HOW TO KNOW YOUR BUSINESS ADVERTISING IS EFFECTIVE IN NIGERIA (Lagos, Abuja, Portharcourt)

Lots of small and medium scale businesses don’t believe in Advertising. One can never over emphasize the role of advertising in any business. I always tell business owners that having a business and not advertising it is like hiding your business from people, YES, it’s that bad.

And then I have seen some other business owners advertise and not monitor their advertising campaign, to know if it’s effective or not. That is why I am writing on this subject. It really does amaze me the number of businesses who advertise purely for the sake of advertising. If you were to randomly ask ten business owners why they advertise, nine out of the ten will most likely say, because everyone else does or something similar.

This may seem like a strange thing to do but it is a serious challenge that is rarely addressed, especially by the smaller business owners. The real question that needs to be answered is; are you potentially tipping vast amounts of your hard earned profits down the drain because of ineffective advertising campaigns?

The best kept secret in the world of advertising is that most business advertising does not work. However, don't expect anyone who sells ad space to tell you that. Because most businesses don't monitor how well or badly any particular advertising campaign is doing, very few are aware of this fact.

Recently, a client of mine insisted on doing radio advertising to promote a website. I advice the client to make press ad instead, because I feel majority of their target market will read Tuesday Guardian before listening to the radio. They insisted they wanted a radio, so we did radio. At the end of the day, I got a very upset client, who claimed the advertising was not working. Who get blamed for this?

Just because you have advertising budget doesn't mean you have to spend it without knowing what return you are getting. There are a multitude of sins committed when it comes to publicity but here are three key elements that you absolutely must get right every time if you are to avoid profit depletion.

Always Test and Measure

It is paramount that you test and measure any advertising. This applies to all forms of promotion, TV, radio, newspaper, magazine and any other medium you use. It would seem like an obvious thing to do but very few businesses actually do it. A focused plan has to be in place so that you know, with absolute certainty that the ad you are running is worthwhile and producing a return on investment. If it is not stop it!

Again this would seem obvious and logical but it doesn't always happen. Some companies will run ads for weeks and months, spending millions of hard earned Naira with absolutely no idea if the ad is producing a profitable outcome.

Watch Your Headline

Your headline is the most important part of any ad. If the headline does not catch the readers attention, your ad will not get read, period. I see ads all the time, where the headline is the company name and logo. The truth is nobody cares about your company name or if you've been established for 125 years. The headline must always appeal to your targeted audience and where possible include a benefit. Which headline is more likely to attract your attention?

The moral of the story is, take care with headlines. They can make or break your return on investment. Getting your headline right can increase your response rate by as much as 50% to 100%.

Use Media Trackers Services

Most business owners always make mistake to assume their campaign is running, just because they’ve paid for it. The work of an ad agency is to represent you, advice and guide you in making the right decision in your advertising campaign. After agencies have made media buying for you, they assume you are tracking your own campaign. They also assume your campaign is running because they already paid the media. It is your duty to ensure the campaign you paid for is running. This is really common with most media in Nigeria especially Billboards, Radio and TV. Most times, you will know if your press ad is running or not. However, some of the billboards you have seen pictures and approved has stopped running after a month or two, whereas you paid for six month. It is the duty of the media trackers to ensure all your billboards are still standing. That your radio spots runs at the right time scheduled and that the number of spots you paid for what is what is played. Same goes for TV campaign. Don’t just keep spending money and wondering why you are not seeing the effect of your advertising campaign, your campaigns are probably not running any more.

In conclusion, before you embark on your next advertising venture think about this. "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results" - Albert Einstein

Thinking of advertising in Nigeria, contact Victor today, his number is at the contact Victor page of this blog.

MOBILE TRUCK ADVERTISING NOW OPERATING IN LAGOS (Nigeria)

The caption on this ad truck reads ‘Your customers don’t stand still, why should your advertising'. Do you agree with this statement?

People are looking for new methods of advertising in Nigeria today, which is why some people are also committed to inventing new methods of advertisement. The mobile ad truck is a dynamic way of introducing your product to a targeted audience in Lagos, because it is not static, you can decide you want student to see your ad today, and change your mind that you love doctors to see it tomorrow. This ad can go wherever you want it to go, isn’t that interesting?

It’s in the name - mobile advertising is an ad that moves around a city, state or country. Ordinarily, these mobile signs are placed on the sides of trucks. A billboard can actually be placed on the flatbed of a truck and driven around for maximum exposure. There are a vast variety of advantages to outdoor mobile billboards.

