'Rx for Advertising' is sound advice
Business Examiner
"One of the main reasons some people don't believe in advertising is that they didn't ever provide enough money to do the job in the first place."
If there can be one central message culled from Rx for Advertising, it is that there are no shortcuts to advertising your business. "Somewhere along the line," writes author Edmond Bruneau, "some people left out advertising as a legitimate cost of doing business. It's no different than the high cost of materials, rent, or labor."
And a short-sighted businessman who reasons he can take more of a profit out of his business by slashing its advertising budget won't be making a profit for much longer.
Bruneau, a Spokane-based ad copywriter, by no means intended Rx for Advertising as a "how-to" book for prospective advertisers. It's not a textbook telling you how to prepare a great ad for your business. Instead, Bruneau recognizes that most businesspeople have neither the time nor the skill to prepare a suitable advertisement and concentrates on explaining the dos and don'ts of having a great ad prepared for you.
Again, Bruneau stresses there is no substitute for quality. "It doesn't make sense to buy time or space for writes. Eighty percent of advertising, he points out, is never even noticed. But that's in your favor if you're willing to accept the fact and develop an ad that's creative enough to be among the 20 percent that is.
If you're not going to produce a quality ad - one that will be noticed - there's not much point in advertising in the first place, he feels. And if you're not going to promote your product, you might as well not even be in business.
So where does one find a great advertisement? Logically, at an ad agency. Bruneau hammers away in every chapter the need to find good, creative advertising help outside of your firm. If it's print advertising you want, look to an ad agency. If it's radio or television, find a competent production company. If you want a release written, hire a freelance copy writer.
His points are well-taken. You may have talented, creative people on your own staff, but then again, if you do, "Why aren't (they) working where they could be making double the money in an advertising agency?" Bruneau wonders. "Perhaps they're younger. Less experienced. Or less capable."
And your business is too important to place its future in the hands of inexperienced amateurs.
Bruneau's book wasn't written for advertising people. It was written for businesspeople. Concise and easy to read, it isn't cluttered up. Bruneau seems genuinely less interested in impressing the reader with how much he already knows about advertising than he is in showing every businessperson what he or she must know about it to survive in business.
Rx for Advertising includes 30 brief chapters, explaining such nuances as How to Pay Your Agency; How to Work with an Artist; How to Buy Print Advertising; Specialty Advertising; How to Buy Effective Radio; Creating an Unconventional Convention Display; and, How to Write a Press Release.
The book touches on every form of promotion from outdoor signage and designing a logo to direct mail, ball-point pens, and matchbook covers. In every instance, Bruneau strongly urges the businessman to consult professionals and do the job right rather than wasting time and money with a half-baked effort.
Advertising, while absolutely necessary to a business, is nonetheless an expensive proposition, Bruneau concedes. But the book does offer a wealth of tips for getting the most for your money.
A sampling: Be tactful with art directors. "If you see something you don't like, don't say "This is terrible. I hate it...even is that's how you feel. You'll lose your artist's enthusiasm."
Grade your agency on an on-going basis. "By using an (evaluation) form, you can keep your agency on track and working the way you want for you."
When working with a photographer, always retain the complete rights to the photo, rather than paying for one-time usage. "A good trick is to get hold of one of those 'I have the rights' photographer contracts and used the same language for your contract ownership instead."
Above all, Bruneau notes, businesspeople need to consider advertising a long-term investment, like building a new facility or buying stock. In the beginning, it may not seem to pay big dividends, but over the long haul - if you invest wisely - it works.
Without it, there's not much chance you'll be around to see the long haul.