Improve your advertising plan

To arrive at a good advertising plan, consider these three factors:

1) Audience: Choose the places where your target group is likely to view your ad. For example, a sponsorship notice on a tightly focused mailing list discussion may be more effective at reaching your audience than a Web page buried inside an online shopping mall.

2) Reach: To reach a fairly broad group of prospects, you'll want to cast your net as wide as possible. Look for directory listings, links on other Web sites, classified ads, and cooperative marketing arrangement with other companies.

3) Cost: Diversify. Choose a handful of different ad locations and compare the results. When you find which ones work best you can weed out the nonperforming ad locations and focus on the successful ones.