99+ Top Ways Advertising: Self Promotion
Advertising: Self Promotion - Self-promotion is similar to spreading the word by any other means but with an artistic approach. If the artistic part were taken out of the equation advertising would look more like barging rather than self-promotion. There are many steps involved in this process. The first step is to collect and create useful content relating to the topic, which is a not an easy job.
In today's fast paced world owning a website for your business is a must which is not a big deal anymore with so many people available who excel in web designing and also offer a competitive rate. There are many types of technologies involved in the creation of a website, a one page flash website wouldn't take you places. Intense graphics should be incorporated to catch the eye of the customer. After the creation of website, the website content should be emphasized upon. Writers who expertise in search engine optimization should be raked in so that the page ranks amongst the top pages on Google, Yahoo and Msn. Search engines have become popular universally and your website doing good on them plays a more vital role than getting other kind of references. Hence, efforts should be made on making remarkable progress to bring your website in the hit list. Also, material on the website should be updated frequently to meet the changing needs of the people. Get someone to design a logo for the company and website which is catchy and delivers the right message to the customers.
In today's fast paced world owning a website for your business is a must which is not a big deal anymore with so many people available who excel in web designing and also offer a competitive rate. There are many types of technologies involved in the creation of a website, a one page flash website wouldn't take you places. Intense graphics should be incorporated to catch the eye of the customer. After the creation of website, the website content should be emphasized upon. Writers who expertise in search engine optimization should be raked in so that the page ranks amongst the top pages on Google, Yahoo and Msn. Search engines have become popular universally and your website doing good on them plays a more vital role than getting other kind of references. Hence, efforts should be made on making remarkable progress to bring your website in the hit list. Also, material on the website should be updated frequently to meet the changing needs of the people. Get someone to design a logo for the company and website which is catchy and delivers the right message to the customers.
Advertising: Self Promotion
Other than website content, articles should also be published in newspapers, magazines and online publications especially business oriented emphasizing on ten strong points which describes the best about the business or the product. Online publication will facilitate in providing successful searches to the targeted audience.
The next target method of advertising should be television. Putting a commercial during the prime time will spread the message to a larger crowd. The content of the advertising should be akin to the value of the product. Famous personalities can be roped in to endorse the product, which will not only attract common people but also their fans in buying the product.
From time to time it is essential to review the past work and improving on the mistakes previously committed. Once the previous mistakes are tackled, it wouldn't hurt to analyze previous milestones, awards, and acquisitions. This increases the chances of running into something that really deserves to be highlighted to the public. The more accomplishments you display to the public the more fan-following your product will get.
Reviewing competitor's work on a regular basis would prove fruitful. This would also help identify loopholes in your product that have been overlooked before and would provide the key reasons to improve on.
Although this is an old approach, snail mails are also one of the best advertising methods. As it's a more energy consuming approach, it's important that you have the addresses of the customers who are really in need of the product. Regular mails containing details about the new development will keep people informed about your company's products. A more modern approach to this method is collecting e-mail ids of the targeted customers and posting them ads and latest deals. This is a cheaper and less time consuming approach compared to snail mails as you can mass email as many people as you want at any time.
Before releasing any product in the market, product testing should be done by giving out samples among the targeted customers. The feedbacks makes it more clear whether the product is ready to be released in the market or whether changes should be made to make it more appealing to the public. It is recommended to approach sincere friends, acquaintances, partners and clients at first to test your product and then go to the public, as expert advice is more useful.
To make more brownie points, address the customers and clients and appreciate them for their contribution in making the product popular. Send a token of thanks on special occasions like festivals or on accomplishing an important task. Customers can also be thanked by offering special discounts and free gifts. After gaining popularity focus should be on retaining the reputation rather than taking things for granted
The next target method of advertising should be television. Putting a commercial during the prime time will spread the message to a larger crowd. The content of the advertising should be akin to the value of the product. Famous personalities can be roped in to endorse the product, which will not only attract common people but also their fans in buying the product.
From time to time it is essential to review the past work and improving on the mistakes previously committed. Once the previous mistakes are tackled, it wouldn't hurt to analyze previous milestones, awards, and acquisitions. This increases the chances of running into something that really deserves to be highlighted to the public. The more accomplishments you display to the public the more fan-following your product will get.
Reviewing competitor's work on a regular basis would prove fruitful. This would also help identify loopholes in your product that have been overlooked before and would provide the key reasons to improve on.
