Three Simple Conversion Tactics For Timestarved Entrepreneurs

Writen by Ryan Healy

In my experience, entrepreneurs and business owners are some of the most time-strapped people on earth. They've got businesses to run, expenses to account for, and taxes to pay.

That's why I've put together these three simple "conversion tactics" that are bound to help you bring in more customers and increase your advertising ROI.

Let's begin, shall we?

1. Add a consumer trust web seal to your site.

Convincing a prospect to buy from your web site involves a few key ingredients. One of the most important ingredients is trust. Without trust you will not make a sale.

So the question becomes, how do you create enough trust so your prospect is comfortable buying from you? One very simple way is to use third-party credibility in the form of a consumer trust web seal.

Probably the most ubiquitous web seal is the Better Business Bureau logo. Their seal says "BBB Reliability Program." By displaying this, you are basically saying that the BBB has reviewed and approved of your site. Since consumers trust the BBB, and the BBB says they trust you, the consumer is more likely to trust you.

A newer web seal, which is more affordable than the BBB, is available through HONESTe Online. Although their seal is not as widely recognized as the BBB, split tests have shown that displaying the HONESTe Online consumer trust seal can instantly increase conversion rates by as much as 17.6%.

Lastly, I'll mention Scan Alert, the organization behind the green and black "Hacker Safe" web seals. While slightly different than the BBB and HONESTe Online, the use of the "Hacker Safe" seal has a similar effect. It's especially effective when placed on an order page where consumers are afraid of submitting credit card information. By telling them your site is "Hacker Safe," they will be more likely to complete the checkout process.

2. Use your real signature (or a signature that looks real).

As I said earlier, getting prospects to open their wallets and buy from you ultimately hinges on trust. That's why using your signature on your site is a simple yet effective means of increasing conversions.

Why does this work?

Because a signature is still used today as a legal tool. By signing a contract or legal document, you are in effect giving your word and promising to "make good" on what you've said. Furthermore, your signature is an oath that the information you've provided is accurate and complete to the best of your knowledge.

This is why signatures are so powerful.

Remember John Hancock? Of course, you do. He was the very first person to sign the U.S. Declaration of Independence. He made his signature much larger than everyone else did. Some say this was his custom. Others say it was so King George III could read it without his spectacles.

Either way, by signing his name to the Declaration of Independence, and "legally" promising his support of the new country, John Hancock's name is now synonymous with "signature."

On your site, consider using your real signature when you close a letter. Or, as some others have done, consider using your signature directly below the headline on your site. This puts it right up front where people can easily see it. And it builds trust from the very point that your prospect begins reading your sales letter.

3. Put quotation marks around your headline.

This simple conversion tactic has nothing to do with building trust and everything to do with getting attention.

How, you might ask, do quotation marks get attention?

Simply this: People are highly interested in what other people say. "Gossip magazines" are based almost entirely on this quirk of human nature.

By putting your headline in quotation marks, you've made it look like a quote by you or somebody else. This naturally arouses your prospect's curiosity and entices him to read further.

This simple tactic has been tested many times and, as a general rule, has always produced better results than headlines that do not use quotation marks.

Look at your web site. Is your headline in quotation marks? If not, add them now to get a little extra bump in sales.

What might you expect to happen if you implement all three of my simple conversion tactics? It will be different in every case. But I can't imagine a situation where you would not experience an increase in your rate of sales conversions. An increase of at least 10% (from, say, 2% to 2.2%) is highly probable. An increase of 20% or more is still within the range of possibility.

So what should you do now? I suggest you take between 15 minutes and an hour to implement each of these three conversion tactics.

Signing up for a service like HONESTe Online is quick. Should take you about ten minutes to implement. Adding your real signature may take a little longer, depending on your level of technical expertise. I hand-wrote my signature, scanned it into my computer, then used Microsoft Paint to crop it. Finally, adding quotation marks to your headline is the easiest of all. Anyone can do this in seconds.

So there you have it: three simple conversion tactics for time-starved entrepreneurs. I hope they instantly improve your sales.

Learn How Ryan Can Help You http://www.HealyMarketing.com

Which Are You Advertising Chicken Fillets Or Mouse Guts

Writen by Bill Guertin

Cats have very different taste buds than humans. Unfortunately for pet owners (consumers), we're the ones that end up buying the cat food.

