Advertising
Media
Television and radio advertising can reach large numbers of people across all age groups.
TV advertising is expensive and depends on the frequency of broadcast, length and the time of day.
A primetime slot (7-9pm) will be much more expensive than one in the middle of the night.
Radio advertisements are much cheaper to produce because they do not involve visuals like filming or animation.
They can be targeted to different age groups who listen to various radio stations. Smaller, local businesses often advertise on radio.
Newspapers
This is a traditional method of advertising. Large companies advertise in national newspapers covering the whole country, while smaller local businesses will advertise in local newspapers.
This is a relatively cheap method of advertising and cost is determined by the size of the ad, whether colour is used and the position in the paper.
A front page ad is more expensive as it has more impact. Some newspapers will have advertising supplements that are included in weekend issues.
Magazines
The cost of using magazines is similar to newspapers but has the advantage of a longer ‘shelf life’ as magazines are usually weekly or monthly and are not thrown out daily like a newspaper.
Different businesses may advertise in a range of magazines to reach their target audience.
A bed and breakfast in the country may place an advertisement in a fishing magazine to attract customers who are interested in fishing, while a hotel with a spa may advertise in a glossy woman’s magazine.
Social media
With the increased use of smart phones, social media has become a massive advertising tool.
After posting, information can reach the audience within seconds and can be updated quickly so it is always current.
Followers can easily access adverts, special offers and promotions from their phone. Social media has the potential to reach thousands of people and can be free or very cheap to produce.
Online
Online advertising has become a valuable tool as internet access and speeds have improved.
Ads can be placed at the side of the screen or alongside information accessed through a search engine.
Advertising agencies can be hired to design eye catching adverts but this can be expensive.
Businesses can pay for a service called Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) which improves where their information appears in search engine results.
However, it may be too expensive for smaller independent outlets to pay for this.
Most businesses will have their own website. It is very important to keep the website up to date as outdated information could have a negative effect on the business.
This can be difficult in smaller businesses as staff may not have the time or the expertise to do it.
Sponsorship
Sponsorship involves hospitality businesses contributing all or part of the cost of an event.
If it is a sporting event this will include the kit with the company logo and signs around the venue saying 'sponsored by' or 'supported by'.
All methods of marketing the event will include the name of the sponsor, so the business can access a wide range of potential customers.
Other methods of advertising
Other advertising opportunities include posters on buses, in train stations, on escalators, at the cinema, direct mail drops within a local area and posting flyers or letters to customers offering special rates.
