April 2008
You are currently browsing the articles from Advertise My Business written in the month of April 2008.
Too often those of us that own an online business forget that there’s another advertising medium that business owners have been using for years, with excellent results.
That medium is Newspaper Advertising. Any online business owner that is not using the option of advertising in newspapers is losing potentially thousands of dollars per year.
Although print newspapers have lost some of their readership to online news sources there are still millions of homes in America that still buy newspapers, either by newsstands or home delivery.
Reading the newspaper is a habit for many families because there is something for everybody–sports, comics, crosswords, the food section, classifieds, etc. You can reach certain types of people by placing your ad in different sections of the paper that would appeal to your target market. People expect advertising in the newspaper. In fact, many people buy the paper just to read the ads from the supermarket, movies or department stores.
As you look through your newspaper, you’ll notice some businesses that advertise regularly. Observe who they are and how they advertise their products and services. More than likely, their advertising investment is working if they continue to place ads.
There are many advantages to advertising in the newspaper. From the advertiser’s point-of-view, newspaper advertising can be convenient because production changes can be made quickly, if necessary, and you can often insert a new advertisement on short notice. Another advantage is the large variety of ad sizes newspaper advertising offers. Even though you may not have a lot of money in your budget, you can still place a series of small ads, without making a sacrifice.
Before placing an ad in your town’s daily newspaper you may want to place a few test ads in the local papers that publish less often and are not as expensive, like the Penny Pincher or American Classifieds (formerly Thrifty Nickel). If you get a good response to your ad in the smaller publications, chances are they will pull well in the larger more well-known papers. If your response is not what you were hoping for try rewriting the ad and placing it again. Since the rate is less expensive for the smaller local publications you should be able to do this as often as needed until you get the response you were expecting.
Some things to know about newspaper advertising:
1. Newspaper circulation drops on Saturdays and increases on Sundays, which is also the day newspapers are read most thoroughly.
2. Position is important, so specify in what section you want your ad to appear. Sometimes there’s a surcharge for exact position… but don’t be afraid to pay for it if you need it.
3. Request an outside position for ads that have coupons. That makes them easier to cut out.
4. If a newspaper is delivered twice daily (morning/evening), it often offers “combination” rates or discounts for advertising in both papers. You usually can reach more readers, so this kind of advertising may be something to consider.
Other important tips to remember are:
* Before you advertise, have in mind a definite plan for what it is you want to sell.
* Create short, descriptive copy for your ad. Include prices if applicable. Consider using a copywriter or ask your newspaper for free copy assistance.
* Face your products toward the inside of the ad. If the product you want to use faces right, change your copy layout to the left.
* Be sure to include your company name and logo, address, telephone number and website url in the ad.
* Neat, uncluttered and orderly ads encourage readership. Don’t try to crowd everything you can in the layout. If the newspaper helps you with the layout, be sure to request a proof of the final version so you can approve it or make changes before it is printed.
* Always make sure you are satisfied with what your advertising says and how it looks before it goes to print.
Since 1998 Sharon Bray-McPherson has been bringing quality home business opportunities, products and services to newbies and seasoned marketers through her website at http://www.go2sbm.com. Be sure to visit her Squidoo lens, The Work At Home Manifesto @ www.squidoo.com/work-at-home-manifesto.
Advertising-The Best Marketing TipThe best marketing tip you will ever hear is to advertise your product or business. In fact, any marketing tip you hear or see will be related to some form of advertising. In this article, we will go over several marketing tips and the reason you should use them.One great marketing tip is […]
Promote yourself on radio for freeUnless you have become extremely popular in your personal or business name, you likely need all of the marketing and promotion you can get. Now, you may say, of course, I’m aware of this, but who has the money? This a good and fair question. It may surprise you, though, when I […]
Why Should You Use Google Ads on Your Website?If you are interested in earning income from your website, should you consider using the Google AdSense program to place targeted ads on your web pages? When I first considered this idea, I wasnt sure if it was right for me. You see, I have a number of websites that promote affiliate links […]
50 Surefire Business Card TipsBusiness cards are one of the most powerful and inexpensive marketing tools you can use. Here are 50 surefire tips to make the most out of your business cards:Your business card must communicate more than just your contact information. Make sure that your card includes a tag line that explains what you or […]
Building Business With Free Online Classified AdsOne time sellers and long term sellers can cash in on the advantages of free online classifieds. Despite the service is given to you free of cost, free online classifieds ad websites offer great service in helping you sell your products.Free online classifieds websites generally are of two kinds ?some have an option for upgrading […]
Written by info on April 10th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Advertise My Business.
No Teletrack Payday Loans
I promise youll be able to finish this article before you finish
the first half of your PBJ. Are you sitting down? Good.
Because I have some startling news for you.
Print ads are here to stay. Thats right. Those dusty, musty,
fusty old relics of the century past are still with us. And
despite the ubiquity of commercials on radio and TV;
despite the onslaught of banners, pop-ups and all manner
of intrusive online ads; newspapers and magazines are,
and always will be, a mainstay forum for mainstream
advertising.
Theres something about the readiness, the handiness, the
heft and feel of a magazine or a newspaper that appeals to
the nature of human beings. Yes, flat screens that glow with
vivid colors are attractive. Especially when theyre displaying
something we specifically asked to see.