Pet food companies have figured this out. That's why you see pet foods in flavors that humans like. If Purina made cat food in flavors that cats would really want, humans would never buy them.

Ask a hungry cat what he'd really like to eat right now. What do you think he'd say?

Mouse Guts.

So why does Purina Cat Chow only come in flavors like Seafood Blend and Savory Chicken? Because we pet owners are the ones making the buying decisions for our cats… and we'd rather have them eat something that doesn't turn our stomachs.

If cats could understand and act on advertising, here's what you'd hear on the radio:

"Hey, cats… it's a crisp, steamy fall morning, and you're fresh from the morning kill. It's what you live for… find a mouse, bat it around, and then proudly bring it home for breakfast. That's why we created Purina Cat Chow with Mouse Guts… so you can re-live that moment and enjoy the taste you crave each and every time your owner remembers to fill your bowl. Purina Cat Chow with Mouse Guts. It's what you want. Right now."

To some of you, this is pretty funny stuff. To others, it makes you a little queasy. That's good. Advertising is supposed to move you in some way.

What does your advertising make your customers do?

Some of you are writing advertising that only pleases you. You may think it's really important that people know you've been in business since 1971. (Mouse guts.) You just remodeled your entryway. (Mouse guts.) Your delivery trucks all just got new tires. (Mouse guts.) It makes your mouth water to hear those things. For everyone else, it just doesn't apply to their lives. It's all Mouse Guts to them.

In fact, it's worse than mouse guts. At least with mouse guts, people have a reaction of some kind. With advertising that only you care about, a much worse thing happens. No one else cares. And they tune you out.

The opposite of love is not hate. It's indifference.

Is your advertising suffering from indifference? If you're not selling benefits that someone will drool over (the equivalent of a tender, juicy bar-B-Q chicken fillet sandwich), you're wasting your ad money.

And if your ads only appeal to those people who don't make a difference to your bottom line (i.e., cats), maybe it's time you re-adjusted your advertising focus.

Here are the two questions you must answer: What do your potential customers crave? And how is that craving satisfied by you?

Let me repeat that, because it's that important.

What do your potential customers crave?

And how is that craving satisfied by you?

Write that down somewhere. Bring it to your next team briefing or sales meeting, and ask everyone to answer these two questions, either on a sheet of paper or in a group discussion forum. Focus your energies on them, and listen to what the group is saying. You'll find that the resulting advertising messages you create will improve measurably.

Everything else is mouse guts.

Bill Guertin, The 800-Pound Gorilla, was one of the youngest licensed Radio broadcasters in the state of Illinois at age 16. Bill's 25+ years of real-world, on-the-street experiences in broadcast sales, service sales and marketing have given him a broad understanding of how and why people do the things they do.

He is currently the Director of Market Development for Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee, IL, and Chief Enthusiasm Officer of The 800-Pound Gorilla, a professional speaking and consulting company in sales, customer service and marketing.

Groups appreciate the fact that Bill is a "working professional", on the streets and in the trenches every day. He understands the challenges of his audiences first-hand, and your group will immediately relate to him on the subject matter. He may be reached at (815) 935-3272, or on the Web at http://www.The800PoundGorilla.com

Dont Damage Your Brand With The Next Cheesy Cable Ad

Writen by Mick Danskin

We've all seen, and laughed at, the cheesy cable ads. From the low-quality video production, the ugly flashing headlines, the silly scripts, the ridiculous acting…they've been entertaining us for years. And, they've raised the question "What were they thinking?" What is so hard to understand, is that the very advertisers who continue to spend good money to produce and run these brand-damaging ads, had to have seen ads like these, themselves...and asked the same question.

We think we can speak for the general cable audience when we say "STOP the madness!"

Prospective advertisers, you might want to answer these questions before proceeding:

1. Do you have quality products or services?

2. Do your products/services hold strong benefits for the demographic audience who will be exposed to your cable spots?

3. Do you believe that advertising is a necessary investment in those products/services?

4. Do you want to influence buying behavior through advertising?

5. Do you think cable spots can accomplish this?

If you answered "No" to any of these questions, you should reconsider your 4Ps (Product, Price, Position, and Promotion). If, however, you answered "Yes" to all of these questions, then you should read on.