Ready For Your Viewing Pleasure
An eye-catching design with bright colors as researched by professionals, heading down the highway is quickly and frequently noticed by drivers. Nine times out of ten, this results in drivers taking time to view and read the full ad. Additionally, pedestrians passing mobile truck advertising are more likely to be attracted to the design and will take the time to read the ad.

Unavoidable
The channel can’t be changed and the ad cannot be crumpled and thrown away. It is there, bold and unavoidable. The individual has no choice but to take note and read these mobile signs.

Repetition
Outdoor mobile billboards can be consistently displayed in one area at one time of consistently for repetitive exposure. For example, mobile truck advertising can be driven along a particularly busy highway during rush hour every day so the same commuters will see it again and again. The message will eventually sink in. Practice makes perfect!

Flexibility
The advertising message is easily and cheaply made as are any necessary changes. To prevent boredom, a company can have their mobile ad changed and improved on a regular basis keeping the public curious for what may be coming next. Another component of flexibility is location. The ad can be moved on a frequently to the areas where it will be most effective and generate the most response.

No Competition
Mobile ads are usually displayed and seen by potential clients without any distractions from competitors' advertisements. The mobile advertisement can be strategically positioned so there is no competition to be seen for miles.

GPS Tracking
Mobile advertising vehicles generally all have a GPS system in the vehicle. The route of the ad can be tracked to be sure the correct roadway is being covered at the right time and in the right place with this device. It also determines which part of a route is more effective in generating customers making that a noted target location for future advertising.

Ad Selections
Mobile ads come in various selections. A standard flat ad that is typically the most common. 3D adds are also available as are scrolling billboards which can be animated or have colors that can be changed. This is an incredibly unique and effective eye catching tool.

Targeting
Mobile ads can be strategically located to areas where the target audience is mostly likely found. For example, a company that produces health products might do well to station their mobile add near a busy government hospital. It will have a better chance of being seen by the type of people that will frequent this establishment or buys the product.

If you are interested in placing a truck ad in Lagos today, please give us a call.

Taxi Advertising in Lagos, Abuja (Nigeria)

Taxi advertising is becoming the talk of the town in the advertising world in Lagos today. Taxi companies are springing up everywhere using brand new, fully air-conditioned, modern car as a form of transportation in Lagos today. Taxi companies springing up in Lagos are RED Cab, Metro Taxi, Lagos cab, Yellow Taxi (etc), and they all uses brand new cars such as 2009/2010 Toyota Camry, 2009/2010 Toyota Corolla, 2009/2010 Toyota Yaris, 2009/2010 Nissan Altima etc. Taxi Advertising has become an indispensable tool, regularly utilised by marketing departments of most major national or global companies who wish to build a corporate brand awareness and recognition. It is a high profile medium with excellent levels of recall because taxis tend to concentrate their activities in or around city centre especially in Cities like Lagos and Abuja, and lots of other strategic destinations as compare to other mediums.

Let's do a quick review on common advertising mediums:
(1) Advertisements in the newspaper are rarely seen more than once and then discarded.
(2) Bus advertisement is normally seen only on certain permitted routes.
(3) Radio airtimes and TV advertisements are heard and seen at a certain point of time.
(4) Billboards and Road Banners advertisements are often limited to certain permitted locations, etc.
Despite the fact that all the above mentioned common advertising activities often incur huge budget costs for a very short time frame, why companies still opts for them?? Why not try new innovative taxi advertising? That is the purpose of this write-up, to let you know about the benefits of Taxi advertising.

Imagine how many streets are covered on a daily basis by a taxi. Imagine the pedestrians and motorists who see the taxi. Then imagine your company's advertisement proudly displayed as the taxi moves through town, stops at traffic lights, stops to pick up customers, pulls into shopping centres’ and many other popular strategic locations from Kuala Ikeja to Victoria Island to Ajegunle to Egbeda or even travelling interstates.

THE FACTS ARE:
No other medium delivers your message more effectively. Taxi ads work for you especially in lagos that we have traffic everywhere, from very early hours of the morning to late in the night, almost 19 hours a day, seven days a week.
It builds product/service awareness within days. Imaging 100 - 200 taxis carry your ads and message where it counts; close to the point of purchase - downtown market districts, offices and shopping centres, entertainment outlets and other strategic areas where other form of media are not permitted.
Taxi routes coincide with high population densities and strategic destinations from all corners ensuring that your ads get the maximum exposure, and imagine Lagos that has a population of more than 15million people and still counting.

So, if you are considering placing Taxi ad in Nigeria, give us a call today and we will make sure your product or services are well exposed!