But as we page through a magazine or a newspaper while
enjoying our lunch or riding a commuter train, we dont mind
at all if a surprising or intelligent or just plain appealing ad ?
even one in black and white ?suddenly grabs our attention.
We expect it. We secretly look for it. We even welcome it as a
break from all the dull gray type weve been slogging
through. Why? Because ?lets face it ?a really good ad is a
delight to behold.
Is this the kind of ad your target audience is seeing? Do
your ads stop them and make them smilethinktake in
your message and make a mental note to look closer at
your product or service? Maybe even go to your website for
the kind of information that could lead to a sale?
Think carefully about this. If your ad doesnt stand apart,
doesnt attract, appeal or grab; if it doesnt delight in some
way, the readers you want to capture and bring into your
world will simply turn the page and plow on through the dull
stuff . . . until they bump into your competitors delightfully
different ad. And then theyll stop ?and, unfortunately for you
?pay attention to the message.
So take a close look at your companys ads. Do they stand
out from the crowd of other ads? Are they different from your
competitors ads in a powerful and relevant way? And most
important, do they convey your core message in an
engaging, persuasive and delightful manner?
If so, let them run and run, because theyre bound to bring
you business.
If not, better change your approach soon. Before the
competition eats your lunch.
Gary Watson writes ads for companies that want to add to
their bottom line. He also does product/service naming,
slogans/tag lines, billboards, web content, sales letters
(print and email), etc. etc. He can be reached at
Gary@GWCopy.com.
Advertising-The Best Marketing TipThe best marketing tip you will ever hear is to advertise your product or business. In fact, any marketing tip you hear or see will be related to some form of advertising. In this article, we will go over several marketing tips and the reason you should use them.One great marketing tip is […]
Why Should You Use Google Ads on Your Website?If you are interested in earning income from your website, should you consider using the Google AdSense program to place targeted ads on your web pages? When I first considered this idea, I wasnt sure if it was right for me. You see, I have a number of websites that promote affiliate links […]
Banner Stand ExhibitsBanner Stands are a high impact, inexpensive and attractive medium of advertisement. They are usually found at exhibitions, trade shows, retail stores ?just about anywhere the potential customer can be attracted by high wattage graphics.The attractive thing about banner stands is that they are portable, flexible and easy to set up. There are different kinds […]
Generate Millions of Advertising Impressions and Drive Your Business Forward!What does your vehicle say about your business? You drive to work, commute through traffic, stop at the shop for refreshments, park up outside your business, take care of deliveries and run some errands during the day, finally, you drive home in the evening. How many people did you pass or meet today? All potential […]
Advertising Made Easy, and Cost EffectiveAdvertising made easy, and your wallet will love it too!In today’s market, anyone in business knows that advertising is the backbone to the success, and without it, you are “dead in the water”. Even with the greatest product on the planet, a product that you know everyone needs and wants. Without advertising, it’s just […]
Written by info on April 10th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Advertise My Business.
No Teletrack Payday Loans
Think about the last car purchase you made… Did you watch closely for advertisements that explained all of the features before you bought the car? Probably not. In fact, studies show that most of us notice the ads AFTER we have purchased our new car.
Lets face it… consumers are emotionally driven. They make purchases for the feeling they get, and then look for the logical benefits to justify the purchase. Thats why we notice all of those ads after the fact!
Wise marketers make good use of this insightful knowledge. Good advertisements get the benefits in front of the customers so vividly that they experience the benefits before they even buy the product. Once they see themselve enjoying it, theyve just gotta have it!?/p>
1. Make It Picture Perfect
Forget about your product or service for a minute and focus on the consumer. What will he enjoy when he has dug out his money and taken home your product? Put yourself in his shoes, and then describe the experience in vividly dramatic detail.
What does it feel like to be a stay-at-home mom and still be able to make money? Describe the freedom, the confidence, the things shell be able to afford. Tell the story in bright words that compel the reader to enter and experience it for themselves.
Youve caught them… hook line and sinker once theyve experienced those feelings. Chances are theyve dreamed about them, and now the know they can fulfill the dream through your product or service.
2. Throw In The Logic Theyll Need to Justify Themselves Later
Youve probably met up with the after the sale jitters.?You make the purchase, enjoy it for a day or two and then it hits home… youve got a payment to make and start wondering if youve made the right choice.
Sure, your customers will second guess themselves after they make the purchase too… thats why you need to supply the logic for the sale upfront - even though you know they buy for emotional satisfaction.
Let them know that its a special, reduced price… if they buy it now. Thatll make them feel better about not waiting.
Tell them about other customers who are glad they did?to make them feel like they arent alone. Others thought it was the thing to do too so it must have been.
Hey, the customer who enjoys the product, and can feel good about the purchase is one satisfied customer wholl do business with you again. Take care to set your advertising campaign up for success.
Copyright 2005 Cutts Group, llc
Who is Allyn Cutts, and why should you care?