Now, we want to offer a few tips that will help you improve the impact your ad has on potential customers:

1. Hire a copywriter/scriptwriter who understands benefit-driven advertising strategy. Don't have your wife or brother-in-law writes the script because they have a marketing degree.

2. Be wary of using humor in your ad, unless you are certain it can be pulled off and supports the selling proposition of the ads.

3. Actors must be directed by someone who knows how to direct.

4. If you or someone within your company is not a capable spokesperson or narrator, hire someone who is.

5. Lighting and sound are critical factors in the final quality and appearance of your spot. Cutting corners here by hiring a cheap video production service will undermine the credibility of the ad content.

6. Developing your ads in light of a thoughtful brand strategy, advertising strategy and marketing communication plan will ensure maximum success.

7. Plan and implement a media plan that will maximize your accuracy, effectiveness and budget.

8. If you can find a firm or strategic team that offers all these services, you are likely to have better results and fewer communication issues.

My philosophy on broadcast advertising is that it must contain benefit-driven content. And that content should not take a seat to entertainment, even when the entertainment is good. If a consumer is not in the market for your product – doesn't care about the benefit your product provides – then it won't matter that they are entertained, either.

However, if a consumer is truly seeking the benefits offered by your product, it is more important to convey those benefits, tell him/her what, when, why and how, than it is to provide them with entertainment.

Here's An Example:

For a specific example of a benefit-rich, quality cable ad, go to www.danskincreative.com, then click on PORTFOLIO and click the violin photo to play the video.

You'll notice that we start out the ad with a recognizable spokesman for our target market, Vassar Clements, who is a legend on the fiddle. We added credibility by showing violinist David Dillard from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. So, we gained attention and credibility right from the start. Then, you'll hear the benefits…"easy to play"…"used for fiddle or classical style"…"it plays easy"…"sounds great." These are the main benefits for the entire ad. You won't always want to show the price right in your ad, but in this instance, affordability and value were strong benefits, as well. The remainder of the ad features Ronald Sachs, pictured in his workshop, listing off product features to support the benefits.

Finally, Mr. Clements tells them to "Try it out!" We chose to run the payment options and contact information throughout the duration of the ad, since consumers would need time to write down the telephone number.

If you adhere to these simple rules and philosophy, you will not be the next advertiser who gets a call from his good friend saying, "What were you thinking?"

Opportunity: To find out how Danskin Creative Communication can improve the efficiency of your marketing, advertising, brand identity and development, web design or web strategy, broadcast ad spots, video production, graphic design, copywriting,public relations, etc., contact us at http://resources.danskincreative.com/index.asp?isFunction=contact

How To Write Better Advertising Copy

Writen by Brian Konradt

A successful marketing plan relies heavily on the pulling-power of advertising copy. Writing result-oriented ad copy is difficult, as it must appeal, entice, and convince consumers to take action. There is no magic formula to write perfect ad copy; it is based on a number of factors, including ad placement, demographic, even the consumer's mood when they see your ad. So how is any writer supposed to pen a stunning piece of advertising copy -- copy that sizzles and sells? The following tips will jumpstart your creative thinking and help you write a better ad.

KNOW THE BASICS

All good advertising copy is comprised of the same basic elements. Good advertising copy always:

Grabs Attention: Consumers are inundated with ads, so it's vital that your ad catches the eye and immediately grabs interest. You could do this with a headline or slogan (such as VW's "Drivers Wanted" campaign), color or layout (Target's new colorful, simple ads are a testimony to this) or illustration (such as the Red Bull characters or Zoloft's depressed ball and his ladybug friend).

Promises Credible Benefit: To feel compelled by an ad, the consumer must stand to gain something; the product is often not enough. What would the consumer gain by using your product or service? This could be tangible, like a free gift; prestige, power or fame. But remember: you must be able to make good on that promise, so don't offer anything unreasonable.

Keeps Interest: Grabbing the consumer's attention isn't enough; you have keep that attention for at least a few seconds. This is where your benefits come into play or a product description that sets your offer apart from the others.

Generates Action: This is the ultimate point of advertising copy -- it must make the reader react in some way. This doesn't necessarily translate to buying the product immediately or using the service. Your ad could be a positioning tool to enable the reader to think about you in a certain light. Speak to your audience, or the audience you'd like to reach, and you'll be surprised how frequently they come to you in the future.

