April 2008
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When selling yourself, be quick, direct, and get your point across in less than half a minute. Were always on a hyper deadline. No time for small talk. Tell me what you have and lets go. 10-second sound bites, three word emails, short hand text messagesspeed of communication is king. You can either resist this fast pace and lose out, or make it work for you and watch it pay off nicely.
Small business owners: get to the point fast and then get faster. Give your unique selling proposition without fluff. If you have a janitorial supply company, skip the long description. Try this instead: You know how sometimes there are bad smells coming from restaurant kitchens or smoky bars?we fix those problems. We have fun finding cleaning solutions.? Its quick, unique and memorable. And you haven’t wasted your prospects’ time. He is impressed you know your business that well and can convey a meaninful message that quickly.
Get noticed. Impress potential customers by knowing who you are and what you do. This isnt your whole pitch, just the first one. Get it right now and youll have all the time in the world to build a profitable relationship with your new customer in the days and years to come
Betsey Duggan is the president and CEO of McMann & Tate Advertising, a midwest agency that insists its clients do all necessary to stand out from the crowd.
The Only Bad Advertising Is No Advertising - Or Is It?Depending on whom you ask, you will get told many truths?about advertising. The question I have for you today is this ?Is the only bad advertising, no advertising??/p>Before we begin, it might help us to agree on what advertising is, so heres one definition:Advertising is the non-personal communication of an individuals paid persuasive information regarding […]
When and How Do I Track My Advertising?Each and every time it runs!That’s the easy answer. After all, it’s your money and your business at stake. You should be learning from every campaign. Here are some basic questions:(1) How many customers did you reach?(2) Why did they pick your business?(3) What was in the ad that made them call or […]
Post-Katrina Role Of Property Insurers Threaten Consumers NationwidePrediction is very hard, especially when its about the future. Yogi BerraGiven the focus on the recent one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by the media and government officials and its label as the most costly catastrophic disaster in United States history, there has been little focus on the nationwide impact the property and […]
Business Ethics: Would You Buy From You?You can never find yourself until you face the truth. Pearl BaileyAT the beginning of the twentieth-first century, it seemed that business ethics had become an oxymoron, that integrity was for suckers and that profit was the singular force driving business.Then, as mega-corporations collapsed and scandalized companies fell, we witnessed the fragile framework of […]
Written by info on April 15th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on accounting.
Electronic reader boards are the most efficient way to convey the information. Therefore these nowadays are widely accepted all over the world. These have found admirers in all sorts of places, and continuous in serving in unlikely areas too. in the world of finance, sports, research, and many others, electronic reader boards are sovereign.
Electronic reader boards are used as indoor and outdoor boards. Larger reader boards do not only advertises the dealerships, but also all of the many community activities that take place. They prove to be one that meets the auto mall requirements while not being offensive to the city council.
These electronic reader boards are used for financial trading. They give financial professionals the power to access unlimited financial data instantly. This quick service can speed up the task and is the only was these professionals can remain updated of market flux.
Behind the popularity of these Electronic reader boards, the technology is the main point of consideration which makes them speeder and effective.
Electronic reader board can be connected to local power supply and have the ability to receive information from virtually any source. The information can be broadcasted and viewed by customer, employees and the world with no halt.
Moreover the clarity and brightness are the features which makes readers more attractive and eye-catching.
Electronic reader board comes in many size and height according to the manufacturers limit. One of the leading manufacturer Jayex Technology gives full option in size, height and color of the text. not even with pre-defined models, but they with custom needs also.
About The Author
Paula Jones
Jayex Technology Limited, based in London specialise in advanced information display systems. Established in 1978 we have pioneered the development of the LED display market and now have over 18,000 customers worldwide. We offer, probably the largest range of models from small single line signs to big screen Megavision screens that can display live video and action replay in stadia.
jayex.co.uk
Business Ethics: Lesson Plans, Knowledge Management, Ethics and Capitalism CollideRecently I read of a new website where teachers can post and sell their lesson plans to recover the time that they had spent in developing these plans. On the surface, this sounds reasonable and why would anyone object to teachers making a little more money through such a capitalist venture and leveraging their […]
You Are WrongIt appears that most gurus if you want to call them that represent themselves as experts. In several statements that Ive read, they refer to other marketers as making mistakes. Yet, when they make the same mistakes, they call it testing.I read a quote one time about a child learning to walk. […]
When and How Do I Track My Advertising?Each and every time it runs!That’s the easy answer. After all, it’s your money and your business at stake. You should be learning from every campaign. Here are some basic questions:(1) How many customers did you reach?(2) Why did they pick your business?(3) What was in the ad that made them call or […]
Post-Katrina Role Of Property Insurers Threaten Consumers NationwidePrediction is very hard, especially when its about the future. Yogi BerraGiven the focus on the recent one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by the media and government officials and its label as the most costly catastrophic disaster in United States history, there has been little focus on the nationwide impact the property and […]
Written by info on April 15th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on accounting.
To bring great sales success, a great advertising technique is not the only parameter. You must know what it is that your customers are actually buying. They are not buying your product or service, they are buying what it will do for them. Use the answers to this to set up your advertising masterpiece.
1. Offer an impressive benefit for the client
It must not be related to the product or service on offer. This is the most important of the 6 ways. It must be a primary customer benefit…for the person. For example a free garage inspection; emphasise the safety benefits for the family etc. If you’re selling books on ‘Computer Accounting Systems’ focus on the reduced accounting time the purchaser will achieve and not the features of the product.
Frame the major benefit in a storyline with the customer involved. Make it really clear what is involved, i.e what’s in it for them. Be specific, spell it out. It should be immediately understood. Include the product.
Attract good customers through high level benefits for them. Your main message must make the customer say. ‘This is important to me, I must found out more’.
2. Make The Customer Believe Your Claims
What you state could be true, but a lot of potential customers don’t tend to believe advertisers. Over bragging can kill the ad. Keep the claims honest and reasonable. It will pay off in the long run.
3. Make The Layout & Design Reader Friendly
Layout
Don’t wrap around a photo, i.e. put blocks of text around it.
Emphasise specific phrases by putting more white space around them.
Base your layout on the fact that most people look at the 2nd quarter of the page from the top, first.
Use your single most important benefit as your headline.
Put a benfit laden caption undert the photo as 80% of readers will read that first or instead of the copy.
Don’t use more than four secondary benfeit messages.
Typography
Use Serif typeface (e.g. Garamond) for copy, stylish headings and sub-headings.
Sans Serif (e.g. Helvetica) can be used for headlines, sub-headings, captions and labels.
Consider larger font size if your tartget audience is older people.
