How to write a Media Plan

Taken from Wikipedia

Components of a media plan

• Define the marketing problem. Where is the business coming from and where is the potential for increased business? Does the ad need to reach everybody or only a select group of consumers? How often is the product used? How much product loyalty exists?

• Translate the marketing requirements into media objectives. Must the ad reach people in a wide area? Then mass media, like newspaper and radio, might work. If the target market is a select group in a defined geographic area, then direct mail could be best.

• Define a media solution by formulating media strategies. For example, the rule of thumb is that a print ad must run three times before it gets noticed. Radio advertising is most effective when run at certain times of the day or around certain programs, depending on what market is being reached.

Advertising media includes

• Television ( TVC, television commercial)
• Radio
• Newspapers
• Magazines (consumer and trade)
• Outdoor billboards
• Public transportation
• Yellow Pages
• Direct mail (DM)
• Digital advertising (such as web-based, mobile and mobile applications)
• Search Engine Marketing (SEM, keyword marketing in search engines)
• Specialty advertising (on items such as matchbooks, pencils, calendars, telephone pads, shopping bags and so on)
• Other media (catalogs, samples, handouts, brochures, newsletters and so on)

Factors to consider when comparing various advertising media

• Reach - expressed as a percentage, reach is the number of individuals (or homes) to expose the product to through media scheduled over a period of time.
• Frequency - using specific media, how many times, on average, should the individuals in the target audience be exposed to the advertising message? It takes an average of three or more exposures to an advertising message before consumers take action.
• Cost per thousand - How much will it cost to reach a thousand prospective customers (a method used in comparing print media)? To determine a publication's cost per thousand, also known as CPM, divide the cost of the advertising by the publication's circulation in thousands.
• Cost per point - how much will it cost to buy one rating point the your target audience, a method used in comparing broadcast media. One rating point equals 1 percent of the target audience. Divide the cost of the schedule being considered by the number of rating points it delivers.
• Impact - does the medium in question offer full opportunities for appealing to the appropriate senses, such as sight and hearing, in its graphic design and production quality?
• Selectivity - to what degree can the message be restricted to those people who are known to be the most logical prospects?

How is a media plan developed? Media planning is a four-step process which consists of 1) setting media objectives in light of marketing and advertising objectives, 2) developing a media strategy for implementing media objectives, 3) designing media tactics for realizing media strategy, and 4) proposing procedures for evaluating the effectiveness of the media plan.