In the publishing business, we deliver brand awareness. When I started in this business many years ago, advertisers tried to measure effectiveness of an advertising program by sales leads. It never really worked that way.
If your company advertises in a magazine that is read by an audience of people who have the capability and need to buy or specify your product, you are absolutely doing the right thing. Magazines with good content and good readership, deliver attention and awareness to your ad.
This process takes a long period of time to be most effective. You cannot run one or two ads and expect results. Nor can you run an advertising program for several years, discontinue it, and expect to see a decline in business. It just does not work that way
Here is what I suggest to all marketers. Select the publications and websites that you believe to reach that right audience with good content. Commit to an integrated advertising program utilizing both print ads and online ads. Let it run year over year through recessions and booms.
You will be affecting brand awareness, you will be increasing the brand awareness of your products, you will be protecting and increasing your market position.
By the way, you will be generating sales leads. Every time someone calls you or goes to your website or calls your distributor, you have a sales lead. We just can't measure that for you any longer. The leads will be there, the brand awareness will be there.
