Our retailer guide to advertising

Advertising is a simple and direct method of informing a large audience about your products and services. It can be an excellent way of generating brand recognition for your showroom and driving   footfall. If you are considering investing in advertising, consider the following questions:

Who am I trying to reach?

You need to have a clear understanding of exactly who you are trying to reach and why you are communicating with them. Importantly, your target audience will inform the type of advert to produce and where to advertise.

Where should I advertise?

This will depend on your budget, who you are trying to target, and what you want to achieve from the advert. Be sure to consider which route will give you the best access to your target audience.
There are a wide variety of advertising options including:

National newspapers and magazines, E.g. The Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph, Sunday Express Magazine

Advertising in national newspapers is effective for national brands with showrooms across the country, or an ecommerce website. Advertising in national publications will not be cost effective if your target demographic is largely based within your local area.

Local newspapers and magazines

Advertising in local publications is a good choice for smaller, local businesses. It is important to consider the readership of the publication that you advertise in. If the newspaper is distributed in the area local to your showroom, then the readership will be more likely to act on the advertisement.

Lifestyle magazines, E.g. Ideal Home, House Beautiful, Real Homes

Much like national newspapers, lifestyle magazines will be most effective for retailers that have a national presence. Advertising in this type of publication can be effective as the magazine’s readership is likely to have an existing interest in interiors trends and could be looking for renovation advice or inspiration. Standout, aspirational lifestyle imagery is crucial for achieving results with this form of advert.

Social media advertising

Social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest all offer paid for advertising to widen the reach of your social media audience. Facebook and Instagram tend to offer the best Return on Investment (ROI) and are good methods of reaching a larger, more targeted demographic.

How do I know if it is effective?

Measurement and traceability of your advertising is essential as this will help you understand the type of advertising that is most effective for your business and which types can be disregarded. An example of an easy way to track advertising is to include promotional codes that differ across outlets so you can see where enquiries have come from.

Don’t forget…

Print and digital advertising templates are available from the marketing hub at www.heritageretailerhub.com