Print out alternatives and have them test read by others.
4. Stress What Is Unique
Re-emphasise services that are unique or may have been hidden from or taken for granted or assumed by the reader. Define your Unique Selling Point. What makes you stand out from the crowd? What makes you better than your competitors.
5. Attract Attention With Something New
Be inventive here. Is there something new that will be of interest to your customer’s needs? Fresh benefits, new services or product features. E.g. ‘You now have access to our outlets all over the country’. ‘You can now obtain your account details online without visiting our offices’.
6. Keep The Reader Involved
Put the reader in your advertisement and get personal. Use the present tense for the customer experiencing their benefits. Don’t put them in the future and use the future word ‘will’. Get them feelig like they are part of your advertisment story.
This article may be reproduced in its entirety provided the resource paragraph below is included and all urls kept active. A courtesy copy of your publication or web page URL would be appreciated.
(c) Paul Curran, CEO of Cuzcom Internet Publishing Group and webmaster at Wealth-Building-Secrets.com brings you sales & marketing strategies, promotional marketing products and advice for financial success, sales success and personal development success
Post-Katrina Role Of Property Insurers Threaten Consumers NationwidePrediction is very hard, especially when its about the future. Yogi BerraGiven the focus on the recent one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by the media and government officials and its label as the most costly catastrophic disaster in United States history, there has been little focus on the nationwide impact the property and […]
You Are WrongIt appears that most gurus if you want to call them that represent themselves as experts. In several statements that Ive read, they refer to other marketers as making mistakes. Yet, when they make the same mistakes, they call it testing.I read a quote one time about a child learning to walk. […]
When and How Do I Track My Advertising?Each and every time it runs!That’s the easy answer. After all, it’s your money and your business at stake. You should be learning from every campaign. Here are some basic questions:(1) How many customers did you reach?(2) Why did they pick your business?(3) What was in the ad that made them call or […]
Advanced Tips for Advertising OnlineAdvertising online is really important for the online business. It is also very effective. You can use different types of online advertising methods to get the desired result.Place all your online advertisements in a website that has the maximum visitors a day. This is important because more visitors will ensure that you get good numbers […]
Written by info on April 15th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on accounting.
Have you ever seen an ad so compelling,
that you soon found yourself glued to it?
You just couldn’t stop reading!
Maybe you even took the plunge
and bought the product advertised.
Well, the good news is you can make
your own ads much more hypnothical? by simply adding some carefully chosen
“powerful words” to your copywriting.
There are some words that have been proven over time
to increase responsiveness when used in advertising.
The most powerful word you can ever use is “free”.
Most people can’t resist a freebie (of course
it has to be valuable, a piece of “junk” won’t cut it).
But there are lots of other great words that can
enhance your copy when used correctly.
You can really spice up your ads just
by using these words.
When looking for powerful words, always remember
some key psychological triggers that make
people want something. Here follows a
list of buyer triggers with some example
powerful words?(you can always use
variations, such as reveals?instead of revealed?:
Exclusiveness: people love being in a “club”
most people don’t have access to. They want
to know what the secrets are. Here is where
words such as “secret”, “exclusive” and
“revealed” come in handy.
Guarantees: people want to be sure that
what they buy will work as advertised.
Words such as “proven”, “tested” and
“guaranteed” give them this safety feeling.
Success: people want to be successful.
Using words such as “success”, “miracle” and
“solution” make them feel they will be more
successful by using your product.
Make money: people are always looking for
ways to make money or increase their profits.
Words such as “make money”, “profit” and
“fortune” appeal to their greedy instinct.
Save money: as well as making money, people
want to save money too. Words such as
“bargain” and “discount” address this.
Expertness: people want to listen to
experts. Words such as “approved”,
“endorsed”, “specialist” and “expert”
make you stand as a subject authority,
or enhance your products appeal
if its recommended by an expert
(this is called social proof?.
New: people want to see what the
“new kids on the block” are. Words such
as “revolutionary”, “breakthrough” and “new”
appeal to their curiosity about new things .
That should give you a start.
Next time you find a good ad,
pay close attention to what words are used,
and what psychological triggers they aim at.
Write those words down and keep them handy
for your own advertisements.
Once you start using powerful words
in your copywriting, you can watch
your conversions soar!
—–
Learn powerful copywriting tactics from Juan Pablo Cangas’
free newsletter!
Juan Pablo Cangas is a self-taught online entrepreneur.
He specializes in internet marketing & promoting,
copywriting and networking. In his website
(http://www.getfreedom.ws), newsletter and blog,
Juan Pablo teaches you how to how to promote and sale online
like a real pro, and gives you valuable gifts just
for following his advice!
Juan Pablo also shares his experiences and
business opportunities he is currently involved in,
so you can make money too.
You may reprint this article in any way, provided you
don’t modify it, and you include this resource box
in your publication.
Post-Katrina Role Of Property Insurers Threaten Consumers NationwidePrediction is very hard, especially when its about the future. Yogi BerraGiven the focus on the recent one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by the media and government officials and its label as the most costly catastrophic disaster in United States history, there has been little focus on the nationwide impact the property and […]
Business Ethics: Would You Buy From You?You can never find yourself until you face the truth. Pearl BaileyAT the beginning of the twentieth-first century, it seemed that business ethics had become an oxymoron, that integrity was for suckers and that profit was the singular force driving business.Then, as mega-corporations collapsed and scandalized companies fell, we witnessed the fragile framework of […]
Business Ethics: Lesson Plans, Knowledge Management, Ethics and Capitalism CollideRecently I read of a new website where teachers can post and sell their lesson plans to recover the time that they had spent in developing these plans. On the surface, this sounds reasonable and why would anyone object to teachers making a little more money through such a capitalist venture and leveraging their […]
The Only Bad Advertising Is No Advertising - Or Is It?Depending on whom you ask, you will get told many truths?about advertising. The question I have for you today is this ?Is the only bad advertising, no advertising??/p>Before we begin, it might help us to agree on what advertising is, so heres one definition:Advertising is the non-personal communication of an individuals paid persuasive information regarding […]
Written by info on April 15th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on accounting.
What do the films Next, Wild Hogs, 28 weeks later, The hills have eyes 2 and many more have in common? Well, one surprising similarity is that the film distributors of all these films opted to advertise in restrooms!
