Which methods of advertising do you find most effective? (Facebook, Instagram, Magazines, postcards, word of mouth, etc.)?

While word of mouth is not actually marketing (you might like this explanation of why:  http://www.tabletmarketingacademy.com/207-2/ ) you have listed all media, or delivery methods.

It's not the delivery method that is most effective. It's how well the message is received by your ideal clients/customers.

Here's an analogy. If you were having a pizza delivered, would you judge the pizza based on whether it was delivered by taxi, Uber, bicycle, or someone on foot? Of course not. If they brought the wrong pizza, it doesn't matter how it was delivered. And if they delivered a pizza intended for someone else, it wouldn't matter how it was delivered.

Advertising is the same thing. It's not the delivery vehicle, which we call media (FB, Instagram, magazines, postcards, etc), but the message (pizza?) it delivers.

If the message is wrong, no media works.

If it is written for the wrong target market, no media works.

So choosing a delivery service (or media) doesn't affect how well your advertising works.

With 40+ years experience analyzing failed marketing, over 97% of the time, it's the message or the target audience, not the media.

You can quadruple your effectiveness, save a lot of money, heartache and frustration, with the smallest amount of research to determine your ideal client and the message they need to hear.

Hope that saves you a lot of wasted advertising dollars.

I totally agree with Mark.  I believe it's about "driving the familiar factor"...So that when a consumer is ready for your product or service they will remember you ! Direct mail works when it is combined with digital, and other traditional methods.  You can never "over-market".  Digital has become the most popular because it has definitive metrics to evaluate the advertising/marketing campaign.  Determine your target audience and then strategize on how to reach them with a compelling message and a call to action.  An up to date website that is user-friendly, fast and is mobile compatible is essential in today's technology driven world.  I hope this helps and makes sense.

Hello Kristine. The best method of advertising I find is effective, is Word of Mouth. Because it don't cost you anything and you can use your money to grow your business in other ways. The next is lead generation companies, because then can do the leg work of finding customer who are looking for professionals that do the type of work that you do. Also you spend more time do what you do then trying to get work. I find it's best to get your name on as many mode of advertisement that you can get on. Pretty soon you will be get contacted from all type of directions.

We do maintain a Facebook, Instagram and other social media presence. However the most effective "advertising" for us has been 

We have stopped all other advertising as nothing else has been effective. Times have changed. We used to do Radio, TV, Magazines and mailers. Its not worth it in our opinion.

Hi Kristine, being in your market, I am in Plainfield, I find that word of mouth is always the best long term return in the areas of advertising. I do a lot of work with local referrals, and that works most effectively for me and my line of work. I can't say whether mailers, postcards Facebook would be more or less effective for your product. Yo probably have to try some of all methods and find out what works best for you.

Word of mouth

 How are top two most effective methods of advertising would be our Facebook page and our Google business page. 

In my business, the most effective is word of mouth. 

We utilize all social media sites, but nothing beats word of mouth, and good old footwork.

This is questions has many factors. Initially all can be very good, depending if you do your research well enough, use your leading key words and target the demographics you wish to market, and a big one is, how much you are willing to spend to reach a larger target audience.

It's kind of like going fishing, if you have the correct bait you will catch, not just fish.