If you advertise in any way, the following information could show you

how to find and utilize untold advertising dollars you may not be

aware of.

 

In the mid 80’s I was an account executive for a radio station

located in Santa Rosa, California. During that time I became very

familiar with what is referred to as co-op advertising.

 

Co-op advertising is a great source of advertising dollars. And there

is so much of it available to people, yet most people know very

little, if anything, about co-op dollars.

 

Interestingly, I was one of the only reps at the station who made

sure my clients knew about this benefit. The reason was simple, there

was more work involved in getting my clients set up, and yet, there

was financial gain for both my client and myself by taking time to

help them stretch their marketing dollars.

 

Co-oping is where you put in money for advertising and the

manufacturer of a product you sell also puts in money. Often it is as

much as 50% of the campaign. It is a great way to stretch your

advertising campaign and to beef up your campaign.

 

Unfortunately, even though the money is available if conditions are

right, many people either aren’t aware of this or if they are

they think it’s too much work to meet the criteria. Granted, in some

cases it is, but often utilizing co-op money is a great way to stretch your

marketing budget.

 

There are many co-op-advertising opportunities available if you plan

to do advertising on the Internet. Not all are good investments

though. Check opportunities out very carefully before making a final

commitment.

 

Using co-op dollars is an excellent way to build a stronger

relationship with your retail suppliers and to generate a lot more

traffic in your store or on to your web site. If the overflow of

business is handled correctly you will increase your sales and

profits.

 

The great thing about using co-op dollars when you are dealing with

standard media is that your account rep can handle the paperwork for

you. Many retailers hesitate using the “hidden” dollars due

to feeling intimidated by the paperwork, the unknown.

 

Not only can the rep help you with the paperwork, they can also help

you to build the campaign. However, before you trust them completely,

find out what their experience is, what successful campaigns they

have spearheaded and get some references. Take the time to do some

research upfront to save money over the long run.

 

The reality is, if they are professionals in the truest sense of the

word, they will be more than willing to take much of the paperwork

burden off of you by handling it. After all, the more value an

account rep creates for their clients the greater chance for an

ongoing business.

 

Co-op dollars are not limited to retail businesses. Often, there are

hidden dollars for non-profits. There are city and state funds that

are set aside to help various organizations increase their visibility

and reach. 

 

One nice thing about using co-op dollars from a large manufacturer is

that brand names do attract customers to your business—that\'s why

you offer them. Advertising specific well known brands will increase your foot traffic. Harley Davidson has an amazing co-op program they offer to their retailers. It is a primary reason they have done so well. They encourage advertising based on specific guidelines.

 

It is to the advantage of an advertiser to utilize these dollars.

Manufacturers in virtually every industry want to help with

advertising costs. They are very aware that when you correctly

advertise their brand name product you will probably sell more of it,

thus increasing your orders.

 

The disadvantage of co-op advertising can be the restrictions set by

the manufacturer. Often, they have such rigid guidelines about how to

design the ad that you may lose all control of creative expression.

For example, their logo may have to be positioned in an exact

location in order for them to co-op the campaign.

 

If you are working with someone who claims to be an expert at

advertising and they know nothing about co-op dollars they are not

the expert they claim to be. Be aware.

 

Areas that you need to be educated on are program terms and

reimbursement schedules. In some cases it can take months to receive

reimbursement for a co-op campaign. In other cases, the company you

are cooping with will send the money directly to the media source. Be

sure to check this information out in order not to run into a cash

flow problem.

 

Advantages of co-op advertising

- Extra money to advertise

- Account executive can do the paperwork

- More frequency

 

Disadvantages of co-op advertising

- Restrictions by manufacturer

- No guarantee it will work

- Limited creativity in ad copy

 

Before making a final decision, research your options on co-op

advertising. You may be pleasantly surprised with what you discover.

 

Kathleen Gage is a business advisor, keynote speaker and trainer who

helps others gain marketing dominance and visibility within their

market. Get Gage’s FR*EE report “Learn How One Salt Lake City

Based Business Consultant Made Over 100k from One Idea” by visiting

www.kathleengage.com