The washroom advertising blog was the first to pick up on this trend that started in Britain around December 2006. A modest start it was, with a highly acclaimed low budget film “Notes on a scandal” being advertised in restrooms. It must have worked well for Fox searchlight, since they advertised other films there in rapid concession and recently also showcase high profile films in restrooms. Other production houses and distributors followed suit, and as a result, if you have a pint in Britain, and you wonder in the restroom of a pub, you are very likely to find posters informing you of the films currently in a cinema near you. You might be greeted by a talking poster that briefly explains the plot of the film. You might be seeing a life sized Daniel Craig and Eva Green sitting on the floor, only to realize that you’ve been fooled by life size replicas stuck to the wall. The medium has indeed inspired a great deal of creativity.
So why is it that in the last 6 months this medium has attracted so much attention from the film industry? Well, for one, it has a very small cost per thousand, and an impressive national reach. One restroom advertising campaign can reach 6.6 million young people in 2 weeks. The marketer can target his demographic very precisely because the venues are life-style orientated: certain bar chains appeal to a particular audience, and thus an audience pack targeting your chosen segments can be suggested by agencies consulting an extensive database. Restrooms allow the marketer to deliver different messages to each gender, and offer a clutter free captive audience. Research suggests that men spent on average 55 seconds in the restroom, while women stay 105 sec.
Film advertising is coming to a restroom near you… soon.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070529003024AAwCSP0
Business Ethics: Lesson Plans, Knowledge Management, Ethics and Capitalism CollideRecently I read of a new website where teachers can post and sell their lesson plans to recover the time that they had spent in developing these plans. On the surface, this sounds reasonable and why would anyone object to teachers making a little more money through such a capitalist venture and leveraging their […]
Advanced Tips for Advertising OnlineAdvertising online is really important for the online business. It is also very effective. You can use different types of online advertising methods to get the desired result.Place all your online advertisements in a website that has the maximum visitors a day. This is important because more visitors will ensure that you get good numbers […]
The Only Bad Advertising Is No Advertising - Or Is It?Depending on whom you ask, you will get told many truths?about advertising. The question I have for you today is this ?Is the only bad advertising, no advertising??/p>Before we begin, it might help us to agree on what advertising is, so heres one definition:Advertising is the non-personal communication of an individuals paid persuasive information regarding […]
Local Classifieds Convert BestWith internet taking over the whole business transactions, the focus of advertising re-shifts to the power of words. Local classifieds used to have a stigma as being read by only people in the lower income strata. The runaway success of real estate classifieds in real estate magazines, auto classifieds in auto classifieds section of newspapers […]
Written by info on April 15th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on accounting.
These days, everyone’s looking to save a buck. But if you plan to cut corners by using a fledgling copywriter or marketer, expect to put the money you just saved towards a really good lawyer. Because you may just find yourself in court.
Lawsuits abound in today’s world. Lots of people are more than willing to sue at the drop of a hat. No one wants to think that they “know” anyone like this, but the truth is, this planet is crawling with lawsuit-happy consumers who can make your life a living hell. You may think, “Oh, I’m just a small start-up; no one would bother trying to get money out of me!” But do you know this for a fact? Even if you’re miniscule now, you want to grow your business. With any luck, one day you’ll be earning more than just a comfortable living. The best way to ensure your legal protection in the future is to start practicing caution today.
How does this relate to your advertising, and who you hire to work for you? Every bit of written material put out by your company is a statement issued by you. If you hire someone who has little to no experience in the real world, you’d better be on top of them at all times. You’d better make sure that what they’re creating for your company doesn’t contain any legal “loopholes” or claims you can’t fulfill. Because as soon as your advertising makes a statement about anything, someone will try and hold you responsible. They might even seek legal counsel on the matter. Yes, what you say can and will be held against you in a court of law.
I worked for the “R”Us family of stores for seven years, writing and editing everything from catalog copy to sales promotions to coupons to informative marketing mailers. Nearly everything said in our ads was supported by a legal disclaimer that prevented the company from being held responsible for any “unforseen events” that might occur as an indirect result of our statements. At the time, these legalities posed a great annoyance to our department, slowing down progress and hampering creativity. But today, I’m incredibly grateful for the “extensive legal training” I received while working there.
What are some examples of loose-lipped writing that can land you in legal hot water? What situations might you get yourself into in today’s fast-paced, maximum-output world of marketers?
E-books are hot right now. Everyone wants one, and they want it yesterday. But beware the trouble of an untrained eye taking control of your e-book content! Last year, I worked for a small start-up company. They wanted an e-book written fast, so they hired an unpaid intern. Although the e-book served its purpose well, it was riddled with statements that could get us in trouble! Why? Our e-book was for children. In it, we had included a long list of ways kids could spread holiday cheer. One entry was something to the effect of, “Offer to help your neighbor carry in the groceries.” Innocuous as it may seem, the end result of this remark could be some parent taking us to court because their child went out and tried to assist some unsavory character, and was abducted in the process! Heaven forbid, but nothing’s impossible. In our e-book, we took care to state “Never do anything without first asking permission from your parents” - many times, and in many ways.
Article content: seems like everyone wants it in mass quantities. But how smart is it to hire a wet-behind-the-ears intern to write pages and pages of information and then publish it under your company name? One little slip-up, and guess who’s getting a subpoena in the mail. Not the intern! I recently wrote an article on credit card debt elimination. As I was crafting my copy, I kept stumbling over “red flag” statements that could prove troublesome. “Some debt consolidation companies may even be able to erase the interest fees you’ve accrued.” Was that true?? If it wasn’t, somebody might be getting an earful down the road. It’s difficult to know what information found on the internet is accurate, or just somebody’s assertion. If you’re not sure - disclaim! Or, simply avoid commenting.
Coupons and limited time offers that aren’t properly disclaimed can cost you money. Say you run a sale on your website, but you forget to include start and end dates. If the sale prices are valid in January but you don’t tell your customers, someone could very well come along and demand a discount in May! Or what if you post an ad for your business offering 50% off all design jobs but you forget to exclude the really high-end projects? You could find yourself working on an extensive web-design job that’s only bringing in five hundred dollars when it could have made you a thousand!
What about your return policy? You want to be known as a company with its customers’ best interest in mind - but what if your return policy is so open-ended, it leaves you vulnerable to excessive returns, when in fact there is really nothing wrong with what you offer? I worked for an e-greeting company this summer. How is an e-greeting company supposed to guarantee “customer satisfaction?” It’s not possible! So, in such a case, a statement like this has to go. Would a newborn to the industry have the foresight to make such decisions? My guess is no.
Do you sell products via the web? Anything that poses a safety threat should be disclaimed to avoid future legal headaches and thousands of dollars lost. Everything from over-the-counter drugs to children’s products to baby clothes to automobile parts to finances must be shielded from potential legal action. Never thought about legal ramifications? Best to get an expert’s advice before going forward with your business plan.