Although this is an old approach, snail mails are also one of the best advertising methods. As it's a more energy consuming approach, it's important that you have the addresses of the customers who are really in need of the product. Regular mails containing details about the new development will keep people informed about your company's products. A more modern approach to this method is collecting e-mail ids of the targeted customers and posting them ads and latest deals. This is a cheaper and less time consuming approach compared to snail mails as you can mass email as many people as you want at any time.
Before releasing any product in the market, product testing should be done by giving out samples among the targeted customers. The feedbacks makes it more clear whether the product is ready to be released in the market or whether changes should be made to make it more appealing to the public. It is recommended to approach sincere friends, acquaintances, partners and clients at first to test your product and then go to the public, as expert advice is more useful.
To make more brownie points, address the customers and clients and appreciate them for their contribution in making the product popular. Send a token of thanks on special occasions like festivals or on accomplishing an important task. Customers can also be thanked by offering special discounts and free gifts. After gaining popularity focus should be on retaining the reputation rather than taking things for granted
Advertising: Self-Promotion
The aim of self-promotional advertising is to set the individual or business apart from the crowd and garner attention, thereby resulting in the party being contracted for services or leaving a lasting impression. The creative graphic design should personify something about one's work, brand, or marketing strategy in a unique fashion.
An early form of self-promotion can be found in Gothic stained glass windows. Guilds, organizations formed to maintain a trade standard and protect their interests, donated windows to churches that included likenesses of themselves engaged in their craft. One can also find the appearance of heraldry in cathedral windows, a manner prominent families could demonstrate their importance.
In the 17th century, visiting cards were used by European aristocracy and royalty to announce the impending arrival to their hosts' home. In their earliest form, the cards were roughly the size of a playing card, and also functioned as stationery on which to jot promissory notes or messages. By the reign of the French King Louis XIV (r.1643-1715), visiting cards had become part of the upper class etiquette, and were decorated with engraved ornaments and elegant coats of arms.
Trade cards were handed out by businesses. These cards served as a form of advertisement for the establishment, and included a map with directions since there was no formal numbering system for 17th century London streets. The earliest monotone trade cards were printed with the woodcut or letterpress method but by 1830, lithography had developed so several shades could be applied which transformed the cards into small works of art.
Today, self-promotion advertising design needs to be a cohesive, accurate representation of the individual and instantly recognizable. The visual images also have to be flexible enough so they can translate across platforms and media such as web layout, banners, business cards, and email formatting. In order to get noticed by art directors, art representatives, and the general public, illustrators will promote themselves through both print (postcards, portfolios) and electronically (blogs, websites, email campaigns, social networks, etc.).
The aim of self-promotional advertising is to set the individual or business apart from the crowd and garner attention, thereby resulting in the party being contracted for services or leaving a lasting impression. The creative graphic design should personify something about one's work, brand, or marketing strategy in a unique fashion.
An early form of self-promotion can be found in Gothic stained glass windows. Guilds, organizations formed to maintain a trade standard and protect their interests, donated windows to churches that included likenesses of themselves engaged in their craft. One can also find the appearance of heraldry in cathedral windows, a manner prominent families could demonstrate their importance.
In the 17th century, visiting cards were used by European aristocracy and royalty to announce the impending arrival to their hosts' home. In their earliest form, the cards were roughly the size of a playing card, and also functioned as stationery on which to jot promissory notes or messages. By the reign of the French King Louis XIV (r.1643-1715), visiting cards had become part of the upper class etiquette, and were decorated with engraved ornaments and elegant coats of arms.
Trade cards were handed out by businesses. These cards served as a form of advertisement for the establishment, and included a map with directions since there was no formal numbering system for 17th century London streets. The earliest monotone trade cards were printed with the woodcut or letterpress method but by 1830, lithography had developed so several shades could be applied which transformed the cards into small works of art.
Today, self-promotion advertising design needs to be a cohesive, accurate representation of the individual and instantly recognizable. The visual images also have to be flexible enough so they can translate across platforms and media such as web layout, banners, business cards, and email formatting. In order to get noticed by art directors, art representatives, and the general public, illustrators will promote themselves through both print (postcards, portfolios) and electronically (blogs, websites, email campaigns, social networks, etc.).
