Advertising Campaign Planning Checklist

Use this checklist to make sure you have covered all aspects of your advertising (marketing) campaign from planning to execution.  30 factors are identified and you can check them off when the tasks are completed.

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1. Have you defined your advertising/campaign objectives? What are they?
2. What do you want to communicate to your prospect or customer?
3. Have you developed the offer strategy for your advertisement/campaign? What is it that you plan to advertise?
4. Have you done your basic research and gathered all the facts on your product or service and the competition?
5. Have you decided who the consumer or trade target is for the advertisement/campaign? Who are they?
6. Have you identified the specific geographic and demographic segments of the target markets? What are they?
7. Have you determined what action you want the consumer or trade target to do in response to your advertising? What action do you want the audience to take? Attract new customers? Build brand awareness? Enhance your image? Sell more products? Etc.
8. Have you developed your advertising strategies and confirmed that they meet business, sales and marketing objectives?
9. Have you have developed your advertising tactics to support your strategies?
10. Have you determined the best media mix for the advertising campaign? What types of media will be included?
11. Have you developed your media and circulation plan for the advertisement/campaign? What are the lead times for the various media selected for the advertisement/campaign? Have you developed your advertising calendar?
12. Have you developed your budget for the advertising campaign? What is the anticipated budget?
13. Is the budget firmly set?
14. Are there any unanticipated costs that could affect the overall, creative, or media, etc. budgets?
15. Have you checked with your vendors and asked them about cooperative advertising programs? Which of your vendors will be willing to provide coop for this advertisement/campaign?
16. What amount of coop will the participating vendors be contributing towards the advertisement/campaign? What are their requirements for providing such cooperative advertising funds?
17. Have you have determined what action you want to consumer or trade target to take in response to your campaign/advertisement?
18. Have you determined how you will measure the success of your advertisement/campaign? Leads, calls, revenue, etc.?
19. Have you made sure that all employees are informed of the advertising/campaign and your goals?
20. Does your advertisement/campaign present a central idea or theme? What is it?
21. Is the advertising theme consistent across all channels?
22. Does your message have a call-to-action?
23. Have you told prospects and customers how and where to respond?
24. Have you selected an advertising/creative agency to produce your advertisement/campaign? Or will your advertisement be produced in-house or by freelance resources?
25. Have you made sure that you advertising message is clear and concise? Does the copy clearly convey the message?
26. Have you made sure that the creative supports the advertising message?
27. Have you made sure that your advertisement/campaign is consistent with your business and brand image?
28. Are you maintaining files on all aspects of the advertisement/campaign? Are these files located centrally so that all members of your team have access to them?
29. What variables such as weather, competitors, etc., had an impact on the results of your advertisement/campaign?
30. How did the audience respond to the advertisement/campaign?