Still thinking of hiring a novice to help you run your business? Think again. A little extra money spent now can mean a ton of money saved later. Hire a copywriter or marketer with corporate experience, who will exercise legal caution in your business writing and provide financial security for your future. Who knows… you may never even need that lawyer.
Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.
Liked this article? Have more of the same emailed to your inbox each month. Sign up for the Copywriting and Marketing Ezine from Dina at Wordfeeder.com and learn to write search engine friendly web copy and market your web based business for free.
Writing Effective AdvertsAdvertising ?Who Needs It? - Who doesnt!Most people who read information about business or advertising are doing so because they are trying to make some kind of positive change in their life. Perhaps get a job, make money, and increase their customer base ?whatever. Thats the central purpose of a classified ad. […]
God Bless The Refrigerator Magnet!Ah, my very favorite promotional product of all, the refrigerator magnet. They are my favorite, because they are so extremely inexpensive, and extremely effective in getting your company name seen in countless locations.They dont make the greatest commission for a salesman of advertising specialties, but I cant stop myself from recommending these little beauties […]
Post-Katrina Role Of Property Insurers Threaten Consumers NationwidePrediction is very hard, especially when its about the future. Yogi BerraGiven the focus on the recent one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by the media and government officials and its label as the most costly catastrophic disaster in United States history, there has been little focus on the nationwide impact the property and […]
When and How Do I Track My Advertising?Each and every time it runs!That’s the easy answer. After all, it’s your money and your business at stake. You should be learning from every campaign. Here are some basic questions:(1) How many customers did you reach?(2) Why did they pick your business?(3) What was in the ad that made them call or […]
Written by info on April 15th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on accounting.
2005 puts us at the mid-point of the first decade of the new millenium. What will things look like at the end of the 1st decade of the new millenium in the world of advertising? I thought Id project where the ad industry is headed and what 2010 (or sooner) might look like. This two-part article will take those discussions a few steps further. First, well look at a scenario that is likely to be common by 2010 when the heretofore separate worlds of TV advertising, search marketing, behavioral targeting and inventory yield management blend together. If you buy some of this scenario, its interesting to look at the implications for ad agencies. In part two, Ill speculate on the likelihood of Google being the biggest ad agency?in world. If you look through the prism I lay out, it will cause you to think differently about where the industry is headed whether or not you agree with some of the specifics.
Search marketing, Behavioral Targeting and Yield Managements alchemizing effect on TV advertising
The accountability and efficiency of search marketing, behavioral targeting and publisher inventory yield management can look pretty compelling to a media planner compared to the relative lack of trackability of a TV spot today. What happens when you combine the best of these worlds? Lets look at a scenario that might take place when these worlds are combined.
It may easy to write this off as the ramblings of a guy who has spent too much time in the technology industry but before you do that, consider the following:
?All major search engines keep a search history indicating your interests, needs, likes, etc.
?Forrester projects that over half of TV households with have a DVR device by 2009.
?Today, most DVRs keep track of what we could be considered a search history?of everything that your household has watched and what you plan to record in the future.
?With your implicit approval, that search history?of your TV behavior could be combined with your online search and surfing behavior which would create a profile that would be quite precise regarding your preferences and interests. Whether one company delivers all of this technology (e.g., Microsoft or AOL) or a deal is done between DVR suppliers and search engines, this can easily be accomplished.
?Most peoples broadband Internet access is provided by cable companies today. Setting a cookie applicable to both the TV and internet access is relatively trivial.
?Tacoda, a leading behavioral targeting company, has over 80% of the North American Internet audience in their network. They have a wide variety of non-personal demographic information about their users.
So lets fast forward five years and look at a scenario with a couple in their late 30s well call Mike and Jill. Periodically, they talk about the need for a vacation but have had a hard time agreeing on a location. Jills idea of a great getaway is a spa weekend?with mud baths, cucumber bodywraps, aroma therapy and countless other treatments?that sound like some form of torture to Mike. Meanwhile, what Mike would really like to do is make a trip to a Final Four as his alma mater is in the Top 10 and hes sure they are going to make it a long ways in the Big Dance? Whenever he talks with his buddies about the Big Dance? Jill is confused Mike has never liked to dance.
One thing they can agree on is their enjoyment of watching Alias together although they are watching Jennifer Garner for different reasons. The rest of Mikes TV viewing largely consists of watching ESPN, Fox Sports and ESPN2 so he can be smarter than his buddies when it comes to filling out his bracket. Meanwhile, Jill loves watching the Travel Channel and shows on other networks about getaways?whether they are about romantic getaways?or girls?weekends?
During the week, Mike often eats his lunch at his desk while reading some of his favorite websites (www.foxsports.com, www.ESPN.com, etc.). Hes checking out the latest rankings to see where his alma mater is ranked and analysis from experts on the Road to San Diego?(the site of the 2010 Final Four). He notices one of the ads on the webpage hes reading is about a San Diego vacation. Though hes never been to San Diego, he knows it has a nice climate and gets the bright idea that he could kill two birds with one stone if he suggests that a trip to San Diego would be a nice place for a trip with Jill and another couple friend (the husband of that couple also happens to be a college buddy who enjoys hoops as much as he does). Suddenly, the $500 daily spa fee doesnt sound too bad for Mike if it means he can attend the Final Four.
Since Jill had Arizona in mind for a spa weekend? he figures he needs to sell Jill on San Diego. He surfs over to his DVR home page to see if he can find some shows that highlight San Diego that he can highlight and record for Jill. It turns out one of the shows is in 30 minutes on the Travel Channel so hes able to record it for later viewing even though he and Jill arent home at that moment. It also turns out that one of the past episodes of Alias had Jennifer Garners character incognito at a beach party at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego (she snuck into the private party by swimming in from the ocean in scuba gear with a party dress in stow).
Over dinner that evening, Mike brings up the idea of San Diego as a great location for a vacation and that late March is a particularly nice time to visit (failing to mention that the timing happens to coincide with the Final Four). He lets her know that hes marked some San Diego shows for her to watch including the Alias episode since they have a Season Pass?for Alias (i.e., it records/stores all Alias episodes). Jill is surprised and impressed that Mike has gone to this trouble.
Meanwhile, lets take a look at whats going on behind the scenes. The cookie that the cable company has stored is keeping track of various actions that Mike and Jill are taking (sites they visited, shows they watched, searches they performed). This behavior is combined with the ad marketplace system running at Google or the particular search provider of choice. This system is similar to Googles Adwords system or Overtures Precision Match. In the future, its likely to include behavioral targeting?attributes as well.
