How to Market Your Product on TV

People won’t buy your product if they don’t know about it. Television advertising is a great way to inform potential customers about what you have to offer. According to the Television Bureau of Advertising, TV reaches nearly 90 percent of adults on an average day, and TV commercials influenced more consumers in their buying decisions than any other advertising medium. There are many television channels for advertisers to consider and a variety of services, and technologies can put the power of TV advertising within reach of even the smallest of businesses.

Determine who wants to buy your product. Every product has a customer, and a key aspect of television marketing is knowing who that customer is. If you are unsure, conduct some basic market research. Use customer surveys, focus groups and interviews to find out more about the demographics of your customers and their needs. Test and sample your product using these results.

Decide the scope of your product sales. Consider whether you are selling your product locally, regionally or nationally. This will help you decide where to place your ads.

Determine which TV channels best serve your target demographic. Watching some of the programming should give you an idea. Pay attention to what ads those networks run and see if those products are similar to yours or if they would be appealing to your target customers. Some websites also track TV network viewer demographics. TV networks will often share that data to attract advertisers.

Talk with an advertising representative. Depending upon your marketing plan, that could be a representative of the TV network, a pay-TV service (such as a cable or satellite TV provider) or a third-party firm. A good place to start is the Television Bureau of Advertising, a not-for-profit association that represents many members of the TV advertising industry and provides information about how to place TV ads. Google AdWords is another service offering low-cost TV advertising.

Create the ad. Local or regional firms can film a TV commercial for you. Costs will vary. If you need to shoot on location or use actors, that could increase the costs. Additionally, some online services such as SpotMixer offer budget video production.

Monitor results. If you fail to notice any increase in sales after advertising, your commercial might not be working. The ad might not be reaching the target demographic because it's running on the wrong networks or at the wrong times. The ad might also fail if it doesn't properly educate the customer on what your product is or how it works. Consider making changes if necessary.

Tip

Negotiate when purchasing advertising time. Like most things, ads are cheaper if bought in bulk. Consider setting up a multiple-week schedule to save on rates. Sometimes advertising representatives will offer cheaper rates if you pay up front.

Warning

Have the budget for a robust TV advertising campaign. If your ad runs are too limited or the quality of your ad is poor, consider cheaper options such as radio, newspapers or online ads.