Allyn has spent over 24 years helping businesses like yours find new customers and increase sales to current customers. Allyn is a marketing and sales fanatic, providing measurable marketing solutions that drive huge results for small-to mid-size business clients. Allyn works personally with clients to design and deliver off-line and on-line direct marketing strategies that focus on metrics and measurable results. You can learn more about Allyn Cutts at http://www.AllynCutts.com and you can call 610.437.4106 between 10 AM and 4 PM Eastern Time Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Advertising InsertsOne of the best and easiest ways to advertise without having to worry about shelf life of those who would most likely use your services or buy the products from your small business is to use inserts in your local newspaper. A marketing piece might also be to insert our flyers in the daily newspaper. […]
Generate Millions of Advertising Impressions and Drive Your Business Forward!What does your vehicle say about your business? You drive to work, commute through traffic, stop at the shop for refreshments, park up outside your business, take care of deliveries and run some errands during the day, finally, you drive home in the evening. How many people did you pass or meet today? All potential […]
Advertising Made Easy, and Cost EffectiveAdvertising made easy, and your wallet will love it too!In today’s market, anyone in business knows that advertising is the backbone to the success, and without it, you are “dead in the water”. Even with the greatest product on the planet, a product that you know everyone needs and wants. Without advertising, it’s just […]
50 Surefire Business Card TipsBusiness cards are one of the most powerful and inexpensive marketing tools you can use. Here are 50 surefire tips to make the most out of your business cards:Your business card must communicate more than just your contact information. Make sure that your card includes a tag line that explains what you or […]
Why Should You Use Google Ads on Your Website?If you are interested in earning income from your website, should you consider using the Google AdSense program to place targeted ads on your web pages? When I first considered this idea, I wasnt sure if it was right for me. You see, I have a number of websites that promote affiliate links […]
Written by info on April 10th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Advertise My Business.
If you’re in concurrence with over 90% of all business ownersAds don’t work! They’re expensive, a low ROI, and all they do is fuel ad agencies to churn out more ridiculous rubbish.
So why do most ads fail to bring in sales?
Simple. If you browse the ads in your local paper, just about all of them talk about themselves:
This is our business name;
This is our logo;
This is what we do;
This is how long we’ve been in business;
This is our product/service; and then usually,
Call us now so we can sell you something.
Yeesh!
This is nothing more than making announcements. Just like scanning the Yellow Pages. And the prospects that do reply are the 1% that are looking for your product at that time.
But what about the 99% browsing your ad who aren’t interested? They’ll scan your ad each week till they’re blue in the face and never respond.
And why not?
Because you’ve failed to connect with your audience. And convince them you’re the only business that will solve their problem. You’ve got to position yourself as the definitive expert in your field. Otherwise, your ads will bleed your promotions budget.
How to transform your ads into Money-Machines…
If you’re placing ads in your local publication - flyers, newspapers, magazines, coupon books, post card mailers, or through a website - here are three types of ads that will generate more revenues and customers:
1) The “Advertorial.”
Ads generate huge revenues for the publication they run in, but people don’t buy the publication to read ads. People are looking for specific information. I don’t know any subscribers who purchase a magazine mainly to view ads.
People are looking for interesting articles, news, product launches, interviews, how-to information, and so forth. And the way to structure your ad is to format it as an editorial.
Give away useful hints and tips that relate to your target audience. Contribute valuable advice. Send them to your website for more useful helps and hints they can forward to their friends.
Your ad should:
Grab attention;
Generate interest;
Create desire; and,
Move your reader to action.
This is the opposite of what ad agencies do for you. They sell you the idea of getting your name, logo, and killer graphics to display their skillful artwork. And then you must cross your fingers hoping the more times you run their ad, the more people call.
This may be effective in certain situations, but I’m betting you have too much business savvy to leave your company’s new customer acquisition to chance.
Here’s the next type…
2) The “Open Letter.”
This is an ad that looks like a letter. It contains a salutation and reads like a warm letter from you to a friend. Because it doesn’t look like an ad, it gets immediate attention.
Imagine writing a letter to your best friend inviting her to a celebration. You want to tell her all the details, or maybe omit some. You want to inform her who’s showing up, what to dress, and maybe hint at what to bring. You want to excite her with some of the event activities. And you want to give her the RSVP information.
The secret behind your letter is to compel her to show up. And it’s the same with your ad. You must compel your prospects to respond. Your ad should include some, if not all of these components:
A photo;
A benefit, intrigue, or fear-of-loss headline;
A salutation;
A grab-them-by-the-throat lead-in;
A conversational/bucket brigade flow;
Compelling reasons why they need your product/service;
Useful tips and facts;
The cost;
The offer;
The guarantee;
The call-to-action;
A signature;
A post script; and finally,
Your contact information.
And here’s the third type…
3) The “Classic Direct Response.”
This is the textbook direct response advertisement. On the strength of this ad, you want people to call, visit, send-in, go to your URL, snip out your coupon, jump at the offer, or book you. In shortyou want a direct response.
It’s a huge mistake to think this ad will get the entire readership responding. Believe me, that’s not what you want. You want to target your ad toward a specific market.
You also want to disqualify time-wasters, tire-kickers, and brochure collectors. You’ve got to cut through the clutter and quickly hook qualified leads. And then compel them to contact youand not your competition.
Important checklist before running your ad:
Does your ad attract the right audience?
Does it capture their attention?
Have you created desire?
Have you positioned yourself as the expert?