In this ad marketplace, millions of similar actions are aggregated and offered up to what by 2010 will be millions of advertisers for sale in a real time automated auction. These marketers will have established their spending levels, behavioral and demographic profiles. In the time it takes for an average search to complete, several advertisements have already been sold against each of the programs recorded for Jill. On the media outlets?sites, they are doing additional optimization (aka inventory yield management?. This optimization determines what the optimal type of ad to serve is. In one situation it might be a textual advertisement while in other cases, it might be a more traditional form of TV ad.
As Jill goes to watch the shows Mike has teed up, the ad delivery system is poised to take action. The way in which the ads are viewed will be dependent on the couples billing preference with the cable provider (yet another yield management variable). They may have chosen the free cable option that requires them to watch ads at set periods. As the show starts, a number of advertisements appear at the bottom of the screen. A couple of these have a dollar sign next to them indicating that they can reduce their cable bill if they watch them. This is attractive particularly since Jill wants to watch them anyway since they are infomercials for a San Diego area spa. She can choose to watch them now or later.
Later on in the evening she checks her email before going to bed. The ad delivery system knows this is the same person who has been watching ads about San Diego area attractions so it serves up some discount offers for packages to San Diego which she emails to Mike with a message about how excited she is about going to San Diego. Who knew that an ad delivery system could enhance marital harmony?!
Will these sort of events transpire five years from now? My belief is that they are largely foreseeable. Undoubtedly, the specifics wont take place exactly like this, but its not a huge leap to get to this place with consumers and businesses that are more than willing to benefit from the experience.
If you buy all or part of this scenario, what does it mean for the parties most financially vested in the ad marketplace ?media outlets, ad agencies and marketers? It means further evolution in their business models. Perhaps the most radical impact will be on ad agencies that have already seen their business evolve. In part two, Ill make the provocative statement that Google will be the largest ad agency in the world by 2010. While this potentially ludicrous notion may not seem worth thinking about, viewing the ad agency business through a Google prism should cause ad agencies and their clients to experience profound insights.
If you want to have more fun with the previous scenario, you can weave in various other variables that include, but arent limited to, the following factors:
?Product placement evolution. At one time there was a website that allowed you to buy products that were shown in TV programs. Think about that woven into the aforementioned ad marketplace. This is an evolution of what AdvertisingAges Madison+Vine regularly reports on.
?User reviews. User ratings of various advertiser products could become another variable determining which ads get served. Amazon-like collaborative filtering can be facilitated thus increasing content consumption.
Will Google be the biggest ad agency in the world by 2010?
In part one, I laid out a future of how Internet-based advertising models will pervade the TV world. If you buy some of these factors, there are inevitable industry changes that will happen to the ad industry. I will make the provocative statement that Google will be the largest ad agency?in the world by 2010. While this potentially ludicrous notion may not seem worth thinking about, viewing the ad agency business through a Google prism should cause ad agencies and their clients to experience profound strategic insights.
Dramatic industry shifts usually dont happen from obvious places. Ample evidence of that exists if you look at various businesses whether you look at the music business, the encyclopedia business, the newspaper classified business, the retailing business or many others. Companies that too narrowly define their competition inevitably have their business cratered from unexpected places. Aggressive, growth-oriented companies whether they are Google or Wal-Mart dont care about pre-existing industry dividing lines. If it wasnt them, some other organization would gladly eat away at incumbents?businesses even though the leaders of the change are attractive bogeymen?for those under attack.
If you take a step back, the purpose of ads and search are to connect buyers with someone selling what buyers want (even if they dont know they want it yet). In both cases, fees are collected from the people who have something to sell for connecting them with buyers of those items. No one is rushing to categorize Google as an ad agency — theyre in the Search business? You dont have to study Google very hard to realize they arent limiting themselves to the search business?which is increasingly hard to define in any case. Its important to recognize that Google isnt charging for search; their income is from advertising. As the old saying goes, if it looks and quacks like a duck, it is a duck. If they were considered an ad agency, theyd already be in the top 5 with a much stronger trajectory than any of the top 5 agencies.
You may be saying, wait a minute, they are more like a media outlet than an ad agency?(which is largely true today) but withhold judgment for a moment and some interesting insights can be drawn. To begin with, they are already doing media planning if the business has a high volume of clicks and its highly likely they are working on ways to make that easier (and thus scale to smaller advertisers).
If I walked into most offices of the leaders of the largest ad agencies in the world today and stated that Google/Yahoo/MSN are their competitors, at best Id get a polite laugh. They may say that I dont get?the ad agency business. Having been on both sides of the challenger/incumbent equation, I can say unequivocally that not getting it?is usually an advantage for the challenger. The challenger isnt shackled by the current way of thinking and perhaps more importantly, the current business model. Like virtually every other company (especially a public company), Google and their competitors?are inspired by what will make them the largest sum of money. Today, Googles revenues are advertising-based, but tomorrow they may have increasingly more characteristics associated with the agency business. Comparing some of the assets that agencies have versus Google is instructive. Ill put these in context of some of the criteria I used to evaluate the ad agencies that I worked with when I held large ad budgets.
1. Efficiency with my budget: When my team owned the relationship/budget with an agency, I counseled them to look for padding and inefficiencies as the model shifted from a commission-based model (which had its own issues) to a salary multiplier that seemed like a fair approach based upon the number of people on the account. Furthermore, it was hard to know how well the agency negotiated with media outlets to get the best CPMs. With Googles Adwords, you bid on how much you are willing to pay for a click which can range from pennies to dollars depending on the term. Google has a great feature where if you bid $1.50 for a click and the next highest bidder is $0.75, theyll adjust what they charge you to $0.76. This looks like a more efficient way of spending my ad dollars and infinitely more trackable.
2. Consumer insight/research: Ive worked with some fabulous media buyers and account planners. Their ability to dive into various syndicated research to identify the media properties with the optimal demo/psycho-graphics often impressed me. However when you combine the almost unbelievable volumes of click behavior across many thousand websites that provides a very robust picture of brand motivation and preferences. Its an approach virtually any cold-blooded capitalist selling stuff would appreciate and is unrivaled by other means of capturing actual buyer behavior.
3. Ability to reach my target buyers where they live? Googles Adsense offering (i.e., syndication of their contextual search ads) has major implications and makes them look an awful lot like a media agency. Not only does Google serve up ads on their own high-traffic site, they are syndicating their ads to virtually every nook and cranny of the web. As an advertiser, it gives them an efficient way to reach into highly targeted sites that would be impossible to buy in a manual manner. Anecdotally, Im seeing Google ads on all kinds of obscure and relatively low traffic sites that happen to be highly relevant to me professionally or personally.
