Take advantage of co-op advertising dollars

As a struggling account rep with a limited account list I stumbled upon a book in the sales office that showed the co-op advertising available to small businesses. I found major companies willing to give small advertisers up to 50% of their radio advertising costs if they included the company’s message in their local ads.

I soon realized that co-op advertising is a great source of "found" dollars. And there is so much of it available to business owners. Unfortunately, most businesses do not know about it.

Utilizing co-op money is a great way for many businesses to stretch their marketing budget. For example, The Daniel Island News sales representative, Sara Powell, urges and educates the paper’s advertisers to look into co-op advertising revenue that might be available to them. As the former Vice-President of Media and Co-op advertising for Warner Bros. Pictures in Los Angeles, Powell knows the importance of co-op, is quick to suggest it to advertisers, and capable of guiding them through the process.

And now with the internet there are many co-op-advertising opportunities available for businesses planning to do advertising online. Plus if a business co-ops with the right websites, that business can improve its chances of being found by the search engines.

Using co-op dollars is an excellent way for businesses to build a stronger relationship with their suppliers, and in many cases a business may have a reserve built up that they do not even know about, and it’s as easy as asking. The right co-op ad campaign can generate a lot more traffic to businesses and to websites at a minimum cost.

Although many retailers hesitate using the "hidden" dollars due to feeling intimidated by the paperwork, the unknown, they may be surprised at how much money is actually available.

Not only can the sales rep help advertisers with the paperwork; they can also help build the campaign. After all, the more value an account rep creates for her clients the greater chance for an ongoing business to succeed.

Co-op dollars are not limited to retail businesses. Often, there are hidden dollars for non-profits, doctors, dentists, eye care specialist and more. There are city and state funds that are set aside to help various organizations increase their visibility and reach.

Check out this website to get an idea of how a basic coop program works:

http://www.goldwellusa.com/coop/adrequirements.asp

It is to the advantage of an advertiser to utilize these dollars. Manufacturers in virtually every industry want to help with advertising costs. They are very aware that when you correctly advertise their brand name product you will probably sell more of it, thus increasing your orders.

Before making a final decision, research your options on co-op advertising. You may be pleasantly surprised with what you discover.