Can you show great value?
Have you given them a reason to act now?
Have you initiated urgency?
Did you include your contact info?
In conclusion…
These three types of ads will do more for your advertising dollars that any ad agency’s “being creative for the sake of being creative” nonsense. You probably don’t have the budget to experiment with creativity. You’re banking on instant results.
So try these three ad styles instead of trying to build your brand and image. Your brand and image will grow when more of your products are in the hands of consumers. Or when your customers absolutely rave about your service.
Tommy Yan is a direct response specialist. He started “Ads That Make Money” to help clients multiply their response rates. He knows the emotional and psychological triggers that empower prospects to respond. Go to TommyYan.com for more moneymaking articles.
Advertising Made Easy, and Cost EffectiveAdvertising made easy, and your wallet will love it too!In today’s market, anyone in business knows that advertising is the backbone to the success, and without it, you are “dead in the water”. Even with the greatest product on the planet, a product that you know everyone needs and wants. Without advertising, it’s just […]
Where Should you Spend your Advertising Dollars?One of the most common questions people ask me is: Where should I spend my advertising dollars?? Their experience can typically be summed up as follows:I recently opened my business as an interior designer. I was so excited. But now ?two months later ?Im getting frustrated. I believe that my services […]
Building Business With Free Online Classified AdsOne time sellers and long term sellers can cash in on the advantages of free online classifieds. Despite the service is given to you free of cost, free online classifieds ad websites offer great service in helping you sell your products.Free online classifieds websites generally are of two kinds ?some have an option for upgrading […]
Advertising InsertsOne of the best and easiest ways to advertise without having to worry about shelf life of those who would most likely use your services or buy the products from your small business is to use inserts in your local newspaper. A marketing piece might also be to insert our flyers in the daily newspaper. […]
50 Surefire Business Card TipsBusiness cards are one of the most powerful and inexpensive marketing tools you can use. Here are 50 surefire tips to make the most out of your business cards:Your business card must communicate more than just your contact information. Make sure that your card includes a tag line that explains what you or […]
Written by info on April 10th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Advertise My Business.
As with any print material, brochures are made to attract more people to venture into your business establishment. Brochures are utilized and designed to do just this. It also duals in purpose, one of which is to inform your target audience of businesss offering of products and services, and the other to increase sales.
The latter is the most pressing need for any business to flourish. The use of brochures as an advertisement material is a key strategy in order to generate positive results and responses. These responses are ideally to motivate the target audience to make a purchase, to visit the store and peruse through your products and services.
Brochures contain a relatively, significant amount of information that can encourage your audience to inquire, visit your business establishment and buy. Brochures can go to a certain extent to explain and communicate to readers the values and importance of such products and services.
The Shape of Standard Brochures
Standard brochures may feature your establishment and the services it provides. It may contain information as to your companys philosophy, further differentiating your products and services from others. It may also include a list of what your company offers, contact information such as phone numbers, website and address. Sometimes, a map is even put in to effectively guide the clients.
Nevertheless, brochures are short, sweet and simple. It only has enough space to sell its products and services to its audiences, like a shot at your 5 minutes of fame. Therefore, brochures must be effectively designed and organized to make it efficient and useful to clients.
The Flexibility of Brochures
Now, depending upon the alignment of your brochure or how you want it to function, some brochures may actually deviate from the above described standards. Brochures can be adapted to complement advertising or promotional campaigns and may feature only a few products in order to popularize them.
Its content or messages may be directed to appeal to your consumers?wants and desires. Sometimes, a straightforward enumeration of what your product is and what it is not can bore your clients and leave them unaffected.
5 Great Ideas to Make Your Brochures a Keeper
Here are some ideas on how you can effectively make you brochures a keeper. Turn your brochures into something that your clients would want to hold on to and never throw out in the next garbage can they see. Clients who keep your brochures handy will persist in adding you to their selection. They will eventually take you into consideration and make that tempting purchase or order.
1. Trust your brochure printing to a seasoned printer who have had extensive experience and expertise in brochure printing. Quality is an important factor for it determines the final outcome of your brochures. Image is one of the first things to prioritize. A good brochure that conveys quality reflects professionalism that may be attributed to the kind of standard you observe in your own products or services.
2. Determine ahead of time whether a half fold, tri-fold or Z-fold is the most appropriate folding for your brochure. Each one determines the flow of information you put in within your brochure. This is necessary in order to keep your readers or clients interested in the right places in the brochure, and only pausing or breaking the flow to keep them suspended and excited.
3. Do not forget to mention or highlight in someway or another, a product or service you are known for. Sometimes, the product or service becomes more popular especially when it is spread by word of mouth. It is important for you to continuously assert your presence and identify yourself to prevent clients from mistaking you for someone else.
4. Instill a call for action message in your brochures. People will hold on to brochures that with benefit them in the near future. Call to actions such as coupons or presenting the brochure upon visiting your business establishment would only assure you of a quicker response.
5. Make brochures more interactive by inserting free product samples or a scratch and sniff section for your products. This acquaints your target audience more with your products, obviously bringing your goods closer than you would have imagined. This idea sells all the more because the samples can easily validate the content of your brochures.
