TV advertising perplexes many business owners, and not just those running a smaller company. More than once, I've spoken to a business owner who purchased TV advertising and said it didn't work. When I inquire for more details, I find a salesperson convinced the business to buy low-cost spots running in the middle of the night.

That's why I say, if not used effectively, TV can be way too expensive for the level of exposure it gives a small business. Money spent on poorly placed commercials could be better spent on other types of very-targeted marketing.

I'm not saying to avoid TV Advertising. I've used TV marketing with great results. I am emphasizing the importance of doing your homework and being careful about any TV Advertising you buy. Here are some basic tips you should know:

Understand What You're Buying

• Even if you're fortunate to find a media salesperson you can depend on for advice, you must still take some responsibility yourself. Because of TV's expense, it's critical that you understand the basics of what you're buying. The cost of placing a TV ad depends on the type of station, the time of day the ad airs, the type of programming your ad runs in, the frequency of your ad and the number of people you're reaching. As I've noted in other sections of this site, I've not focused a great deal on buying media. I would suggest the book Advertising Media Planning to learn more about media terminology and buying. You can purchase it through Amazon.com.
• Here are a few general guidelines. TV commercials are typically purchased in 15, 30 or 60-second increments. As a small business, you would be better to use 30-second commercials and run them more often. Running a TV spot one or two times a week isn't likely to generate any response. Shoot for a minimum of 5 spots a week on one station.

Buy Your TV Advertising

• If you used an outside media buyer, that person would receive a percentage of what you pay the TV station. When buying media yourself, be sure to ask for an "in-house agency" discount. That means your cost is discounted the amount a media buyer would have received for placing the same ads.
• Think about what you're wanting to accomplish. Use the marketing plan section of this site to determine your target audience. It isn't as easy to target customers through TV as it is through direct mail. Since your control of who is watching is so limited, it's important to do all you can to pick the right audience. Share your demographic information with the TV station to make sure you're choosing the right programming.
• Consider this fact. The average household now has access to 104 TV stations, but only watches about 15 of them. Your challenge is to figure out which of those 15 stations your target customers watch. An easy way to do this is to ask your customers in a survey. If you don't take the time to do this, your ad will most likely get lost in the shuffle.
• With that said, I only recommend buying time on programs that target your specific audience. This holds true for cable as well as network television. Let's say you own a landscaping business. Look into cable programs, such as HGTV, or network programs targeting homeowners. Don't just buy these programs because the "fit" is there. Do your homework to ensure the cost and viewership make it a good media buy.

Produce Your TV Advertising

• Producing a TV commercial presents challenges for a small business owner. A really decent commercial is expensive to produce. If you don't make the investment, your spots may appear "homegrown" and lacking in quality. On the other hand, you don't want to spend more on producing your TV advertising than on actually running it.
• One lower-cost option is to produce your commercial at one of the TV stations you're dealing with. When working with someone to produce your commercial, provide plenty of guidance. Before anything, meet and discuss what you're envisioning. Be open to their suggestions too. Hopefully, the person shooting the commercial has the skill level to know the technical aspects, like best angles and lighting, so listen to what they have to say.
• Stay involved throughout the process of making your commercial. Make sure you're there on the day(s) it's shot and produced. Why? Because you more than anybody will care about the quality. After all, the commercial creates an image for your company. If the actors seem too stiff or unnatural, say something. If your spot appears "cheesy" or unprofessional, NOW is the time to speak up and ask for changes.
• If you want to include video of employees or customers in your ad to give it a local flair, by all means do it. To avoid the talking head syndrome, you may want to feature people acting, but use a voice-over (i.e. an announcer does all the speaking). An affordable alternative is to hire a professional photographer to take still photos of people. Use these for a slide show effect, with a professional announcer doing all of the talking.