What It Takes To Get Your Product on TV
In recent years, digital advertising has changed significantly. Social media, blogging, email — these are all effective marketing strategies that have potential to deliver a high return with very little invested. Even with these new methods there is still a place for what some see as a more old-fashioned strategy by advertising in television.
But, how can you do this? What is the best way to go about national TV advertising? What are the benefits of TV advertising? These are all legitimate questions to ask before you start on this venture.
Buying Tv Advertising Time
When people think about TV commercials, they normally just think of the 30-second spots that air in their favorite shows. These are fine, if you can afford them and do them right. Here’s how this works:
1. Create a Budget
Any effective business plan already has a target demographic in mind. When it comes to television advertising effectiveness, the target demographic will help you decide to buy TV advertising time. Knowing which channel or channels your audience is most likely to watch will be beneficial.
If you are marketing towards children, you will want to look at channels aimed at a younger audience. If your target market is older, there are specific channels geared towards an older audience. Male? Female? Or are you marketing to a more general audience? Each one of the questions can point you in the direction of suitable channels and networks for your advertising.
While researching your target demographics and where they will most likely be found, you will need to have a commercial ready to air. Television commercials need to get to their point across quickly. Most commercials are 30 seconds long and must include your key marketing points in this timeframe.
A well-done, professional commercial takes a lot of moving parts, more than we are able to cover here. However, make sure your advertisement is ready and you have a target audience before proceeding to the next phase.
4. Buy Airtime
Once your commercial is finalized and ready to air, the next step is to buy the airtime. Depending on your strategy and target demographic, this can be expensive or relatively budget-friendly. Different channels will charge different prices for airtime depending on when you want your commercial to air. Prime time, for example costs a lot more than 3:30 in the morning. This is where tracking your budget early in the process becomes very important.
One tip that not everyone knows, like many things, airtime is actually negotiable. If you buy in bulk or spend enough time at it, you can talk the station down in price. This will help you to stretch your advertising dollars even further.
In today’s society, the advent of social media has made getting feedback a much faster process. If you have a social media presence already established, once your commercials airs all you need to do is go online to find feedback from customers. What are people saying about it? You can create a hashtag that is feature in the commercial itself. This way you can get immediate responses if people are watching and wanting to interact about your product.
Promoting Your Brand
If you are unable airtime, that’s okay. Many people can still get their brand on the airwaves by becoming featured on a news program, an interview, a TV product tour. This does take a bit more work, as you are relying more on expertise and name recognition rather than your budget. This is a good method to get noticed. Here’s how to go about it:
You will need to talk to people who know people, finding the right contact is crucial. This is where we come in. Our staff of experts knows how to market you for any and all occasions, and we know how to get you noticed.
2. Contact Them First
Don’t wait for something to happen, be proactive and send messages to the right people (reporters, lifestyle producers, etc). These people should be aware of your brand, your product or service and your availability. Some most likely will not respond right away, but having the information about your product is important for when they do decide they need a product like yours.
3. Be an Expert
If you are pitching a TV interview for exposure, then it’s important to market yourself as an expert in your field. Make sure the reporters know who you are by contacting them to let them know your area of expertise. For example, if you are a criminal defense attorney, make sure they know who you are and your credentials. If there is a legal news story that you feel you could offer some insight with, contact them again and remind them of your expertise. Offer to share your opinions or thoughts on the story which also gives them copy for their report and gives you exposure. It’s a literal win-win.
Depending on your brand, your type of product and your area, there are different television methods that may work. If you are looking to market and sell a product, buying airtime can work just like it has for almost the past century. However, this isn’t the only way to market your product. Hiring the right firm or team and ensuring you are getting your name out there can find exposure through news and other media outlets for much less than the cost of a traditional TV commercial.
PTPA Media is ready to serve you and your needs. Why not contact us today?