4. Ability to service local, regional and international markets: This has at least two dimensions: First, can you run particular ads for people who live in particular geographies whether that is England, New England or Boston? Second, is it easy to localize the advertisements themselves? Particularly on the first point, its much easier to do this with Google than the machinations an agency has to go through to make it happen (e.g., working with dozens of different media outlets around the country/world). On the second point, its comparing apples and oranges since localization of text ads is easy compared to localization of ads that involve more than simple text. That said, they cover many languages and countries today so its a straightforward process.
5. Focus on driving results vs. their ego: Since much of the execution of a campaign on Google is strictly driven by machines, there is no ego involved. From time to time, one runs up against this dynamic with agency creatives where they are more focused on winning awards than selling your product.
6. Creative work: This is an area where it would appear that agencies have a clear advantage if for no other reason that the creative palette is very limited with Google today. If you look at some of the trends outlined in part one combined with increased bandwidth and broadband penetration in the next five years it seems inevitable that the Google creative palette provides wont be so limited. The advantage Google has in this scenario is that the cost to launch and test a new campaign is low so creatives can refine their creative and copy while avoiding the high stakes and slow turnaround of typical campaigns of today that are bogged down by approvals at the client level. This quick turnaround should shift creatives perspective from thinking of how limited their palette is to relishing the opportunity to get immediate feedback on campaign ideas that may be conceived of, executed and killed/expanded in less than a day.
7. Account service: This is an area where agencies should maintain a clear advantage for the foreseeable future as people-oriented service is a core part of their value proposition. As Google and others gain an increasing share of their customers?wallets, there will be an expectation of increased account service for large accounts. In a competitive market, Google will respond if Yahoo or MSN try to offer better service. This factor can diminish the inherent advantage agencies have.
8. Media neutrality: Most agencies like to claim media-neutrality but its virtually impossible to find in practice. The core obstacle is that the clients budgets arent media neutral. There are often different teams, let alone different budgets for different media ?print, online, broadcast, etc. This makes it virtually impossible for agencies to be media neutral. The philosophy behind Googles technology is media neutral. It just so happens that its all executed on HTML webpages right now. Take the notion of delivering ads in the content you prefer to consume, on the device (PC, mobile device, etc.) you happen to be using at the moment and delivering the most relevant ad at the moment you consume it and extend it beyond online. Its not hard to imagine this happening when your TV and radio have their own IP addresses along with your more traditional computing devices (this is already in process).
9. CRM: Marketers and agencies working on their behalf spend large sums of money to create and maintain an accurate customer database that helps paint a picture of their customers?behaviors, likes & dislikes, demographics etc. Its not unusual for a marketer to spend millions each year just keeping their database up to date with basic information such as addresses. Meanwhile, Googles customers do much of the maintenance work themselves as their cookies capture every web search, links you clicked on and when you did it. One area that Yahoo & MSN have a clear advantage over Google is a much larger database of demographic information via their email/IM users (certainly one of the drivers for Google launching Gmail to much fanfare). Combine the demographic information with the surfing and searching behavior, and there isnt an agency in the world who wouldnt die to get their hands on that rich picture of their clients?customers.
Conclusion
Is Google explicitly out to get the agencies?business? Unlikely. It just so happens that when you look at the natural progression of their activities, it ends up dramatically impacting the agency business. The ironic thing is that they are probably spending significant sales & marketing resources cultivating agency relationships with complete sincerity. Like many other successful businesses, over time they will have more and more channel conflict where parties who were previously 100% complementary start to step on each others?toes. In the end, Google wont look like an ad agency anymore than eBay or Craigslist look like a newspaper classifieds business, but they will capture money from the same customers as the business that they are pilfering. Its the agency leaders that should ask themselves what facets of Googles business do they need to develop or co-opt. Agency leaders would be wise to ensure they dont have blinders on regarding their current business and their partners, or they are liable to be victims of an inevitable force.
Dave Chase is a partner with Altus Alliance, which specializes in driving revenue traction for emerging businesses. Before joining Altus Alliance, Chase spent nearly 20 years in the industry with over a dozen years at Microsoft in various senior marketing and general management roles, including his role as MSNs managing director for industry marketing and relations. In that capacity, he was responsible for MSN taking a leadership role within the Interactive Marketing industry to grow Onlines share of the overall ad market in concert with AOL, CNET, Yahoo!, Google and other market leaders.
Chase played leadership roles in launching several new businesses within Microsoft including Microsofts entry into the enterprise software and server business which is now an $8B business. Starting at the dawn of the commercial Internet, he was integral in Microsofts entry into consumer internet businesses that achieved both critical and financial success.
Post-Katrina Role Of Property Insurers Threaten Consumers NationwidePrediction is very hard, especially when its about the future. Yogi BerraGiven the focus on the recent one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by the media and government officials and its label as the most costly catastrophic disaster in United States history, there has been little focus on the nationwide impact the property and […]
Business Ethics: Would You Buy From You?You can never find yourself until you face the truth. Pearl BaileyAT the beginning of the twentieth-first century, it seemed that business ethics had become an oxymoron, that integrity was for suckers and that profit was the singular force driving business.Then, as mega-corporations collapsed and scandalized companies fell, we witnessed the fragile framework of […]
The Only Bad Advertising Is No Advertising - Or Is It?Depending on whom you ask, you will get told many truths?about advertising. The question I have for you today is this ?Is the only bad advertising, no advertising??/p>Before we begin, it might help us to agree on what advertising is, so heres one definition:Advertising is the non-personal communication of an individuals paid persuasive information regarding […]
God Bless The Refrigerator Magnet!Ah, my very favorite promotional product of all, the refrigerator magnet. They are my favorite, because they are so extremely inexpensive, and extremely effective in getting your company name seen in countless locations.They dont make the greatest commission for a salesman of advertising specialties, but I cant stop myself from recommending these little beauties […]
Written by info on April 15th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on accounting.
Get out all the ads you ran last year. Go ahead. Tear them out of your magazines or
newspapers (if youre lucky enough to have proof sheets, so much the better). Tear
out your competitors ads tooas many as you can get your hands on. Next, fold
the company names, addresses and logos out of view. If the company names are in
the headlines block them off with paper and tape. Now tape them up to the wall,
putting yours on top, your competitors?below. Now back off, at least five feet.
Were going to gradually close in on the most effective ad in the group (hopefully
one of yours).
The Eye Test?View
First, and this is very important, dont read any of them. Instead give them a quick,
visual once overwhat I call the Eye Test.?Do your ads stand out? Or do they
dissolve into the mush of sameness? Remember, your audience will see your ad, not
in a vacuum but with dozens of competitive ads in the same or similar magazines or
newspapers. If your ads stand out, youre ahead by a length.