Avoid These Design Agency Self-Promotion Issues
Self-promotion is perhaps one of the trickiest projects any advertising, marketing or design agency can undertake. It seems odd to outsiders that this would even be an issue. After all, when you're the client, surely you can do whatever you want, right? Well, sadly perception is much more idealistic than reality. Here then are the reasons why self-promotion is so tough, and a few basic guidelines you can follow to ensure this task is both a fun and creative one and not a monkey on your back.
Landmines of Self-Promotion, and How to Navigate Them.
There are a lot of issues associated with self-promotion. The top six often hamstring even the biggest and best advertising and design agencies:
The Project Isn't Taken Seriously
It is by far the biggest problem with self-promotion projects. Someone (or a committee) within the agency decides that it's time to do some self-promotion work. An account manager has a quick chat with someone from the senior team in the coffee room. They then drop in on a creative team and mention in passing that some self-promotion ideas would be good. And then everyone just hopes that it will all appear like magic, being exactly what everyone in the agency wants to see, and done with little fuss or effort.
It is all wishful thinking. If the job isn't taken seriously, the work won't be seriously good. It won't even be mediocre. And eventually, it will have to be redone, perhaps several times. If the agency is serious about self-promotion work, treat it in the same way that you would treat a paying client's project.
The Job Always Takes The Back Seat
Another big problem with self-promotion work is that it is always going to be the job that's put on the back burner because paying jobs always take precedence. Now, that's all well and good, but the reason you get those paying jobs is often through work that's done on the backs of the agency's staff. It's fine to put it off when big jobs hit, like pitches, but if the job is scheduled and in the traffic system, give it the respect it deserves.
There's No Creative Brief
It cannot be stressed enough - every job needs a creative brief, there are no excuses for bypassing it. Often the cry is one of "but everyone knows who we are" or "it's self-promotion, we can do whatever we want." Well, no. There should always be a strategy, a goal, a set of guidelines, some firm direction, and a deadline. Without a brief, you are putting up a big, red flag that says "this project doesn't really matter" and you'll be right. You can't build anything without a foundation.
No Budget Has Been Assigned
It can be the cause of some major headaches. The creative will ask "what's the budget," and the account team will say "there isn't one, do what you like." Of course, that all comes crashing down when the ideas are presented, and a senior partner announces that the budget for the job is two nickels and a bag of rice. Attain a budget from the people who control the money. The ask for a little more, just in case. Now give your parameters to the creative team, and always be prepared to go back to the table with an option that will be over-budget but will make a huge splash.
There's No Media Plan
It is something that needs to be hammered out between everyone in the agency, including the creatives, the account team, the production department, traffic, and media buying. What is the purpose of the self-promotion? Is it going to be a guerrilla stunt, an online video, a print piece, posters, PR, or something else? No doubt the creative department will have ideas, but some basic parameters should be in place, and the respective departments should be ready to act.
There Are Too Many "Clients"
One of the biggest complaints of any agency is that there are too many opinions ruining the creative work. Ironically, this also happens within the agency as well. People are human, they all want to be heard, and they all believe their opinions are valid. For the sanity of everyone involved, and to save time, put one person in charge of the final decision, and leave it that way. It will more than likely be someone on the senior management team or the Creative Director.
How to Side-Step Self-Promotion Altogether
Aside from addressing all of those problems above, there is another way to do self-promotion, without actually setting aside any time to do a campaign. The answer lies in the work your agency does on a daily basis:
Do Great Work
Killer creative work is its own promotion campaign. If your agency is constantly putting out huge ideas that bring in customers and create buzz, you won't need to do any self-promotion work.
Win Recognized Industry Awards
Isn't this the same as doing great work? No, it's not. Scorsese and Spielberg did many great movies long before they ever won an Academy Award. Similarly, some Academy Award winners have had long careers based on one good movie they did 20 years ago. If you win awards, you have clout. Clout brings in clients.
Keep Your Clients Happy
Happy clients make a thriving agency. That doesn't mean your agency should do everything the client asks. No, it should provide the client with everything his or her business needs, and when the client is successful, everyone is. And that will lead to more billings.
Let Word Of Mouth Spread
Some businesses will not advertise in the usual places. Some won't even have a website (although these days, that's verging on suicidal). However, there is a certain cachet in being spread by the good word of clients and colleagues. Don't rely on it for too long though; an invisible agency is not exactly walking the walk.
