Many business owners dread the process of implementing an advertising campaign. How much money will it cost this time? Will it be worth it? What will the return on investment be?

These are all valid questions, but the truth is that there is no easy answer. Like many other aspects of business growth and development, advertising is never a sure thing. It’s a process of testing and measuring results to find just the right mix of advertising right in any given business situation.

However, understanding advertising, what it is and how it works, will help every business make better decisions.

First, it’s essential to understand that advertising is simply one piece of the marketing pie. It doesn’t work alone but rather in conjunction with the overall efforts to communicate a company’s brand to its consumers.

Is it possible to have a marketing plan that does not include advertising? Perhaps, but most likely this plan will not be successful. Business cannot be grown on networking alone or blogging alone, for example. These marketing efforts, like many others, are long-term and take time to result in actual client conversions.

Advertising works more quickly, and when implemented correctly it can have a powerful impact and a fast ROI.

Advertising is typically something (paid or not paid) that is written to explain what you do and ask for business. It is most often a direct public promotion, usually paid for but not always, and it is designed to attract attention, increase customers, and turn a profit.

Direct advertising engages the consumer somewhere, whether through print, Internet, radio or television; it is like a commercial, so to speak that will attract clients and bring them through the doors.

There are two types of advertising to use, and both have an important role to play in business growth: branding ads and call to action ads. Both can be very effective when used properly in such media as newspapers, magazines and billboards.

A branding ad is an advertisement that simply spreads awareness about a given brand. A business card, for example, is most often a brand advertisement. It tells what the company is and spreads the word, but it does not prompt any further action to be taken. Brand ads can be very powerful, however…think a billboard with “Got Milk,” for example. Very effective.

A call to action ad provides more information. It tells who the company is and what it can do for its customers, and it has a call to action such as, “call us today for a free quote.” Initially the ad will get the attention of the public with a catchy title and graphics that address a problem the audience has. It persuades the readers with content that explains what the company can do for them and how the company can solve their problems. Then it ends with a call to action that prompts the audience to do something in return for some incentive reward.

Call to action advertising is the type of advertising that is most effective for small business. However, small business owners may want to consider consulting a professional to ensure that the ad copy does indeed serve this purpose. Most often when a small business owner supplies the ad, it is a brand ad that simply states the name of businesses and the services but nothing more.

One place not to use advertising is in social media. There are many other places on the Internet for advertising effectively, but people do not want to be sold to when they see posts on a business’s Facebook Page, for example. Social media is for engaging the audience and building relationships, much like networking; it is not a place to sell.

When you’re ready to start creating an advertising campaign and want to try it on your own, make sure to test small. Choose media that cater to your target market, and make sure that all the advertising you place is measurable so you can determine the return on investment. Once you find the right media and combine it with the right call to action ad, the results are powerful, indeed.