KNOW THE MEDIUM

How you write your advertising copy will be based on where you will place your ad. If it's a billboard ad, you'll need a super catchy headline and simple design due to the speed at which people will pass. Online ads are similar; consumers are so inundated with Internet advertising that your ad must be quick and catchy. Magazine advertising is the most versatile, but this is solely dependent on the size of your ad and how many other ads compete with yours. If you have a full page ad, feel free to experiment; more page space gives you more creative space. If the ad is tiny, you'll need to keep things as simple as possible.

KNOW THE STYLE

Advertising copy is a unique type of writing. Its point is to balance creativity and readability into something persuasive and entertaining. Keep the following points in mind when you write your copy:

Be Succinct: There are few things more damaging to an ad campaign than messy wordiness. Use short sentences with as many familiar words as possible; save the thesaurus for a thesis or dissertation. Always make sure to use precise phrasing (why use five adjectives when one good action verb would do?); and eliminate any redundancies, such as "little tiny" or "annual payments of $XXX per year."

Talk To Your Audience, Not At Them: Though you are announcing the availability of a product or service, avoid being clinical or overly formal. Write as if you're talking to your ideal customer; use a style they'd use, words they'd be familiar with, slang they'd probably know. But be absolutely certain that you're using these terms and phrases correctly. A recent McDonald's campaign attempted to reach a certain audience by using the phrase "I'd hit it" in reference to a cheeseburger, unaware that the phrase is almost always used as a sexual reference.

Avoid Clichés: It's easy for writers new to advertising copy to fall into this trap, but it's a trap that can severely damage the writing. Clichés fail to ignite the imagination; and consumers so numb to the phrases will often skip right past them, effectively ruining the succinct element of your ad. If you find yourself tempted to use a cliché, think about the message you want to convey with that cliché and try to rephrase it in a more imaginative, personal way.

Always Proofread: It's an obvious point, but you'd be surprised how many ads run in a magazine or on a billboard with an error of some sort. Go through your advertising copy carefully to make sure that every word is spelled correctly, the grammar is impeccable and the punctuation is dead on. Even the best ads can be ruined by a misplaced comma or dangling modifier. Use a program like WhiteSmoke ( http://www.WhiteSmokeSoftware.com ) or StyleWriter ( http://www.StyleWriter-USA.com ) to help you write better.

Brian Konradt has been a professional freelance writer for over ten years. He is founder of LousyWriter.com (http://www.LousyWriter.com) and LiteracyNews.com (http://www.LiteracyNews.com).

How You Measure Yourself Is How You Motivate Yourself

Writen by Shamus Brown

One of the keys to strong positive mental attitude is what you compare your personal performance to. Do you compare your sales results to the top producer in your industry? Do you compare your basketball playing ability to Michael Jordan? Do you compare your last presentation to a speech delivered by Ronald Reagan or JFK?

Or do you compare your results today, to those you had yesterday?

Sports, sales, and the media teach us to compare our success against that of others, living or dead. Consistently successful people however place their primary focus on their own progress, using the achievements of others as inspiration for what is possible.

By comparing yourself to others you risk feeling like you're a failure, which could cause you to avoid working towards your goal. When you are comparing yourself to yourself, you create momentum behind your actions towards your goal because you feel great as you realize the progress you are making.

© 1999-2004 Shamus Brown, All Rights Reserved.

Shamus Brown is a Professional Sales Coach and former high-tech sales pro who began his career selling for IBM. Shamus has written more than 50 articles on selling and is the creator of the popular Persuasive Selling Skills CD Audio Program. You can read more of Shamus Brown's sales tips at http://Sales-Tips.industrialEGO.com/ and you can learn more about his persuasive sales skills training at http://www.Persuasive-Sales-Skills.com/

My Attitude Towards The Platitudes In Marketing And Advertising

Writen by Jeremy Tuber

Have you ever heard of a "platitude" before? Kind of a funny that platitude sounds a lot like a "platypus". Big difference though: the platypus is an exceptional animal that is so distinctive, that people stop and stare at it wherever it goes. Conversely, the platitude isn't so unique; in fact, it causes people to yawn and becoming disinterested and disengaged.

