Television, Page 3

Public television

Public television offers sponsorship opportunities for advertisers. Ask your public television representative to provide you with the same information that you ask your commercial representative to provide. Use the information to sponsor programs that will best target your audience.

Action steps

Take the time to really do a market analysis. (Marketing Plan Template)

Understand the television station's program coverage, not only of your immediate area, but of the entire television Designated Market Area (DMA). It is not uncommon to need more than one television station to ensure coverage of your target audience

Call the TV stations on which you want to advertise and ask to speak to an advertising representative. Set up a meeting with the representative at your place of business or at the station.

Bring as much informaton as possible about the audience your are trying to reach including age ranges, gender, income levels, geographic location, lifestyles.

• Ask your representative to provide you with suggested programs and viewer information that fit the male/female and age ranges you provide.

• Ask the representative to provide you with a list ranking these programs with similar programs shown on the other networks. This list should look like this.

• Ask your representative to provide you with lifestyle information/psychographics about the viewers of the suggested programs. Match this up with what you know about the customers you are trying to reach.   NOTE: The number of viewers you are trying to reach will vary depending on the day and the time of day. Look for the best days and times for your customers

Decide how many weeks your ad should be on TV and when. Ask your representative to prepare you a three week "flight" or advertising schedule that shows you what days and times your ads will be on the air.

• Look carefully at your ad schedule to see if you are reaching enough viewers enough times to have a good effect. Then, negotiate, negotiate, negotiate the price.

• Look over the initial proposal.

• Go back to the rep with your changes and a proposal indicating how much what you will pay.

• Ask for a final proposal.

• Ask your representative to be sure and provide you with a "reach" and "frequency" number for your schedule.

• The frequency number is the average number of times the viewers will see your ad. This number has to be 3 or more in order for your ads to have any effect.

Value added

TV stations offer opportunities for "value added" promotions that will accompany your buy on the station and widen your exposure. These promotions can be invaluable in creating "buzz" or Top of Mind about your product or service. They include such things participation in station special promotions, providing tickets or other products for giveaways on air, taking booth space at station events, and participating in cross promotions with other advertisers.

See Promotions and Top of Mind

Page 3 of 3

    << Previous | Next: Event Planning >>