at its worst, it can be aggravating and intrusive. People tend to have strong opinions when it comes to advertising – while some might find joy in a catchy jingle or a memorable slogan, others might find it annoying and unnecessary. There are so many different perspectives out there when it comes to advertising that there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach; however one thing we should all pay attention to is that advertising used in the wrong medium (example:  A retirement home ad promoting an event for an open house to everyone 65 and over in a New Baby magazine) can cause not only minimal results but perhaps negative results as well.

Measure Your Results

There are many ways to advertise in each market.  It's important to ask questions of each sales person that pitches you before you commit.  Every business has its own unique selling proposition and call to action that they’d like to put forward, so knowing your customers and what will be most effective is key.  That means asking the advertising salesperson questions about how and when they reach your targeted customers.  While there are multiple techniques you can use in order to market yourself, understanding how the different advertisement strategies work can help define which method suits your business needs the best. Keep exploring and practice making decisions.  While some will be trial and error – you never know where it could lead but make sure you don't spend too much of your hard earned dollars on an ineffective advertising campaign that is not yielding your expected results.

4 R's:  Right person, Right message, Right time= Results

It's no secret that some ads are more effective than others. That's because they're carefully crafted to reach the right person, with the right message, at the right time. Experienced advertisers know how to grab attention and get audiences interested-- whether it's in a magazine ad, a TV commercial or a social media ad-- everything from the visuals to the tagline needs to be spot-on. An ad could have the best visuals in the world but if it isn't communicating with its target audience then all of that effort is for nothing! It's all about understanding your audience and tailor-making ads for them in order to get results.

Think Like Your Ideal Customer

Creating an effective ad campaign starts with understanding your target customer. Get to know who they are, what their needs and desires are, and where they get their information from -- understanding the thin market concept is key here! Once you have that understanding in place, you can then start formulating ideas for how to connect with them most effectively. Brainstorming strategies such as utilizing email and social media campaigns, or running display ads can be incredibly helpful in reaching your desired audience. Keep in mind that it usually takes some trial and error to zero-in on the perfect messaging for your ad campaign and create one that truly resonates with customers – but when done right, the payoff can be huge!

Advertising is ubiquitous in today’s society, and can be a very effective tool when used correctly. It is important to understand how different people perceive advertising, as well as the different types of advertising strategies that are available. Some ads are more effective than others due to their ability to evoke emotion in the viewer. By understanding these principles, you can create an ad campaign that is much more likely to be successful. So what’s holding you back from creating your own award-winning ad? Let us know in the comments below!