If you’re a small business owner, you have probably done some marketing at some point. If you have a website, that’s a form of marketing. If you post on social media for your business, that’s a form of marketing. If you’ve ever passed out flyers, that’s a form of marketing. If you’ve ever hosted a seminar, that’s a form of marketing.
However, none of the practices mentioned above fit the definition of advertising. Contrary to popular belief, marketing and advertising are not interchangeable terms. Like building a website or posting on social media or passing out flyers or hosting a seminar, advertising is a form of marketing, but it isn’t equivalent to marketing. Advertising is defined as a business practice where a company pays to place its messaging or branding in a particular location whether that be through Out-of-Home (billboards, transit ads, supermarket ads), TV, radio, print, or online.
Too many small business owners make the mistake of treating all aspects of their marketing plan the same. They’ll use the same person to handle all of their marketing efforts without recognizing that different aspects of marketing require different skills and different areas of expertise. If advertising is a part of your marketing plan, you understand that it’s the most expensive component. Therefore, you will need someone with specific expertise in advertising, not just general expertise in marketing, to ensure that your ad dollars are put to the best use.
At JS Media, advertising is our area of expertise. Our founder, Jeremy Sulit, majored in advertising at Syracuse University and held multiple jobs in advertising prior to starting JS Media in early 2018. We founded JS Media under the principle that small and mid-sized businesses should have access to the same advertising expertise as their larger counterparts, and we have helped nearly 60 clients find the right advertising solutions for them.