So what is a platitude?

A leading marketing expert at Y2Marketing described a platitude like this, "Words are phrases that are drearily commonplace and predictable that lack power to evoke interest though overuse or repetition that nevertheless are stated as though they were original or significant."

Here's a quick list of the perpetrators to look out for, how many times have you seen them in other people's marketing and advertising? When you saw them, didn't you think, "They're the same as everyone else?"

* We're the fastest

* More honest

* Best service

* Get the job done right

* Largest selection

* Most convenient

* We're experts

These are all good qualities to have; don't get me wrong. But how often have you gone through a magazine or telephone book and sifted though countless ads that all looked and said the same thing? No separation, no distinction and no way to tell one business from another; it was hard to choose a business wasn't it? That's largely because the businesses were using platitudes. When this happens we as prospects or consumers get confused and become disinterested, and that means low to no sales for that business.

By unwittingly using platitudes in marketing and advertising you're in effect telling your prospects that there really isn't any difference between you and the competition, and there's no real reason they should choose to do business with you. If your marketing and advertising says the same thing as everyone else you'll blend in and get lost with everyone else in the crowd.

Saying the same thing and appearing the same as everyone in your marketing and advertising causes confusion and apathy on the part of your prospect, and slow to no sales for you. When you're investing hard-earned money into your business you want to get the most out of your investment, and that means making sure whoever does your marketing and advertising can make your projects unique and effective.

What you can conclude here is that in order to get more customers, better customers and get the absolute most out of your marketing and advertising dollars you have to discover and bring out what's unique about you. Different is good, in fact, being different is essential - if you're not unique, you're invisible. This is why the "free" graphic design you receive when advertising in a publication is something you want to avoid, (check out my article, "When Free's Not What It's Cracked Up to Be").

So what can you do to be unique?

You can invest time and money in learning what's unique about you, or if that isn't your cup of tea, you hire a business savvy graphic designer who can help uncover what's unique about you and why that should make you the clear and overwhelming choice for your prospects to do business with. Hey - that's what I do for a living, and why I invest so much time and energy in learning about you, your business, your competition, your clients and your vision and direction when designing marketing and advertising projects. I, and other high level marketing designers can help prospects see you as unique, I suppose we can help you look like - well, a platypus.

Have you ever felt like you have an outstanding business but you're the best-kept secret in town? If you do there's a strong chance that your marketing and advertising makes you blend in with everyone else. Frustrating isn't it? If you're looking to change things up in your business and start getting every last dime of value out of your marketing and advertising, give me a call at 480.391.0704 and schedule your free business credibility consultation. Let's talk about taking you from being a secret to a success; let's talk about turning your platitudes into platypuses.

I help small businesses build more confidence and credibility into their business brand. Through marketing and design initiatives; I help you feel better about your company. Making you feel good about your business gives you more confidence and less anxiety when you are networking, promoting or selling your business. If your business needs the reliability and talent of an in-house marketing and design department but doesn't want additional employees, salaries and benefits, give me a call at 480.391.0704 - I have a new approach for you.

If you are looking for more free insight and inspiration, you'll want to get in on the "Can-Do Confidence Builder". Emailed weekly, the Confidence Builder provides you with essential marketing and design insights that help you get the most out of your investment and help you to stay one step ahead of the competition. Email me at comments@candographics.com and asked to be added to our list or visit http://www.candographics.com

Aida And Dagmar Models For An Advertising Agency

Writen by Keith George

An ad agency or advertising agency is a business or service dedicated to planning, handling and creating advertising for clients. These agencies are independent of clients and provide their skills and views to sell client's services or products.

Advertising agencies can also manage branding strategies, marketing and sales promotions for its clients.

For an advertising agency, it is very important to realize that they can increase sales with their effort. Truly speaking, advertising agencies are minds working on the other side of the internet to increase sales. For a person working as an advertising agent, it is very important to know about the buyer's psychology.

Those who are working in an advertising agency should know about the various thought processes that go in the mind of a reader or a viewer, a potential buyer. This will definitely help to build your business better.

There are ample of theories to explain the process that goes in the buyer's mind when he/she goes to purchase anything.

The process is not the same for each buyer and it is sequential.