Step in, Feel the Image
Now move in a little closer to your ads. Close enough to get the feel or image they
project Like a new salesperson who walks through the door, the first thing people
react to is the overall image he or she projects. Its the same with advertising. The
colors, the design, the typeface should be consistent with the image of your
company. A tennis shoe salesperson can wear a referee shirt and a whistle around
his or her neck, a medical sales rep cant. If your ads are in sync with the image of
your company, youre a step closer to your audienceand a sale.
Are You Projecting a Consistent Look?
Next comes an equally important aspect: consistency. All your ads should project
the same image. No, they dont have to have the same visual or the same headline.
They should, however, look like they all come from the same company. After all, this
image is your familiar face?in the crowd. Its also something you worked very hard
to create. And its uniquely yours, no one elses. Just like a good salesperson who
finally got in the door to make that first sale. You wouldnt dream of switching
salespeople after that. If your ads look like they came from several different
companies, your audience might assume your product does. If your ads pass this
test, effective advertising is within your reach. Which is exactly where you need to
be for the next step.
Arms Length for Positioning
An arms length away from your favorite campaign of ads. The object of this test is
to see how well youve positioned yourself. Yes, you can now read your ads, but not
for details. How you position yourself should be fairly evident by the time you finish
the first paragraph. Positioning is basically how your audience perceives your
product, service or company. For example, businessmen, engineers and students all
need computers, yet each has a different idea of what computers can do for them.
Advertise a computer to a businessman and you might do better to position it a
management or accounting tool. Students might respond better to an ad showing
computers as a writing and study aid. And engineers would be better persuaded to
buy a computer if you positioned it as a design or research tool. In each case, the
products are the same but the positioning generates the unique appeal for any
given market. And the greater the appeal, the greater the sales. If youve done your
research, your positioning should bring the reader a little closer to your ad and your
product.
Move in to One Ad
Were now going to concentrate on one ad. So pick your favorite one and move in
close enough to read it in comfort. The headline and visual should answer the
question whats in it for me.?If it doesnt do that quickly and effectively, your
audience may gloss over it without ever bothering to read it. Some of the best
salesmen in the world start their pitch with a direct customer benefiteven before
they introduce the product. Theyve learned that customers want to know right off
what the product can do for themthe big benefit. If your products benefit is
buried in the body and your main visual is an un-involving product shot or a photo
of earth floating in space, your ad wont go the distance. And the sale will go to
your competitor.
The Revealing Close-up
Ok, time for the close-up: the body copy. It should payoff?or back up the claim you
made in the headline by forcefully and effectively communicating your products key
benefits. In essence, you still have to answer the Question whats in it for me,?but
now you have more room to do it. You can be flowery, you can be humorous, you
can even get technical. But you must convince the reader that there is a strong
benefit to be gained in choosing your product over the rest. If youve done a good
job, your ad goes the distance. Whats left is what all good salesmen do before they
leave.
Close in and Ask for the Order!
For this, youll have to get in close to the bottom of your ad. Close enough to read
your call to action, which should be short and direct, leaving no doubt in the
readers mind what to do after reading the adcall, clip a coupon, circle a bingo
card. It should also be clear as to what the reader can expect to receivemore
information, arrange a demo, have a salesperson call, get a trial sample. The reader
shouldnt have to get too close to read this either (dont put this or your phone
number in fine print). Remember, when a salesperson asks for the order or gives his
or her phone number, its always loud and confident, never a whisper.
There are obviously many market, demographic and personal factors we havent
considered. But if you meet the key objectives weve introduced, your audience cant
help but close in on your adand your product. And thats what effective
advertising is all about.
About the Author
Alex Kecskes is a former ad agency Copy Chief who has created effective copy and
concepts for a wide range of ad agencies, Fortune 500 companies and startups. As
owner of ak creativeworks, Alex provides strategic copy for brochures, mailers,
multimedia, articles, newsletters, PR and web content. He has published articles in a
variety of publications about health, business and technology–this includes copy
for over 130 different products and services. He has won such national awards as
the Andy, Belding and One Show. For more information and samples, please visit http://www.akcreativeworks.com
Post-Katrina Role Of Property Insurers Threaten Consumers NationwidePrediction is very hard, especially when its about the future. Yogi BerraGiven the focus on the recent one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by the media and government officials and its label as the most costly catastrophic disaster in United States history, there has been little focus on the nationwide impact the property and […]
Business Ethics: Would You Buy From You?You can never find yourself until you face the truth. Pearl BaileyAT the beginning of the twentieth-first century, it seemed that business ethics had become an oxymoron, that integrity was for suckers and that profit was the singular force driving business.Then, as mega-corporations collapsed and scandalized companies fell, we witnessed the fragile framework of […]
The Only Bad Advertising Is No Advertising - Or Is It?Depending on whom you ask, you will get told many truths?about advertising. The question I have for you today is this ?Is the only bad advertising, no advertising??/p>Before we begin, it might help us to agree on what advertising is, so heres one definition:Advertising is the non-personal communication of an individuals paid persuasive information regarding […]
God Bless The Refrigerator Magnet!Ah, my very favorite promotional product of all, the refrigerator magnet. They are my favorite, because they are so extremely inexpensive, and extremely effective in getting your company name seen in countless locations.They dont make the greatest commission for a salesman of advertising specialties, but I cant stop myself from recommending these little beauties […]
Written by info on April 15th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on accounting.
To create a powerful brochure, you need to think about your potential clients. How can you compose the brochure to attract your targeted market in the best way possible?
1. Personalize
Colors, fonts, tones and pictures will all affect how well your brochure catches the readers’ attention. Even if we don’t think or want to admit it, the look is important and you want to give a good first impression. This doesn’t mean you should put together a brochure with showy colors and an eye-catching picture just to get people to notice. Black and white might work better because less is sometimes more. It’s all about giving a face to your content.
2. Content
You need attention-grabbing content that is easy to read and understand. What is more important you want them to want more. Do not reveal everything in the brochure. Give them a reason to contact you for more information.
3. Talk your clients’ language
You may have terrific ideas on what to write, but if you don’t present it in the right way it doesn’t matter. Write in your costumers’ language. Teenage girls have a different vocabulary than 30-year-old mothers, and I don’t think 20-something males speak as your 60-year old neighbor. Even if this is an obvious fact people sometimes tend to overlook it.
4. Look professional
Right spelled words and grammatically correct sentences are a must. If readers spot a misspelling or a grammatical error it doesn’t matter how great your brochure look or how interesting your content are. Misspellings are off-putting. Period.
