a single source, nothing corroborates it

Rank the channels by how fast you can measure

Nobody can predict which advertising channels will work for them: one founder ran roughly a hundred campaigns across paid search, print, trade shows, postcards and newsletter sponsorships and concluded he had no ability to pick winners in advance. So stop deliberating and rank candidates on measurability first, then on which one answers fastest, because quick answers get you to a working model sooner. Offline can be measured too, through contests, special offers or unlisted landing pages.

The method

1. 01

   Rank candidate advertising channels by measurability first: you need objective proof that what the campaign returns is worth more than what it costs.

2. 02

   After measurability, prefer whichever channel will tell you fastest whether it worked, because quick learning gets you to a working ad model sooner.

3. 03

   You cannot predict which advertising channels will work for you, so stop deliberating, put accurate measurement in place and run trials.

What it returned

• Online is usually easier to measure, though offline can be tracked too via contests, special offers or unlisted landing pages.

• At Smart Bear he ran roughly a hundred campaigns spanning paid search, print magazine ads, trade shows, postcard mail and newsletter sponsorships, and concluded he had no ability to pick winners in advance.

Sources

• How do I know where to advertise?Jason Cohen · longform.asmartbear.com · How do I know where to advertise? · 2012-06-05