This article simply aims to provide readers valuable ideas regarding the procedures in developing brochures. And for more information on this composition please feel free to visit full color printing wholesale.
Where Should you Spend your Advertising Dollars?One of the most common questions people ask me is: Where should I spend my advertising dollars?? Their experience can typically be summed up as follows:I recently opened my business as an interior designer. I was so excited. But now ?two months later ?Im getting frustrated. I believe that my services […]
Advertising-The Best Marketing TipThe best marketing tip you will ever hear is to advertise your product or business. In fact, any marketing tip you hear or see will be related to some form of advertising. In this article, we will go over several marketing tips and the reason you should use them.One great marketing tip is […]
Banner Stand ExhibitsBanner Stands are a high impact, inexpensive and attractive medium of advertisement. They are usually found at exhibitions, trade shows, retail stores ?just about anywhere the potential customer can be attracted by high wattage graphics.The attractive thing about banner stands is that they are portable, flexible and easy to set up. There are different kinds […]
Advertising InsertsOne of the best and easiest ways to advertise without having to worry about shelf life of those who would most likely use your services or buy the products from your small business is to use inserts in your local newspaper. A marketing piece might also be to insert our flyers in the daily newspaper. […]
50 Surefire Business Card TipsBusiness cards are one of the most powerful and inexpensive marketing tools you can use. Here are 50 surefire tips to make the most out of your business cards:Your business card must communicate more than just your contact information. Make sure that your card includes a tag line that explains what you or […]
Written by info on April 10th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Advertise My Business.
I get the L.A. Times delivered to my door every day, but I don’t read it for the articles. It is a Pulitzer Prize winning newspaper, but the articles just don’t interest me. Unlike most people, I read the paper for the advertisements because there is a lot to learn from them.
Over 90% of the ads run in the Los Angeles Times are horrible! Most of the ads I see are either ego-driven, have no headline, have no call to action, don’t appeal to what the buyer is truly looking for or needs help with, or they’re trying to be clever for clever-sake, and fail miserably.
When writing copy, I live by this premise:
“The purpose of advertising is to sell something.”
Advertising is like an investment that you hope to get a great return on. However, most people treat it like they’re playing Roulette in Vegas and bet all their money “on black.”
The basics of good copy is to think in terms of words that sell.
Following are some basics in advertising that should help you make your advertising more effective.
Concentrate on your prospects. In the end you must persuade him/her no matter what method you use. And to do that, you must understand how he/she thinks.
Know your product - its materials, its manufacturer, its use, etc. Know its features inside and out.
Find the problem your product solves. The solution would, of course, be the benefit. It may be a mental, spiritual, physical, or financial benefit, but as advertising legend Maxwell Sackheim once said, “your product must have an excuse for its existence.”
Never start writing your advertisement until you’re totally excited about the task at hand. If you’re not excited about your product, it will come out in your writing, and hence, the lack of results your ad produces.
Advertising is essentially news. Your ads must inform, educate, enlighten, inspire, or promise a reward for taking action. Apply your USP (Unique Selling Proposition) to your news angle. The USP works great as a news angle because if you’re the ONLY one in town that does , isn’t that news? If you have the lowest price in town and you tell them why you can beat every one else, isn’t that news? It sure is. Ads should educate and inform, as well as persuade and move people to action.
Understanding these basics of advertising will put you head and shoulders above your competition. Why? Because in my blunt opinion, 90% of all advertising stinks! And, most business owners (and some advertising agencies) don’t understand that “the only purpose of advertising is to sell something.”
To learn how to write hard-selling copy and to master the basics of advertising from a world-class copywriter, get Joe Vitale’s new course, “Advanced Hypnotic Writing” at: http://www.roibot.com/adhyp.cgi?R29882~_campaign
About The Author
Craig Valine is the publisher of the The AwfulMarketing Alert Newsletter, “Where you learn GOOD marketing strategies by looking at those who do it really BAD.”
To subscribe his free newsletter, go to: http://awfulmarketing.com/ezinesubscribe.htm
Advertising Made Easy, and Cost EffectiveAdvertising made easy, and your wallet will love it too!In today’s market, anyone in business knows that advertising is the backbone to the success, and without it, you are “dead in the water”. Even with the greatest product on the planet, a product that you know everyone needs and wants. Without advertising, it’s just […]
Where Should you Spend your Advertising Dollars?One of the most common questions people ask me is: Where should I spend my advertising dollars?? Their experience can typically be summed up as follows:I recently opened my business as an interior designer. I was so excited. But now ?two months later ?Im getting frustrated. I believe that my services […]
Building Business With Free Online Classified AdsOne time sellers and long term sellers can cash in on the advantages of free online classifieds. Despite the service is given to you free of cost, free online classifieds ad websites offer great service in helping you sell your products.Free online classifieds websites generally are of two kinds ?some have an option for upgrading […]
Advertising InsertsOne of the best and easiest ways to advertise without having to worry about shelf life of those who would most likely use your services or buy the products from your small business is to use inserts in your local newspaper. A marketing piece might also be to insert our flyers in the daily newspaper. […]
50 Surefire Business Card TipsBusiness cards are one of the most powerful and inexpensive marketing tools you can use. Here are 50 surefire tips to make the most out of your business cards:Your business card must communicate more than just your contact information. Make sure that your card includes a tag line that explains what you or […]
Written by info on April 10th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Advertise My Business.
