How to Maximize Effectiveness of Print Advertising
By Rich Carlson, Carlson Communications

The following are a few, simple helpful hints on how to maximize your print advertising budget when marketing an active adult community:

1. Develop a strategic plan ― How does your print advertising fit into your overall marketing plan?
   
   
2. Develop a creative brief ― This document is critical to ensure that everyone involved in your company’s print advertising agrees to the main message and target markets you’re reaching with your ads.
   
   
3. Select the right publications ― The most effective , but not necessarily the most creative, ads in the world will be lost if they’re not reaching the right readers in the right publications. It is imperative that you know your target market and how to reach it.
   
   
4. Reinforce your message ― How many ways can the creative message be reinforced in other media, i.e. direct mail, e-mail blasts, radio and more?
   
   
5. Test your ads ― Before launching your full campaign, consider showing your ad layouts and creative messages to an informal group of prospective buyers to determine how they respond to your message.
   
   
6. Measure the results ― If you are running in multiple publications or if you are using a mix of print, broadcast and outdoor media, consider using different phone numbers to more accurately measure the responses to your ads. You also can use Web traffic stats as a guideline to see if online visits increased during a particular ad campaign.
   
   
7. Create an emotional experience ― Remember, buying a home is an emotional experience for people of all ages, especially for those over 50.
   
   In soft resale markets where prices may be higher than buyers are willing to pay, or where the inventory of homes exceeds the number of buyers, you must convince your prospects that it is worth them selling their home today for less money than their neighbor got for their home just 12 months ago because the lifestyle and new home you offer them is worth a move sooner rather than later.

Rich Carlson is president of Carlson Communications in Northborough, Mass, a strategic marketing, advertising and public relations firm that has helped builders increase their new-home sales and communicate effectively with prospective buyers since 1989. For more information, e-mail Rich Carlson, or call him at 877-393-9922.

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