For a small agency, we’re pretty mighty. There isn’t much we can’t do, but for those areas outside of our expertise, we’ve found great people to work with. One of these professionals is Mike Chornopesky, an independent media consultant who runs Canmedia Planning & Buying.
We love working with Mike because he’s media neutral. His approach is based on our client’s goals and finding the best medium for their audience, rather than what’s trending. And Mike accommodates all budgets, unlike other media buyers, who impose minimums.
We chatted with him recently and came up with this great list of 5 reasons we think his services are a powerful value-add for our clients.
#1. Find the best media for your campaign.
A professional media manager takes the guesswork out of media selection and the stress out of managing the media buy.
“I help advertisers early in the process by recommending the best media mix for their objectives and budget,” Mike says. “And I help them with implementation by tracking down the right media suppliers, negotiating the best rates, and generally making sure that everything happens. Once the buys are in place, I also make sure that the media are delivering what they promised.”
“My clients have much greater confidence in their media plans because they understand the pros and cons of the available options, allowing them to make informed decisions. Clients like knowing that their media budgets are being invested efficiently. And, of course, hiring a pro means their time is freed up to deal with the demands of their real job.”
“Some say mobile and video are the places to be now and this may be the case for brands who can target their message effectively in those formats. But no single medium is right for all advertisers. The smart money always seeks out the media that works best for the job at hand, regardless of the trends. For some advertisers, that might be mobile video and for others it might be billboards or even direct mail.”
#2. An expert brings focus and dedication to the media process.
When it comes to helping clients who need a media buy, we choose to fill in our knowledge gaps by working with pros who have a similar attitude to client service. One of the big bonuses of working with Mike is that our clients only have to pay for the services they need.
“I’m always available and focused on my clients’ needs. Unlike large media buying companies who might use junior buyers, only experienced buyers work directly on our campaigns. And unlike many independent media planners, this is my full-time job and has been for 16 years, so I have a vital interest in the success of our campaigns.”
#3. Gain insights on what’s trending.
“Programmatic buying” and “hylomo (hyper local mobile) ads” are buzzwords we’re hearing everywhere. We want to know what type of buy is best for each campaign.
“Programmatic buying is well on its way to dominating in the digital space,” Mike says, “driving down the costs of impressions and clickthroughs. Retailers and savvy national advertisers will increasingly use hyper-localized digital buys, especially on mobile. This is here now and if it’s right for your business, use it!”
“Native Advertising [advertising that’s designed to not look like advertising] continues to gain traction online despite confusion over what it really is. It seems to work best when customized to very specific media vehicles.”
What about social media?
“Most of us are spending more time on social media than ever before,” Mike says, “and most social media platforms now sell paid advertising of one form or another. But that doesn’t mean that you must be on social media. A professional media planner can help you decide which social media sites make sense for you.”
“Despite the trends in digital ad buying, don’t overlook the basics. For many advertisers, especially those with small budgets, Search Engine Marketing can be the most cost efficient and effective way to zero in on people with specific interests and needs.”
#4. How do you know if your campaign is working?
Are clickthroughs still important?
“Clickthrough rates, after years of steady decline, seem to have levelled off recently to somewhere around 0.1%. That may seem like good news but that means that only one person in 1,000 actually clicks on an ad. So, instead, why not think of digital as an ‘awareness medium’ instead of strictly a ‘response medium’? This could change the way you design your ads and make better use of 99.9% of impressions you’re paying for.”
In terms of response tracking, Mike suggests that advertisers should go beyond clickthroughs. “What are people doing at your website after they clickthrough? Even if you’re not selling anything online, you can track actions like requests for information, downloading a whitepaper, or signing up for a newsletter. Any of those measures are more meaningful than a clickthrough.”
“Even with traditional media, an experienced media planner can help you determine which media are working best and use that knowledge to make the next campaign even better.”
#5. A pro can work with any size budget.
Not every company has buckets of cash to work with, but Mike has always been able to assist regardless of the size of the budget.
“Companies start out small before they get big,” Mike says. “The same goes for ad budgets. I recommend my clients pick a media budget they can afford, then we can discuss whether it’s sufficient to achieve their goals and I can provide viable options. Realistically, your first campaign is a test: If it moves the needle for you, be prepared to spend more.”
“Be patient. Any amount of money, if properly deployed, should benefit your business but your results will be proportionate to your budget. It’s not enough just to show up. No matter how brilliant the media plan, it’s still the creative message that motivates people. If you’re missing a compelling message or call to action, your campaign will likely fail. But if you have a strong product or service offering, a creative agency like DNA can help you develop ads that sell.”
Give us a call and let us come up with the perfect media buy for you!
Posted by: Maria