In my thirty years as an advertising consultant, I ran into many businesses that could have benefited from an in-house advertising agency. Instead, they spent fortunes on various agencies that were more concerned with making money than helping the client. So perhaps it’s time to set the record straight and offer some advise to anyone that fits the following criteria. There are several types of businesses that could be better off if they created a small division to handle their marketing needs.
If you have a product you manufacture, you are tops on my list. It’s your product and you should be controlling every aspect of the promotions. That includes: product development, packaging, logo design, national media placement along with trade publications, public relations and press releases, trade show booths, annual report publication and any supplemental support materials like brochures, spec sheets, and documentation.
It sounds like a daunting task, but any company that requires any or all of these marketing tools should consider doing it in-house. Why? Because of two things: control and self-interest. The business gets to control every aspect of the things the public sees regarding the image of the company and it’s in the businesse’s best interest to make the right decisions that will affect them most. In other words, would any advertising agency give them all the time and effort it takes to produce the work they desire? Perhaps they might, but at what cost?
Which brings up another issue: expense. Hiring a marketing director, copywriter and artist will be cheaper in the long run if the company can support the investment. It will prove more advantageous down the road to build this department and have a say in the personnel that runs it. You will have to provide the technology needed for the department to function, but having the ability to create internal collateral material is a time and cost saving luxury even a medium-sized business can appreciate.
Another point raised: business size. At what point in a business’s life can they begin to contemplate hiring a staff for an in-house team? Review your current advertising expenses. What would a staff cost in comparison, realizing the control you are achieving? Look at the media costs. Most media allow fifteen percent agency commissions that you gain through your own in-house marketing. What is that worth?
But what about the little guy? If you’re a small business that places ads on a regular basis, consider a single marketing person with the ability to design and place ads. It’s the beginning of an agency with a much lower cost. It’s how I began in the business. I was a designer for a small firm during college. I worked part-time and they used me as they saw fit. The investment doesn’t have to be large or long- term. But you’ll find more loyalty and cost benefits, for the most part.
That’s not to say that using a quality, advertising agency or consultant on occasion, wouldn’t pay off. They may still be needed for a special project or second opinion. But consider the value of an in-house person dedicated to your business. You may find that it was the best investment you ever made.
Jeffrey Hausers latest book is, “Inside the Yellow Pages,?which can be viewed at http://www.poweradbook.com
He was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for nearly 25 years. He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising and has a Master’s Degree in teaching. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design firm, ABC Advertising. Currently, he is the Marketing Director for thenurseschoice.com, a Health Information and Doctor Referral site.
Promote yourself on radio for freeUnless you have become extremely popular in your personal or business name, you likely need all of the marketing and promotion you can get. Now, you may say, of course, I’m aware of this, but who has the money? This a good and fair question. It may surprise you, though, when I […]
Banner Stand ExhibitsBanner Stands are a high impact, inexpensive and attractive medium of advertisement. They are usually found at exhibitions, trade shows, retail stores ?just about anywhere the potential customer can be attracted by high wattage graphics.The attractive thing about banner stands is that they are portable, flexible and easy to set up. There are different kinds […]
Why Should You Use Google Ads on Your Website?If you are interested in earning income from your website, should you consider using the Google AdSense program to place targeted ads on your web pages? When I first considered this idea, I wasnt sure if it was right for me. You see, I have a number of websites that promote affiliate links […]
Advertising InsertsOne of the best and easiest ways to advertise without having to worry about shelf life of those who would most likely use your services or buy the products from your small business is to use inserts in your local newspaper. A marketing piece might also be to insert our flyers in the daily newspaper. […]
Advertising Made Easy, and Cost EffectiveAdvertising made easy, and your wallet will love it too!In today’s market, anyone in business knows that advertising is the backbone to the success, and without it, you are “dead in the water”. Even with the greatest product on the planet, a product that you know everyone needs and wants. Without advertising, it’s just […]
Written by info on April 10th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Advertise My Business.
For Everyone Who Has Ever Struggled Sorting Out Benefits From Features - “SWAT Them!”
SWAT is not actually an acronym. It is a compaction of the question “so what?”
You see, one of the biggest problems that even experienced copywriters and marketers fall into is being clear on what benefits their product or service actually delivers to their customers.
SWAT provides the solution.
Here is how it works:
Take a piece of paper. Divide it into columns one headed features and one headed benefits.
Under the features column list all the features that come to mind.
Under the benefits column list all the benefits you deliver. (Dont worry about neatness there will not be a one-to-one correspondence between features and benefits)
Now, get yourself back in your customers?mindset. Take each feature in turn and ask yourself “SO WHAT?”
And keep on asking the question until you can’t think of any sensible, benefit oriented, answer.
Do this for every feature in your list
Now go back and repeat the process for every benefit you originally listed
It is pretty certain that the same benefits will occur many times over as you run through this exercise. That’s fine. These are the ultimate benefits you have been looking for. These are the benefits you will ’sell’ to your customer.
