Strategic Marketing and Communications for Change

ZA Group (Pty) Ltd
Bryanston, Johannesburg
Phone 0860 92 0000
International calls
+27 11 706 1685
info@zagroup.co.za

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As you are planning your media mix, bear the following in mind:
  • Single-method marketing rarely works. In other words, a press ad or an email campaign or flyers distributed on a street corner — on their own — will not produce the desired result. In combination, however, all of them will work.
  • Single-effort marketing rarely works. Repetition does. Research shows that it takes between three to seven exposures to an idea before people are convinced enough to take action.
Strategic Marketing Plan
A free e-letter on marketing, advertising, sales, design, tools and technology.

"Advertising is the principal reason why the business man has come to inherit the earth."
— James Randolph Adams

So many options to choose from:
Traditional media … magazines, newspapers, radio, television, trade shows, events, billboards, telemarketing, direct mail, directory listings …

And then there is the new media … websites, online advertising, web-listings, email, e-newsletters, digital magazines, blogs, RSS feeds, mobile advertising, social media like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and more …

We will help you achieve your business objectives by recommending the best possible mix of various media platforms — within the parameters of your budget, of course — to address your target audiences to maximum effect.

Our aim? To get you noticed, to generate leads and sales and to give you the best possible return on your investment.

"There is more money wasted in advertising by underspending than by overspending. Years ago someone said that underspending in advertising is like buying a ticket halfway to Europe. You´ve spent your money, but you never get there."
— Morris Hite

Most advertising agencies concentrate on "above-the-line" media placements such as television, print media, radio and outdoor advertising. The reason for this focus is that "above-the-line" advertising placements earn recurring commission. "Below-the-line" advertising, like in-store promotions, direct mail, digital media and other emerging communications channels traditionally receive less attention, partly because there is little or no commission to be earned.

In order to remain competitive, businesses need to engage in a broad range of above and below the line advertising, utilising various types of conventional as well as new media. It is worth knowing that results from traditional above the line media — newspapers, magazines, radio and television — are diminishing the world over. This kind of advertising is also the most expensive and the least measurable, unless specific special promotions are being advertised. Results from new media are measurable and relatively inexpensive and can be obtained even on a small budget.

ZA Group offers a holistic, integrated approach to Media planning that includes:

  • Identification of targeted audiences.
  • Selection of the exact media vehicles to be used to advertise and promote your product or service.
  • Information about the chosen media´s editorial focus, readership, circulation, demographics, etc.
  • An integrated media strategy, including conventional and new media.
  • Media liaison and negotiations for a mix of paid advertising, free publicity such as articles and press releases, and special promotions such as competitions and give-aways — to achieve the best possible rates for your advertising and media exposure.
  • A flexible media plan that includes an advertising / promotional calendar, frequency schedules, time slots and duration, deadlines, media rates, creative costs and a very useful budgeting tool.
  • Media placement, including keeping track of deadlines, technical requirements and the monitoring of actual placement.

Allied services include:

  • Publicity and editorial services — such as the writing of articles and press releases.
  • Creative services — from conceptual development to writing to graphic design to final delivery of material that adheres to each medium´s specific technical requirements — take a look at our portfolio at www.zamarketing.co.za/portfolio

Notes:

  • Media planning usually commences after the completion of a strategic marketing plan, though the exercise can be done in isolation — depending on how well known your industry and product or service offering is.
  • Though we make recommendations, you — the client — ultimately decides where, when and at what cost to advertise.
  • Of course, while we are old hands at traditional media, we are not specialists in every aspect of every new technology and medium. We have, however, scoured the market and formed strategic alliances with some of the best SEO, digital, mobile and social media experts in the industry, to bring you the cutting edge of new technology to reach your audiences.
Would you like to talk with someone about a holistic media plan for your business?

Give us a call on 0860 92 0000 or leave your details, below, and someone from the ZA Team will be in contact with you within the next two business days.


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ZA Group was founded with a firm commitment to making a significant, positive contribution to the economic and social wellbeing of all South Africans. We harness the power of communication to empower people and institutions to grow their businesses, generate employment and create wealth for themselves and their communities.

ZA Group (Pty) Ltd | Phone 0860 92 0000 | International calls +27 11 706 1685 | info@zagroup.co.za
Postnet Suite 84, Private Bag X75, Bryanston 2021, South Africa
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Marketing encompasses many things. Essentially, though, it has to do with two things:

• The formulation of a message.
• Delivery of that message.

Media planning has to do with the delivery of the message. Here are some questions to consider in deciding what methods to use to deliver your message to the widest possible audience:

  1. Clearly, you need to know whom you are talking to, otherwise, how could you deliver — leave alone formulate — a message to them?
  2. If you are addressing multiple audiences, which of them represents the most lucrative market with the most potential for increased business?
  3. Does this potential audience need what you have to offer or will you first have to educate and inform them?
  4. If they need what you have to offer, where are they most likely to look for information about it? I.e. would they look in the Yellow Pages or would they Google it?
  5. If they don’t need or don’t know that they need what you have to offer, how best can you get information in front of them? Magazine advertising or outdoor media.
  6. If they are already using another solution to their problem — i.e. a competitor or doing it themselves — what can you do to convince them to switch to what you have to offer? (Come and do our advertising workshop if you don’t know the answer to this one.)
  7. Do you need to reach a large, nationwide audience or only a small group of potential consumers in a defined geographic region? National media will be fine for a large audience, but regional outdoor media or a precisely targeted direct mail campaign will be far more effective for a smaller, regional audience.
  8. How often would your audience buy your product or service?
  9. What do you hope to achieve with your advertising? Do you want to build a database of potential customers or do you want to create brand awareness or do you want to generate immediate sales?
  10. What is your available budget to get the message to
    your potential target audiences?
Strategic Marketing and Communications for Change