e-Tip #4 January 22, 2008

Dear Friend:

Choosing The Right Media.

Previous tips focused on the BRAND, the COPY, and consumer DEMOGRAPHICS. Those were the easy tips. Now, it gets more difficult as we turn our attention to selecting the “right” media.

Media planning used to be a simple process. There were fewer media streams and fewer choices within each media. A brand could run an ad for a food product on Friday night television and watch sales respond on Saturday. Not anymore.

Today, the marketplace is awash with media reaching into every corner of American life and impacting consumers in multiple ways – to the point that a majority of consumers are turning off and tuning out either through technology or because they are just fed up and overwhelmed.

Tip #4 outlines the key media channels that will have the greatest impact on your direct response marketing initiatives, remembering that the number one objective of every direct response campaign is to INFLUENCE your audience to buy something – to pick up the phone, fill out an order form or visit your website.

Print media is the best choice of all media to directly impact a mass audience. In terms of getting the best “bang for your buck”, it’s print – and of all the print, magazines deliver the greatest ROI. In our December e-newsletter, we shared this research with you and it’s worth repeating

Magazines still have the STRONGEST DRAW among all media. A recent BIGresearch Simultaneous Media Survey in the USA concluded that consumers were most motivated to begin an online search after viewing advertisements in the following media:

- Magazines 47%
- Television 43%
- Newspapers 42%

Another study noted that engaged magazine readers are more likely to purchase an item on-line than any other media..

Magazines are still the one medium that consumers pick up. It’s their choice to open it. That’s critical.

Direct mail is another form of media often used by direct response marketers. We urge you to do the math before embarking solely on a direct mail campaign because it’s expensive and it’s easy to miss your target.

Internet advertising is growing in popularity, but as a direct response channel it has not proven as effective as print media. Yes, it may be less expensive, but if you are seeking sales, the lowest cost may not deliver the results you want.

No one media channel completely serves a brand. Your target audience will be the key in selecting the correct magazine categories. Cost will also be an important consideration. Often, magazines deliver some of the best CPMs and with proper planning can maximize your ROI.

If you have not visited our ADBUYS™ open avails page on our website to learn firsthand what excellent buys are available, click here and explore the savings that you can take to your bottom line.

Eric Sims and Willi Abbott.

Click here to view our new "OPEN AVAILS" page for your most up-to-date source of print media available buys.