An example
I wear a pretty cheap and tacky divers watch. Its features include:
water proof to 50m (thats about 164 feet)
accurate to 1 second per year
tells the time in 2 time zones
dual analogue and digital display
shock proof
stop watch
back light
day, month date function
5 year battery life
Now for certain prospects this list of features is pretty powerful on its own. Principally young men who like to dazzle their friends with the latest gadgets and gizmos.
But let’s try to figure out some marketable benefits for a wider audience.
“Water proof to 50m”
So what?
You can wear the watch while diving
So what?
You can be sure it is waterproof enough for all day-to-day use
So what?
You can put the watch on and forget it - no matter what you are doing
So what?
Accurate time keeping -anytime, anyplace.
So what?
???
Your thought patterns would obviously be different to mine. But I am now stuck. The question “So What?” doesn’t lead me to another statement. No matter. I am pretty happy with the last couple above. Either of them talks to me of the real benefits the watch could bring.
Now I would need to go away and do the same thing for all of the other features. When I first did this exercise I ended up with over 120 benefits (and this for something that is definitely pretty cheap and tacky). I am not going to do that here again.
The benefits that kept repeating were the go anywhere, do anything, super accurate timekeeping.
I was able to produce 30 plus benefit driven headlines. And I had no difficulty in sorting out the benefits from the features.
And all in a little over an hour.
Seems a pity that I don’t actually sell watches.
About The Author
Keith Longmire is the owner of JKL Business Growth Solutions. JKL specialises in bringing main stream business improvement and marketing solutions into the reach of smaller businesses.
http://www.jkl-small-business-marketing-solutions.com/
Where Should you Spend your Advertising Dollars?One of the most common questions people ask me is: Where should I spend my advertising dollars?? Their experience can typically be summed up as follows:I recently opened my business as an interior designer. I was so excited. But now ?two months later ?Im getting frustrated. I believe that my services […]
Why Should You Use Google Ads on Your Website?If you are interested in earning income from your website, should you consider using the Google AdSense program to place targeted ads on your web pages? When I first considered this idea, I wasnt sure if it was right for me. You see, I have a number of websites that promote affiliate links […]
Banner Stand ExhibitsBanner Stands are a high impact, inexpensive and attractive medium of advertisement. They are usually found at exhibitions, trade shows, retail stores ?just about anywhere the potential customer can be attracted by high wattage graphics.The attractive thing about banner stands is that they are portable, flexible and easy to set up. There are different kinds […]
Advertising Made Easy, and Cost EffectiveAdvertising made easy, and your wallet will love it too!In today’s market, anyone in business knows that advertising is the backbone to the success, and without it, you are “dead in the water”. Even with the greatest product on the planet, a product that you know everyone needs and wants. Without advertising, it’s just […]
Advertising-The Best Marketing TipThe best marketing tip you will ever hear is to advertise your product or business. In fact, any marketing tip you hear or see will be related to some form of advertising. In this article, we will go over several marketing tips and the reason you should use them.One great marketing tip is […]
Written by info on April 10th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Advertise My Business.
The diminutive size of postcards, compared to posters, actually pose more challenge to designers. Unlike posters with a liberal amount of space for leisure, the little space that compact postcards have no room for dilly dallying.
Designing a postcard may not be as hard as it looks. Its supposed to be nothing but a picture sized print you can easily manipulate. But like good photographs, good designs are hard to come by.
Postcard printing requires a more thorough and a more scrupulous plan for its design. Postcards need to compensate for its lack of size by attracting readers or recipients with its design and its colors?vivacity.
Captivate audiences more impressively using colors that both communicate your message and impart a striking stance. Place the postcard in a more aggressive, if not, charming position to give it the upper hand against other media types. Postcards need to stand out from a pile of mails your recipients usually receive, or form other postcards as well.
How to make astounding postcards doesnt come in a snap of a finger. You can use templates and imitate various samples on the internet. But really, all you need is an understanding of one of the basic elements of what compromises a good design to start you off ?and that is color.
Be it for personal use, commercial or business use, postcard printings quality starts with your concept and your design. What offsets a lack of ingenuity in this been there, done that?world, is to create and observe quality.
In order to create postcard designs that would make a dent in your recipients impression, you need to carefully study, bit by bit, the use of colors, lines, balance, and perspective. These are just some of the elements we were taught about art. And now is the time to practice what we learned about colors.
Here are some things to start you off in creating an effective, colorful postcard design. Remember these key terms and take note of some hints and tips that will guide you along the way.
1. Colors come in a huge variety. More importantly, it comes in different tones and hues. By using one particular color, you can adjust its brightness and come up with a completely different shade within it. Familiarize yourself on how you can aptly manipulate and change the colors in your choice of program, do not be limited by the color swatches.
2. It is understandable that when you design your prints, make sure to use the CMYK instead of the RGB. The colors that you created or chose for a particular color mode will change once you switch to the CMYK. Moreover, printers use the CMYK to produce dazzling prints.
3. If you like a particular color so much, ask for your printers about Pantone. Pantone comes in a specific color that the CMYK may not be able to reproduce. Although pantone catches your colors more closely, it has a heftier price tag attached to it.
4. Experiment with the color wheel. This is the basic guide to show you what color works well with the other and which one contrasts each other even more. The color wheel will put you in the right direction if you are aimlessly wondering which colors to combine.