5. Make people trust you
If appropriate, put one or a few testimonials from previous costumers and clients on your brochure. This makes you look reliable and gives you credibility. People often want what other people want.
6. Availability
Make yourself available. End your text with your name (or your company’s name), address, phone number, mobile number, fax number and website address. Don’t give your costumers any reason not to contact you. While some people prefer to call, others rely upon the fax and many of us handle our business online. Cater for everyone’s needs.
Follow these steps and your brochure will give you the result you want.
Erica Johansson is a freelance writer from Sweden. Visit her internet- and network marketing blog http://earnprowealth.blogspot.com to receive “The 7 Keys to Success” by Will Edwards. Find out more about her favorite business at http://earn.prowealthresults.com
Local Classifieds Convert BestWith internet taking over the whole business transactions, the focus of advertising re-shifts to the power of words. Local classifieds used to have a stigma as being read by only people in the lower income strata. The runaway success of real estate classifieds in real estate magazines, auto classifieds in auto classifieds section of newspapers […]
Writing Effective AdvertsAdvertising ?Who Needs It? - Who doesnt!Most people who read information about business or advertising are doing so because they are trying to make some kind of positive change in their life. Perhaps get a job, make money, and increase their customer base ?whatever. Thats the central purpose of a classified ad. […]
Post-Katrina Role Of Property Insurers Threaten Consumers NationwidePrediction is very hard, especially when its about the future. Yogi BerraGiven the focus on the recent one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by the media and government officials and its label as the most costly catastrophic disaster in United States history, there has been little focus on the nationwide impact the property and […]
When and How Do I Track My Advertising?Each and every time it runs!That’s the easy answer. After all, it’s your money and your business at stake. You should be learning from every campaign. Here are some basic questions:(1) How many customers did you reach?(2) Why did they pick your business?(3) What was in the ad that made them call or […]
Written by info on April 15th, 2008 with comments disabled.
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Headlines play a crucial role in the success of your business. Your subject line must get your prospect interested enough to read your copy! An effective headline, whether in an email, ad or book, will literally force your potential customers to want to learn more.
There was a book, for example, titled “The Art of Controversy” which was not selling very well. The author changed the title to “How to Argue Logically”. The sales shot up to 30,000. Nothing else was changed in the whole book! This is the power of a good headline!
So, how do you go about writing that attention-grabbing headline? You must first understand a little bit about basic human psychology. Human behavior is always the result of one or more of our five basic needs. You must touch a persons emotions with your headlines. You must address their needs, wants and desires and write your headlines with passion and emotion. You must offer them a key benefit or solution to a problem. You must show them whats in it for them!
Below are several different formulas done by professional copywriters to write compelling headlines.
How to
“How To Write A Business Letter”
“How to” headlines are almost always powerful motivators for prospects. People go on the Internet to find a solution, to learn more about something. Let them know that you are offering something worthwhile and you will have their attention.
Question
“Need More Money?”
Questions are effective because they draw the prospect into an active role from the beginning. They also personalize the message and create some curiosity by addressing a concern many of your prospects have.
Command
“Join RQ With The Elite Team ?Get Personal Coaching and Retire in Style”
Commands project an image of confidence to the prospect and give them a clear message of what they will receive by acting on the command.
News
“New Sampoo Leaves Your Hair Smoother - Easier To Manage”
Keeping your prospects informed of anything that is beneficial to them will help build your online credibility. Anytime you can impart new information to your prospect, let them know this in your headline.
Testimonials
“I have been trained by Anne Ahira, Founder of The Elite Team International, my life has changed and I know without any doubt that this is exactly the best choice I could have ever made. I am very happy to be part of The Elite Team, and Financial Freedom Society, and I am on my way to attain the financial freedom that I have always dreamed of, so I can pursue other dreams in my life.
Without Anne’s support and training, I would not have been able to achieve success in a short period of time. The key of success I found is in duplication of a successful business model, following an intelligent plan and training with a lifetime support that is offered in our team and having someone to hold your hand in the process of learning and earning. Everyone WILL get all of this and more by joining our Elite Team and our successful business.”
Yvonne - Sweden
Testimonials are a very powerful way to inspire trust and confidence in your business. They let your prospect know that other people ?people just like them ?have benefited from your product or service.
This one simple technique can increase your sales by over 200%!
Now, I want you to look at all the formulas again. Notice anything similar? What do all of these techniques have in common? They focus on the BENEFITS the prospect can receive or the SOLUTION to the prospects problem.
One of the biggest mistakes people make in their writing is focusing on features rather than benefits! Features talk about the product or service. Benefits focus on what the prospect can gain from the benefit or service. Still a little confused about the difference? Let me give you an example:
The cars interior has leather seats. This is focused on a feature.
Enjoy a comfortable ride to work! This is focused on a solution or benefit.
Lets look at another one.
Our shampoo has chamomile and jasmine scents. This is focused on a feature.
Our shampoo will leave your hair smelling heavenly! This is focused on a benefit or solution.
Beginning to see the difference? Take your time and try out the different formulas according to your needs. Use a combination of the power words and write a headline that sells. You dont have to be a master of marketing, you just have to understand your target market and speak directly to them; their needs, wants and desires. By learning the art of writing headlines that focus on basic human needs and emotions, you will increase your sales considerably.
By: Anne Ahira
Editor The BEST Affiliate Newsletter
http://www.thebestaffiliate.com
Local Classifieds Convert BestWith internet taking over the whole business transactions, the focus of advertising re-shifts to the power of words. Local classifieds used to have a stigma as being read by only people in the lower income strata. The runaway success of real estate classifieds in real estate magazines, auto classifieds in auto classifieds section of newspapers […]
God Bless The Refrigerator Magnet!Ah, my very favorite promotional product of all, the refrigerator magnet. They are my favorite, because they are so extremely inexpensive, and extremely effective in getting your company name seen in countless locations.They dont make the greatest commission for a salesman of advertising specialties, but I cant stop myself from recommending these little beauties […]
When and How Do I Track My Advertising?Each and every time it runs!That’s the easy answer. After all, it’s your money and your business at stake. You should be learning from every campaign. Here are some basic questions:(1) How many customers did you reach?(2) Why did they pick your business?(3) What was in the ad that made them call or […]
Advanced Tips for Advertising OnlineAdvertising online is really important for the online business. It is also very effective. You can use different types of online advertising methods to get the desired result.Place all your online advertisements in a website that has the maximum visitors a day. This is important because more visitors will ensure that you get good numbers […]
Written by info on April 15th, 2008 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on accounting.
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