F9 Group Marketing and Technology Blog

For most companies, the thought of creating a commercial or “Spot” to promote their business or product is overwhelming. A lot of time is spent wondering, where do I start? What should I say? How much will it cost?

Here are some tips to help you get moving, motivated and encouraged to start.

• Tip 1: There are two ways you can make a short spot. One is by using actors and can be considerably more expensive and time consuming. The second is by using pure graphics with a call to action, and can be significantly cheaper. “Buy my product now! Call 555-555-1212!”
  
  
• Tip 2: Shop around. No two media companies are created equal. Do they create your spot and buy your TV time? Do they refer you to an agency that can buy your TV time once the spot is finished? Do they listen to you and understand your product and business? Make sure the company you choose is willing to lay everything out on the table before hand and gets involved with your marketing ideas.
  
  
• Tip 3: Before taking on the task of creating a spot, ask yourself one question. Can I explain my business or product in 30 seconds or less and leave the person I am talking to with a greater understanding or curiosity of what I do or want to sell.
  
  
• Tip 4: Is your offer competitive and compelling, and if it is (which is the reason why you are making a spot in the first place, correct?) will you be able to handle all the phone calls? You are after all dealing with callers with a sudden impulse to buy.
  
  
• Tip 5: Test, test, test…did I mention test? Think of your demographic, run some small tests on various stations and times to see if it works. Above calls, make sure you can convert those calls to sales. You want to make sure your costs are justified. Keep track of your returns on your investments and utilize that to determine what station and time is giving you the most for your money.