LED Outdoor Billboard Advertising in Nigeria (Lagos, Abuja, Abia, Portharcourt)

As a part of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) contribution in making Lagos a mega City, lots of the old fashion ordinary billboards are being removed, and being replaced with a more modern technology in outdoor advertising. The old fashion 40 sheet is already faced out and being replace with much neater backlit 48 sheets, ultra display and LED LED screen billboard.
Outdoor advertising in Lagos and Abuja has even gone a step further into the digital age by the introduction of this large screen LED billboards, that are popping up in hot places like the MMA2 (Muritala local Airport 2), Allen Avenue junction, Maryland, Surulere, Victoria Island, Ikoyi etc, and are proving to be quite the success. In fact, many prefer digital outdoor advertising because of its large impact and efficient pricing. Look out for these bright LED billboards as they set the tone for outdoor advertising now in Lagos, Abuja Portharcourt and Abia states in Nigeria..

These brilliant digital displays offer effective, high impact, targeted, and flexible advertising campaigns. These digital displays are widely accepted as the new advertising medium, because of their myriad advantages such as: dynamic creative elements and interactivity, guaranteed delivery and scheduled display, multiple advertisers with no clutter, co-op revenue opportunities, instant digital changes for season, price, or promotion, rapid ability to update content, timely insertion of trailer loops with advertising content, instant digital programming with informative and entertaining content, and the ability to deliver specific messages to specific audiences in specific locations.

The flexible LED (light emitting diode) medium allows instant message uploading via the Internet, so Amber Alerts, community event messages, public service announcements can run on the sign when they are needed. Today, outdoor advertising is a vital element in well-conceived marketing plans.

In today's society older methods of advertising, such as newspaper and radio, are on their way out, whereas outdoor billboards are becoming increasingly effective. Next to the internet, outdoor advertising is the fastest growing medium and continues to gain strength.

The animated advertisements can be set in a loop to continuously show a set number of messages. And when a change is needed, instead of sending a crew to tear down the old and pain the new, it just takes the click of a mouse! Needless to say, look out for digital media as the future of outdoor advertisement.

If you are interested in placing your ad on LED outdoor in Lagos or Abuja, please give us a call today.

LED Screen Now on Lagos Taxis!

Futuristic, sleek, and aerodynamic, those are the word I will use to describe this development of LED screen on Nigerian Taxi’s. Nigeria is fast becoming a changed nation as new technological development is being introduced into the advertising world. When we saw the LED display on outdoor billboards in Lagos and Abuja, we thought we’ve seen it all, now we have LED display Outdoor screen on Lagos Taxi's!

Last week, I was invited to the unveiling of this new wonderful technology that is being introduced to the streets of Lagos.
Over 200, highly functional, brand-new, air-conditioned cars were launched at this unveiling. The LED Taxi attempts to provide a comfortable alternative to the old rickety cabs, ubiquitous in most Nigerian cities, thereby providing cheap and comfortable means of transportation for both the rich and the poor.
The LED mobile taxi is the mobile digital platform on which goods and services are displayed in their brightest and most natural colours. Appearing as a rectangular, rooftop, double-face LED screen, measuring 40 inches by 16 inches, it provide advert services through the display of these digital images in their most natural colours. The location of this screen shall be the roof of the POD Taxi and its unique double-face feature affords a dual view every time. The Screen is built in accordance with defined scientific specifications and standards to make it water-proof, sun-proof and environmental friendly.
The advert spot on the Taxi runs simultaneously on all the 200 taxi operating in the street of Lagos. This is another good avenue to convey your messages to the inhabitant of Lagos and Abuja (where we have this taxi’s for now)

Here are some benefits of the LED Screen Taxi
The advert on the Diamond Screen can be seen by people on all the streets and roads as the minimum viewing distance is only 4 metres.
The Screen is double sided to afford a dual view every time.
It weighs only 30kg and does not affect the balance of the taxi irrespective of number of passengers in it.
It is weather proof, stone proof and environmental friendly.
It can display exact same adverts on all the screens scattered about at the same time.
It is a highly durable screen as it can run for 10,000 hours non - stop, that is, approximately 5 months.


If you are interested in placing your advert spot on these taxi’s, please remember to contact us for more information.

How to Beat Your Competitors in Your Advertising Campaign in Nigeria (Lagos, Abuja)

When you start thinking about competitive analysis, ask yourself this question: What do your customers see when they compare you to your competition?  After all, your customers' perspective is the only one that counts. Knowing and understanding what the customer sees is the most important competitive analysis you can do.

The Customers' Perspective: Competitive Analysis

 One part of being a professional advertiser is thinking like the prospective customer. Your customers and prospects do not live in a vacuum. They are sophisticated shoppers. Their perceptions of price, value, quality, and service are very high. What happens when they compare you to the competition?