One of the popular features followed by ad agencies is AIDA. AIDA is a acronym stands for:

A – Attention

I – Interest

D – Desire

A – Action

The AIDA model states that advertising agency should know how to draw attention of a buyer to get the customer interested by exhibiting its advantages, benefits and features. Interest is followed by desire. It is advertising agency's duty to create a desire in a buyer to buy a specific product.

All three steps of the AIDA policy will help you to stimulate the action towards the purchase of a product. AIDA theory guides and leads you to build a better advertising business. BIG B's of advertising world have followed AIDA to generate good advertisement campaigns.

Another model called DAGMAR has now increasingly become more popular and comprehensive than AIDA. DAGMAR steps are more defined and easy to apply.

Term DAGMAR is an acronym for Defining Advertising Goals for Measured Advertising Results. According to DAGMAR, a sale must carry a potential customer through four stages:

I. Awareness

II. Comprehension

III. Conviction

IV. Action

Suppose you are having a service or product and your customer knows nothing about the product. As your client is unaware of the product, the first step is to make him aware of your product by posting advertisement regarding your product on respective websites.

Comprehension is the second step of DAGMAR. Try to know the answers to these following questions.
a) What is your product about?
b) What are product's potential features and benefits of product?
c) What will your customer get from your product? And how?

Answers to all these questions will help you to get a potential customer.

Next stage is conviction and this is very important. Convince your customer by telling him the benefits of your product. After convincing, your next step starts i.e. action, which is not controlled by you. You have to depend on the customer.

However, your previous actions will have a major role to play. If you have been able to convince, the customer ad have answered him satisfactorily and then you will definitely be the winner of the day.

Keith George always writes about valuable news & reviews. A related resource is Ads Agencies. More information can be found at Tips & News

Online Local Directories For Small Businesses

Writen by Clive Carlton

When a customer wants to find a local business she may use one of the well known world wide search engines.

She might type in "Plumbers in Birmingham". (Or whatever your business type and location is). If you show up in the search results then you are very lucky. Of course you've got no chance of showing up in the results if you don't have a website.

The first few search results are probably from the well known large national directories followed by lesser known local directories. The potential customer will click on one of these search results and then select the business to call.

That's why you've got to get your business listed in directory, regardless of whether you have a website or not.

There are several problems with national directories, one is their high cost and the other is that they cover every type of business from Accountants to Zoo keepers. There's nothing wrong with that and if you can afford it then go ahead and advertise in them, but make sure you track your results so that you can monitor how effective your advert is.

You might like to consider getting your business listed in specialised local directories. For example you may be able to find a directory that specialises in finance and only lists accountants, IFAs and banks etc. Another specialised directory may cater for tradesmen such as Plumbers, Electricians and Gas Installers.

Let's say that your business is that of selling golf equipment. You can appreciate that it is probably best to advertise in a golfing magazine rather than a sports magazine. The golfing magazine can be compared to the specialised online local directories. And the sports magazine is like the national non specialised online directory.

If you've got a local business, take a few minutes to find a specialised local directory where you can list your business. Even better, find one that does not require you to pay anything for a basic listing.

Clive Carlton writes for http://www.handyexperts.co.uk a local directory where you can find local plumbers, electricians and gas installers etc.

Rebel With A Cause Most Advertising In Existence Is In Itself A Detriment

Writen by Linda Caroll

Howard Luck Gossage, dubbed The Socrates of San Francisco, believed that "most advertising in existence is, in itself, a detriment to the industry."

"Trying to explain responsibility to advertising men
is like trying to convince an eight-year-old that sexual
intercourse is more fun than a chocolate ice cream cone."
Howard Luck Gossage; 1917-1969

Howard Luck Gossage, an advertising man who hated advertising, had a vision of what it should be. He believed that too many people who create advertising rely on repetition of an essentially dull message .

"There is only so much fertilizer one ought to use," Gossage observed, "but people tend to lay it on so thick that it begins to obliterate the crop it was supposed to nurture... At which point it starts to attract flies, the neighbours complain and the stench is unbearable!"

"Is advertising worth saving? From an economic point of view, I don't think that most of it is. From an aesthetic point of view, I'm damn sure it's not; it is thoughtless, boring and there is simply too much of it."

