Evaluating the effectiveness of advertising: when, why and how to conduct

Advertising ... Without it, it would be impossible to tell the public about what you are willing to offer, which means that no type of service would be available. Can you imagine such a thing?

In order to maximize the benefits of advertising, you need to know a lot: turn to the numerous theoretical and practical data in the field of advertising technology. It is especially important to be able to evaluate its effectiveness, in order not to waste precious business savings.

Evaluation of the source

Advertising in some media does not really lead to you customers, if, for example, this media is targeted to a completely different audience. Hence the first rule: evaluate the tool in terms of the contingent on which it is calculated and whether it corresponds to your target audience.

Learn new sources of advertising, pay attention to the proposals of advertising companies. Perhaps, the ideal source of advertising you will find.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of advertising must certainly be conducted every time, with the "old" and new source. So you get a guarantee that there will be no unforeseen expenses, and advertising will provide your company with the necessary number of customers (exactly as much as you can pull).

Evaluation of factors

Not always the reason for the decline in efficiency should be sought in the media. Often, the demand for services or goods may fall due to other factors: seasonality, temporary reduction in demand, changing priorities, the emergence of competitors.

We must not forget that much depends on the communication of company employees with potential customers. It is possible that the decline in demand is not due to poor advertising, but to how consultants handle customers for services. Perhaps the company is losing them at this stage.

In addition, it is important and the content of advertising. Before submitting an advertisement, you should consider it from the point of view of the potential buyer: does it attract attention, does it properly influence the client's psyche. And after filing, conduct an analysis of the image of your products (services) created by advertising and the company as a whole. Here the company's image comes into play: whether the firm is solid, whether its employees are qualified, how quickly and accurately it performs the tasks set by the clients.

At all desire, to consider all factors it will not be possible: there will always be something that you have missed. Evaluation of the effectiveness of advertising will always be relative. And yet it allows you to correlate costs with results, to outline the further path of work.

Thus, the effectiveness of advertising measures should be evaluated not only through the count of appeals. But also due to the determination of the error of counting due to the impact of other factors, which will indicate the data obtained in past periods. If they have changed under other conditions (the same source of advertising), then the matter is in external influences (competitors, seasonality, inflation).

How is the assessment carried out?

To begin with, it is necessary to determine the evaluation criteria. Usually this:

• Effectiveness of advertising sources, means (announcements, articles, press releases, promotions, distribution of flyers, booklets, evaluation of the effectiveness of contextual advertising on television, in the network);
• Effectiveness of work with appeals on advertising
• And the actual increase in "productivity".

Each indicator is measured in percent. For example, the source of advertising is identified by interviewing the clients who contacted them ("How did you find us?"). Who gets the most votes, he "won" ... It is the survey method that is the most effective and widespread way of studying the results of an advertising campaign. Just talk to customers more. And they will gladly point out your minuses and pluses. For example, the director of one original firm of its kind is interested in customers even about what the overall impression is on them the atmosphere in the office. And having received a not very pleasant assessment, he immediately assembled his team and held a mini-training on why we should smile at each visitor.

The data obtained should be compared with the previous period and analyze the possibility of external factors (as discussed above). However, the latter will probably be done only after studying the change in the demand of regular customers or similar to them according to the main characteristics (after all, your target audience has: gender, age, social status).

The frequency of evaluation depends on the "depth" of the analysis. If this is a superficial survey - it should be done frequently and in accordance with it, the advertising measures should be adjusted. If this is a deep analysis of the demand of the target audience - from 1 time to 6 months.

Yes, determining the effectiveness of advertising is not an easy task, and not every trained manager can do it. However, there is always the opportunity to seek help from specialized agencies (marketing). It is worth one time to study the report of professionals and you can already approach the assessment more rationally. In addition, such an in-depth analysis of advertising measures is useful to order at least once - it justifies all costs.

What to do with the results?

Evaluating the effectiveness of advertising should always benefit, even if it showed a negative result (it should be perceived as an opportunity to correct mistakes in the advertising campaign).

Advertising requires constant work on it. Evaluation of the effectiveness of advertising, correction of texts, videos, the use of new methods of attracting customers, the search for a new source - this area of the company requires constant creativity and its content will depend on the specific conditions of the situation (on the market, on the specifics of the business, the company itself, its employees).