 Measuring Results Recording Responses One of the most important ways to improve your advertising is to record information about the success of past adverts; whether customers like them, whether they achieve your aims, whether the size is appropriate. There are several ways in which you can gain data that will prove useful in the future: -Opinions One of the easiest ways to get information about your advert is to ask!
Think of those that are closest to your business, and whose opinions you can trust; such as employees, longstanding customers that you get on well with and family members. Ask them whether they like the advert, and if they think it works (I.e.: Fulfil your aims).
Be sure to note down all of the information you get; and when you change your adverts, you can compare results and see if the change worked.
-Surveys
A full survey can give you good results that tell you about the reactions of potential customers; a professionally organised survey will provide the most accurate results, but can cost a lot of money.
A good solution is a simple survey; this may only ask a few details such as “Have you seen our advert? What did you think of it? Did it encourage you to visit us?” This kind of survey could be printed on a small piece of card and included when you post products to customers, or left on the counter if your business is retail based.
This survey method is cheap, but remember that you are only targeting existing customers and visitors, not potential customers. This means that your answers are likely to have a positive bias; and may not provide information on how to attract non-customers.
One key point for surveys that require posting is (and I cannot stress this enough!) make the survey free to post! Include a stamped and addressed envelope that allows people to respond to you without expense. Why would anyone pay to give a business their answers?!
The simplest way to log the effectiveness of an advert is to just ask customers where they heard about you. This allows you to judge whether the advert has brought them towards your business, but remember that this does not take into account whether the advert was what made them decide to visit/use your business. You may also get some puzzled looks if you ask this question in a local newsagents or other very local business!
Did the Advert Achieve Your Aims?
After you have gained feedback from your advert, you need to look at whether it was successful in achieving the aims that you set out:
If your advert was designed to create interest in a new product, and brought lots of new and existing customers to your business to find out more; then the advert was a success.
If your advert was designed to encourage sales, but it mostly increased knowledge of your business; that is a partial success, but it did not fully meet the aims.
If your advert was designed to alter your image as an expensive business, but customers still believe you to be just as expensive; then the advert has failed to meet its aims.
It is important to remember that your advert may not be the only factor in survey or other results changing. A new product could have been publicised elsewhere, word of mouth could have attracted new customers, a competitor could have shut down or moved, and you could also find that people think you are expensive because you really are!
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