Like all marketing tactics, an advertising campaign should not be viewed as an independent effort, but rather as one piece of an integrated marketing program. The first, yet most obvious step in creating any advertising campaign is to consider why are you advertising. Are you trying to position yourself to build name recognition or to sell a particular service? Your answer will help you decide how the campaign should be designed and the best mix of media buys.
Some professionals fall into the trap of selecting creative campaigns that are more concerned with winning advertising awards than they are with piquing the interests and actions of a specific market niche. Some service firms also like to see their ads run in media outlets they perceive as prestigious rather than those that really influence their customer base. In some instances, well-known national media outlets are not the best sources for professional advertisers; trade publications might be a better route. The reverse might be true if a professional is likely to get direct business from the general public, or is more interested in building general name recognition rather than specific business.