Marketing legend David Ogilvy described Gossage as "the most articulate rebel in the advertising business."

One year after his death, Gossage was posthumously inducted into the Advertising Copywriters Hall of Fame.

Thirty four years after his death, a landmark study by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) verifies that the fertilizer is, indeed, still obliterating the crop.

The average direct marketing campaign response is a mere 2.61%

The catalog industry average campaign response is only 2.51%

The average response for web only direct marketing is a weak 1.35%

In the bestseller, "The Fall of Advertising & the Rise of PR," co-author Al Ries says;

"War and marketing have many similarities. Military generals who fight today's war with last war's weapons are no different than marketing generals who fight today's marketing war with advertising when they should be using PR. Yesterday it was armor. Today it's airpower. Yesterday it was advertising. Today it's PR"

Simply put, advertising has no credibility to the consumer. It's a self serving message paid for by a company eager to make the sale. To grow your business, you need the validity that only a credible third party endorsement can bring.

While direct marketers get two thumbs down from 97 out of every 100 people that read their messages, companies like Starbucks, The Body Shop, Amazon.com, Yahoo, eBay, Google, Playstation, Red Bull, Microsoft, Intel and Blackberry eschewed advertising and rode the back of the PR pony to fame and fortune.

Every business has a story to tell.
Are you telling yours?

Need a little website magic? Get it, free, at LindaCaroll.com

The Benefits Of Specific Advertising

Writen by James Burchill

The great Claude Hopkins (Author of Scientific Advertising) once said, "Platitudes and generalities roll off the human understanding like water from a duck. They leave no impression whatever."

To say, "Best in the world," "Lowest price in existence," etc. are at best simply claiming the expected. But superlatives of that sort are usually damaging. They suggest looseness of expression, a tendency to exaggerate, a careless truth. They lead readers to discount all the statements that you make.

--- A Dog & Pony Show

It's true that people accept a certain license in 'sales talk.' A person may say, "Highest quality" without seeming a liar, although you realise other brands are just as good. We expect a sales person to 'sell' and we excuse some enthusiastic exaggeration. It's for that reason general statements count for very little. And a person inclined to grand statements and superlatives must expect their claims to meet a healthy dose of scepticism.

However, someone making a specific claim is either telling the truth lying. We know advertisers cannot lie in the best mediums, so a definite statement is usually accepted. Actual figures are not generally discounted. Specific facts, when stated, have their full weight and effect.

--- Just The Facts Ma'am

This is very important to consider in written or personal salesmanship. The weight of an argument may often be multiplied by making it specific. Say that one brand of light bulb gives more light than another and you leave some doubt. Say it gives 354% more light and people realize that you have made tests and comparisons.

A dealer may say, "Our prices have been reduced" without creating any marked impression. But when he says, "Our prices have been reduced 27 per cent" they get the full value of their announcement.

--- The Pre-emptive Advantage & Specificity

In the old days all beers were advertised as "Pure." The claim made no impression. The bigger the type used, the bigger the folly. After millions had been spent to impress a platitude, one brewer pictured a plate glass where beer was cooled in filtered air. They pictured a filter of white wood pulp through which every drop was cleared. They told how bottles were washed four times by machinery. They he went down 4,000 feet for pure water. How 1,018 experiments had been made to attain a yeast to give beer that matchless flavour. And how all the yeast was forever made from that adopted mother cell.

Now don't misunderstand – any brewer might have easily made these claims. They were mere essentials in ordinary brewing. But this one company was the first to tell everyone about them, while the others simply kept repeating the worn out statement "pure beer." This one brewer made the greatest success that was ever made in beer advertising.

--- The Art of Leverage

Remember, one advertising statement may take as much room as another, yet a definite statement is many times more effective. The difference is vast. If a claim is worth making, make it in the most impressive way you possibly can.

All these effects must be studied. 'Salesmanship-in-print' can be very expensive. A salesperson's loose talk matters little when it's simply one-on-one. However, when you are 'talking' to many at great cost, the weight of your advertising claims is important.

Remember, no generality has any weight whatever. It's like saying, "How do you do?", when you have no intention of inquiring about one's health. And specific claims when made in print are taken at their value.

So the next time you are dreaming up adverts and offers for your business – BE SPECIFIC!