Self-promotion is perhaps one of the trickiest projects any advertising, marketing or design agency can undertake. It seems odd to outsiders that this would even be an issue. After all, when you're the client, surely you can do whatever you want, right? Well, sadly perception is much more idealistic than reality. Here then are the reasons why self-promotion is so tough, and a few basic guidelines you can follow to ensure this task is both a fun and creative one and not a monkey on your back.
Landmines of Self-Promotion, and How to Navigate Them.
There are a lot of issues associated with self-promotion. The top six often hamstring even the biggest and best advertising and design agencies:
The Project Isn't Taken Seriously
It is by far the biggest problem with self-promotion projects. Someone (or a committee) within the agency decides that it's time to do some self-promotion work. An account manager has a quick chat with someone from the senior team in the coffee room. They then drop in on a creative team and mention in passing that some self-promotion ideas would be good. And then everyone just hopes that it will all appear like magic, being exactly what everyone in the agency wants to see, and done with little fuss or effort.
It is all wishful thinking. If the job isn't taken seriously, the work won't be seriously good. It won't even be mediocre. And eventually, it will have to be redone, perhaps several times. If the agency is serious about self-promotion work, treat it in the same way that you would treat a paying client's project.
The Job Always Takes The Back Seat
Another big problem with self-promotion work is that it is always going to be the job that's put on the back burner because paying jobs always take precedence. Now, that's all well and good, but the reason you get those paying jobs is often through work that's done on the backs of the agency's staff. It's fine to put it off when big jobs hit, like pitches, but if the job is scheduled and in the traffic system, give it the respect it deserves.
There's No Creative Brief
It cannot be stressed enough - every job needs a creative brief, there are no excuses for bypassing it. Often the cry is one of "but everyone knows who we are" or "it's self-promotion, we can do whatever we want." Well, no. There should always be a strategy, a goal, a set of guidelines, some firm direction, and a deadline. Without a brief, you are putting up a big, red flag that says "this project doesn't really matter" and you'll be right. You can't build anything without a foundation.
No Budget Has Been Assigned
It can be the cause of some major headaches. The creative will ask "what's the budget," and the account team will say "there isn't one, do what you like." Of course, that all comes crashing down when the ideas are presented, and a senior partner announces that the budget for the job is two nickels and a bag of rice. Attain a budget from the people who control the money. The ask for a little more, just in case. Now give your parameters to the creative team, and always be prepared to go back to the table with an option that will be over-budget but will make a huge splash.
There's No Media Plan
It is something that needs to be hammered out between everyone in the agency, including the creatives, the account team, the production department, traffic, and media buying. What is the purpose of the self-promotion? Is it going to be a guerrilla stunt, an online video, a print piece, posters, PR, or something else? No doubt the creative department will have ideas, but some basic parameters should be in place, and the respective departments should be ready to act.
There Are Too Many "Clients"
One of the biggest complaints of any agency is that there are too many opinions ruining the creative work. Ironically, this also happens within the agency as well. People are human, they all want to be heard, and they all believe their opinions are valid. For the sanity of everyone involved, and to save time, put one person in charge of the final decision, and leave it that way. It will more than likely be someone on the senior management team or the Creative Director.
How to Side-Step Self-Promotion Altogether
Aside from addressing all of those problems above, there is another way to do self-promotion, without actually setting aside any time to do a campaign. The answer lies in the work your agency does on a daily basis:
Do Great Work
Killer creative work is its own promotion campaign. If your agency is constantly putting out huge ideas that bring in customers and create buzz, you won't need to do any self-promotion work.
Win Recognized Industry Awards
Isn't this the same as doing great work? No, it's not. Scorsese and Spielberg did many great movies long before they ever won an Academy Award. Similarly, some Academy Award winners have had long careers based on one good movie they did 20 years ago. If you win awards, you have clout. Clout brings in clients.
Keep Your Clients Happy
Happy clients make a thriving agency. That doesn't mean your agency should do everything the client asks. No, it should provide the client with everything his or her business needs, and when the client is successful, everyone is. And that will lead to more billings.
Let Word Of Mouth Spread
Some businesses will not advertise in the usual places. Some won't even have a website (although these days, that's verging on suicidal). However, there is a certain cachet in being spread by the good word of clients and colleagues. Don't rely on it for too long though; an invisible agency is not exactly walking the walk.
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