TELEVISION ADVERTISING
1. How much does it cost?
You have two basic costs.
Television airtime costs which are paid to the television stations and cable companies where you place your commercials. This will vary by market size. In Austin Texas, with about 575,000 television households, a local thirty second 10pm news spot costs about $800. A local spot in primetime on cable networks like FoxNews, CNN or TNT averages about $100. Niche cable networks that can be very effective such as The Food Channel and HGTV can cost as little as $30 per spot in a market the size of Austin. The best way to manage your airtime costs is to consult a professional advertising agency or buyer.
The cost for producing your television commercials.
This varies widely based on your script. The lavish national spots you see on prime-time network television and sporting events can cost $100,000 to $1 million with the paid talent and special effects that they use. Probably for your purposes the cost for a professionally produced local television commercial will range from $1,000 up to about $10,000.
2. How much should we budget for television?
This also varies based on the location of your market, your industry and your competitor's budget. Frink Inc. Advertising can help you determine what you budget you should consider to be successful.
3. How do I know if television advertising will be effective for my business?
If your competitors have been on television consistently over at least a year or so, that's a good indicator that television can work for you. If your products and services are routinely purchased in a wide retail market such as restaurants, furniture stores or consumer electronics, your business should probably consider television advertising. Attorneys, chiropractors, real estate agencies and trade schools are among the professional services that have been successful on television.
4. What channels should my business advertise on?
You should place your commercials on stations that best target the demographic of your prospects and customers. Individual stations have demographics that they serve best. Some stations do best in reaching 18-34 age groups with moderate incomes. Others are best for reaching a 35+ age group with higher incomes. Cable networks serve several niche audiences in terms of income lifestyles and interests. Television station sales reps will make a case for their station no matter what demographic you tell them you want to reach. We recommend that you seek the advice of an independent professional advertising person or agency to help you make these decisions. We advise you not to rely on the advice of station sales reps.
5. What should our commercial say and how do we say it?
Your commercial should communicate your company's "unique selling proposition (USP)". We collaborate with our clients to develop a message that communicates their USP with a branding position within their competitive marketplace.
