20 Questions to Ask as You Develop an Advertising Strategy

As you’re busy closing the year, it’s time to think about how you’ll keep your business at the front of your customers’ minds in the coming year. A key piece to this is developing an advertising strategy that’s aligned with your business goals and objectives.

But before you jump feet first into writing next year’s plan, take a close look at how you did this year. Even if you didn’t have a formal plan in place, you can still review how effective your advertising efforts were this year. This will help you develop an advertising strategy that positions your business for growth in this year and beyond. Here are 20 questions to ask as you develop an advertising strategy for this year.

1.  Did you meet your business goals?

2.  Were your advertising methods aligned with your larger business goals and objectives?

3.  Which specific advertising methods were effective?

4.  Why were they effective?

5.  Which advertising mediums weren’t effective (or as effective as you hoped)?

6.  Why weren’t they effective?

7.  Were your efforts cost-effective?

8.  Did they yield a high ROI?

9.  Do you have a healthy mix of long- and short-term advertising strategies?

10. Do you need to increase your ad spend?

11. Do you need to reallocate your advertising dollars?

12. Did you have adequate human resources to create and monitor campaigns?

13. Has your target market changed?

14. Has your target location changed?

15. Have you changed your products or services?

16. Has your branding changed?

17. Has your key message changed?

18. Is it time to freshen up your ad campaigns, creative, or copy?

19. What was your biggest advertising challenge this year?

20. What are your biggest priorities for next year?

Once you answer these 20 questions, you’ll be ready to develop an advertising strategy for your business. And as you’re working through them, remember you don’t have to go it alone. We’d love to help! Contact us today and let’s help you grow!