TV Advertising Done Right for Small Business

BOSTON (TheStreet) -- At a time when LCD screens compete for our attention, television isn't the king it used to be.

A total of 62% of advertisers say TV advertising isn't as effective as it used to be, according to a recent report by the Association of National Advertisers and

Forrester Research

(FORR) - Get Report

, which surveyed 104 executives from companies such as

Cisco

(CSCO) - Get Report

,

GlaxoSmithKline

(GSK) - Get Report

and

Clorox

(CLX) - Get Report

. Last year, advertisers spent 41% of their media-advertising budgets to television, down from 58% in 2008, according to the report.

"TV still has a very important role to play," says David Cooperstein, a research director at Forrester, who wrote the study. But in the swamped media landscape, companies, especially small businesses with small budgets, need to think beyond the standard 30-second TV advertisement. Here are a few ways businesses can take advantage of TV without breaking the bank.

1. Go with cable TV.

Small businesses may think they're cutting corners by advertising on a local cable channel rather than on a major network. But they're marketing wisely. Small businesses are likely to specialize in a specific product. And if a business sells nothing but garden trowels, choosing to advertise on

Home and Garden Television

makes more sense than the

NBC Nightly News

.

According to the survey, 78% of big-business respondents said they would be interested in targeting consumers more precisely, by demographics, ZIP code or purchase behavior, and 59% would be willing to pay a premium for it.

2. Keep it short.

A total of 52% of respondents disagreed that ads should be 10 seconds or shorter. But small businesses can save money by buying shorter time slots, while still garnering sales.

"When I do my advertising, I key in on one specific item," says Dave Ratner, owner of

Dave's Soda and Pet City

, a chain of pet supply (and soda) stores in Massachusetts. "I like to focus in and try to solve a customer problem: Does your dog have gas? Are your plants dying? It's not about 'we give great customer service,' because every company is going to claim that. The purpose of the ad is you want people to remember you. You don't need a 30-second ad." His business sells "gazillions" of cans of food for gassy dogs based on a 10-second ad, he says.

3. Know your personal limits.

As we all know from local furniture and car dealership commercials, not every entrepreneur has charisma. "Do not do an ad yourself unless you have the personality and you're good enough to do it yourself, because otherwise you will bring shame on your family," Ratner says. "That's why God made radio and TV announcers."

4. Get a show.

Especially if a business is targeting a specific geographic market, it might make sense for a business owner to host a local cable-TV show. Most cable-access stations offer show slots for free, and they're likely to welcome any host who isn't ranting about politics or talking to puppets.

Entrepreneurs should note that most cable-access stations prohibit advertising on the air, but there's nothing wrong with establishing oneself as a subject expert. The owner of a technology consultancy can offer Wi-Fi advice without specifically plugging his business. (Small-business owners who want to cast a wider net on the cheap can post an educational video on

YouTube

.) The same rule applies to appearing on a talk show -- and being asked to appear again. "The people who might book you for the local talk shows have to be confident that you're not going to pitch your business," Ratner says. "Low-key is the operative word."

-- Reported by Carmen Nobel in Boston.