5. There are complementary colors for each basic color in color wheel chart. The complementary color of green sits right across it, pointing towards the red. Yellow points towards to purple.
6. Analogous harmony in color is achieved by using colors that are sitting beside each other. These colors closely belong to the same family, hence they blend together well. Think of yellow, orange and red leaves that fall during autumn. These three combined can create either a warm or festive effect.
7. As stated earlier, you can adjust a colors intensity by adjusting the brightness or the color saturation. Through this, you can have a palette of different shades of colors based on a single color. Using monochromatic colors, you can still achieve a colorful blend of hues that can be eye-catching for your design.
Practice may not make your first few designs perfect. But getting a feel for colors and training your eye will get you there sooner than you think. Now, all you have to do is study the rest of the elements and youll be a pro at making postcards.
Postcard Printing tips and articles can be found at My Postcard Printing
Building Business With Free Online Classified AdsOne time sellers and long term sellers can cash in on the advantages of free online classifieds. Despite the service is given to you free of cost, free online classifieds ad websites offer great service in helping you sell your products.Free online classifieds websites generally are of two kinds ?some have an option for upgrading […]
Why Should You Use Google Ads on Your Website?If you are interested in earning income from your website, should you consider using the Google AdSense program to place targeted ads on your web pages? When I first considered this idea, I wasnt sure if it was right for me. You see, I have a number of websites that promote affiliate links […]
Generate Millions of Advertising Impressions and Drive Your Business Forward!What does your vehicle say about your business? You drive to work, commute through traffic, stop at the shop for refreshments, park up outside your business, take care of deliveries and run some errands during the day, finally, you drive home in the evening. How many people did you pass or meet today? All potential […]
Banner Stand ExhibitsBanner Stands are a high impact, inexpensive and attractive medium of advertisement. They are usually found at exhibitions, trade shows, retail stores ?just about anywhere the potential customer can be attracted by high wattage graphics.The attractive thing about banner stands is that they are portable, flexible and easy to set up. There are different kinds […]
Advertising-The Best Marketing TipThe best marketing tip you will ever hear is to advertise your product or business. In fact, any marketing tip you hear or see will be related to some form of advertising. In this article, we will go over several marketing tips and the reason you should use them.One great marketing tip is […]
Written by info on April 10th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Advertise My Business.
Recently, a woman called to ask about replacing a magnetic sign she had purchased from another company. Her original sign had actually blown off the side of her car. I had visions of the sign flailing around in the wind and striking some poor motorist behind her or worse yet, some fellow on a motorcycle. I inquired as to whether she had tried to get her money back. But it seems the company refused to refund her money and worse yet, claimed it was her fault. Appallingly, they accused her of placing the sign on a dirty car surface.
Although surfaces should always be cleaned before any type of sinage is placed on them, rarely should a magnetic sign blow?off, if ever. The sign company that sold her the original magnetic probably made two glaring errors. 1) They used an inexpensive magnetic material not meant for vehicles, especially moving ones. The sign business is intensely competitive and some disreputable companies turn to cheap material for an edge. 2) They cut corners and I mean literally! They cut square corners instead of rounded corners. Rounded corners prevent the wind from catching?an edge.
In fairness to the company, maybe they didnt know any better. There are tricks of the trade that can come only with experience. But that does not help the woman that lost her sign. And even though these companies dont last long because they loose repeat business, it agitates me to see a customer have a bad experience buying a sign.
So if you are off to buy a magnetic sign, concentrate on getting the right material. Make sure you ask for 30 mil thickness with rounded corners. And dont let them charge you for the rounding. It should be a standard!
Written by: Tony Nagy
Email: info@designasign.biz
To learn more about Magnetic signs and other types of signs please visit http://designasign.blogspot.com/ to purchase Magnets, Vinyl and just about every type of sign imaginable visit http://www.designasign.biz
Advertising-The Best Marketing TipThe best marketing tip you will ever hear is to advertise your product or business. In fact, any marketing tip you hear or see will be related to some form of advertising. In this article, we will go over several marketing tips and the reason you should use them.One great marketing tip is […]
Promote yourself on radio for freeUnless you have become extremely popular in your personal or business name, you likely need all of the marketing and promotion you can get. Now, you may say, of course, I’m aware of this, but who has the money? This a good and fair question. It may surprise you, though, when I […]
Why Should You Use Google Ads on Your Website?If you are interested in earning income from your website, should you consider using the Google AdSense program to place targeted ads on your web pages? When I first considered this idea, I wasnt sure if it was right for me. You see, I have a number of websites that promote affiliate links […]
Advertising InsertsOne of the best and easiest ways to advertise without having to worry about shelf life of those who would most likely use your services or buy the products from your small business is to use inserts in your local newspaper. A marketing piece might also be to insert our flyers in the daily newspaper. […]
Advertising Made Easy, and Cost EffectiveAdvertising made easy, and your wallet will love it too!In today’s market, anyone in business knows that advertising is the backbone to the success, and without it, you are “dead in the water”. Even with the greatest product on the planet, a product that you know everyone needs and wants. Without advertising, it’s just […]
Written by info on April 10th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Advertise My Business.
« Older articles
No newer articles
No Teletrack Payday Loans