Sometimes you can focus so much on what is special about your own company that you forget about your competition. But your customers and prospects will see and read your competitors' marketing materials. They are going to talk to them on the phone. They are going to price their products, review their guarantees, and meet with their sales people. Your customers will conduct their own competitive analysis.

You must do the same thing. It is very important for you to make these same contacts with your competitors so that you can understand what the customer sees. You need to know where you stand in comparison to your competitors from the customers’ perspective. Conduct your competitive analysis the way your customer would.

Here are some competitive analysis questions:

1. How do your advertisements compare to the competition?

2. How do your other marketing materials compare?

 3. What other promotions are your competitors running? In many industries, published consumer advertising only represents a small part of a companies marketing budget. How else are your competitors reaching your prospects? Direct mail? Telemarketing? Incentives and specials? promos? Call and ask.

 4. How good is your customer service compared to your competitors'? How often are prospective clients treated when they step into your office, or have to wait on queue for so long without being attended to? How soon do you return their call? How does this compare to your competitors?                                                            

 5. How good are your competitors' salespeople? How professional are their presentations? How slick are their marketing materials?

 6. What do they talk about? What marketing materials do they give to the prospect?

 7. What time, volume, or seasonal incentives do they give?

8. Do your competitors follow up? How soon? How aggressively?    

                                                                   

 9. How good is their offer?  How do they build value into their offer? What are their guarantees and return policies? How good is their customer service?

 10. How do they stay in contact with customers? How do they follow up?

 11. What do they do poorly? Why do customers leave them?

 Conduct your competitive analysis so that you get the answers.      

 More Competitive Analysis

 You don't conduct a competitive analysis to copy the competition. You could be copying systems or methods that do not really work that well. This is about understanding what your customers and prospects see, think, and understand.

  And don’t worry if you can’t afford to sell the same way a large corporation can, because you probably don’t want to anyway. It is how you differentiate yourself from your competitors that counts. Your competitive analysis should determine how you are different and special, not how you are the same.

 What differentiates you from your competitors from the customer’s perspective? What strengths and weaknesses do you have? What strengths and weaknesses do your competitors have? What is your potential customer seeing and thinking? The answers are probably found in the difference between your advertising and marketing materials, and your competitors'.

  The answers are at your fingertips. The best competitive analysis you can do is to compare your brochure to your competitors'. How good is the copywriting? How professional is the presentation? You must run a competitive analysis on all of your competitors' marketing.

Without knowing the answers, you can never take advantage of your strengths, or compensate for your weaknesses from your customers perspective. Because you can be absolutely sure of one thing - your customers will conduct their own competitive analysis.

  Do you really want to beat your competitors? Make sure that what your potential customers see about you is better than what they see about your competitors. Plan your marketing materials and presentations to take advantage of your strengths and of your competition's weaknesses.

Plan what your potential customers see when they compare you to your competition. Get the insight into your customer’s wants, needs, and desires, and market your company to address their concerns better than your competition does. Make sure your competitive analysis is done from the customers' perspective.

Competitive Analysis - Easy Examples

  If your competitors are bad at answering the phone, and you use a great employee to answer your phones, you win. If people are calling from your ad campaigns, or anyplace else for that matter, then the single most important thing you can do is improve the quality of your phone skills. Your competitive analysis will tell you how good your competitors' are. First impressions count.

GTB bank in Nigeria won over LOTS of customers by providing a friendly and professional customer service. Bet you never though about that. What do the customers see? What’s important to them? What are the impressions you make versus your competitors? Your competitive analysis will tell you.

 Take a good look at your brochure versus your competitors'. Is it twice as good? What company would the customer choose if your brochure was twice as good as your competitors'?

 More than this, do your competitors even have brochures, or something to send or leave with potential clients? Don't think a cheap flyer will do the trick, but if you are the only company distributing brochures, or refrigerator magnets, or coupons, or information booklets, then you will win the business. People need to think, reference, and read before they decide. Give them what they need. Your competitive analysis will show you the way.

 And just how slick are all of your marketing materials? How good is your presentation? First impressions count. It is natural to be impressed by a high quality presentation and superior marketing materials. You must conduct a competitive analysis on your own company. Remember, customers are conducting their own competitive analysis - How do you compare?

Competitive Analysis: Ask for Help

As always, we strongly recommend that you hire professionals for your printed materials, and ask a marketing professional to help plan and review the work. And it’s the best investment you can make if you can modify what your prospective clients see and think about your company versus your competitors'.

We also recommend that you contact a marketing professional to help you conduct a competitive analysis. In an hour a professional can give you some real insight into the quality of your marketing materials, how they compare to your competitors', and what you can do to improve them.