Author: http://www.JamesBurchill.com - James is a freelance writer and consultant

Advertising 101

Writen by Harry Hoover

You have your corporate ID package, a website and are doing search engine advertising using ReachLocal.com. You have an excellent PR program in place that includes an nTarget.com-based email newsletter, guest speaking and media relations. And, you are working feverishly to retain the customers you have. You are, right?

Then, it is time to ramp up the marketing noise with advertising. From Professor Hoover's Advertising 101 file, here are a few things you need to ask before you launch that ad campaign.

What can I tell prospects that would interest them? Consumers don't care that you are the largest or the best. That's budget-wasting chest-thumping on the advertiser's part. In fact, most of them aren't even paying attention to advertising about your type of business at all. You've got to give the prospect a reason to care. Tell him what is in it for him. Let's say you are the most knowledgeable Realtor in your market. Big whoop! How does that help me? Now, if you use your expertise to sell my house fast and at a premium price, I'm suddenly very interested. Select the message first before you even think about the medium.

Who are my prospects? Do you really know who you are trying to reach? You may need to know where they live, their financial situation, their media habits, and their purchase habits. Do they have children? What kind of car do they drive? The more you know, the easier it is to develop an effective message and to select a medium to reach them.

Can I make the message relevant and compelling? I hate ads because most of them are so bad. They often are so vague that you don't know why the company bothered. In trying to reach everyone, they reach no one. That's what I call the all carbon-based life forms approach. Or maybe the ad tried to pack in too much information and too many features. Be direct, concise, relevant and truthful, and then you might reach someone with an ad.

What's my desired result? Some businesses need store traffic now and aren't that worried about tomorrow, some need to build relationships for the long haul, and some need to bolster their reputation. Driving traffic can be done relatively inexpensively and immediately. The other two take discipline, consistency, time and money. Be clear about what you are trying to accomplish and whether you have the resources to achieve your goals.

Can I deliver? The worst thing that can happen is that your advertising works too well and you aren't able to deliver on your promise. Or, you did the unthinkable and lied about your product or service and are not really able to deliver the benefit you promised.

So, there you have it. Be relevant, impactful, original and truthful if you want your ads to work.

Harry Hoover is managing principal of Hoover ink PR. He has 30 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Bank of Commerce, Brent Dees Financial Planning, Focus Four, Levolor, New World Mortgage, North Carolina Tourism, TeamHeidi, Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, VELUX, and Verbatim.

Advertisings Two Important Virtue

Writen by Kurt Mortensen

You have complete control. Unlike public relations efforts, you have final word in determining where, when and how often your message will appear, how it will look and what it will say. You can target your audience more readily (working mothers, new home purchasers, small truck owners) and aim at very specific geographic areas. You can be consistent through advertising that presents your company's image and sales message over time to build awareness and trust.

Similar to McDonald's golden arches, a distinctive identity can eventually become clearly associated with your company. People will recognize you quickly and easily - whether in ads, mailers, packaging or signage - if you present yourself consistently through all the promotional vehicles at your disposal.

What Are Advertising's Drawbacks?

It takes planning. You'll pay less per ad in newspapers and magazines by agreeing to run several ads over time rather than deciding issue by issue. Likewise, you can achieve certain economies by preparing a number of ads at once. It takes time and persistence. The effectiveness of your advertising is measured over the long run. That's because people don't see every one of your ads. They only see some of them some of the time. You must repeatedly remind prospects and customers about the benefits of doing business with you. It's this constant repetition and the cumulative effect that win the day. It is also the long-term effort that triggers recognition and helps special offers or direct marketing really pay off.

Kurt Mortensen's trademark is Magnetic Persuasion; rather than convincing others, he teaches that you should attract them, just like a magnet attracts metal filings. He teaches that sales have changed and the consumer has become exponentially more skeptical and cynical within the last five years. Most persuaders are using only 2 or 3 persuasion techniques when there are actually 120 available! His message and program has helped thousands and will help you achieve unprecedented success in both your business and personal life. If you are ready to claim your success and learn what only the ultra-prosperous know, begin by going to http://www.PreWealth.com and getting my free report "10 Mistakes That Continue Costing You Thousands." After reading my free report, go to http://www.PreWealth.com/IQ and take the free Persuasion IQ analysis to determine where you rank and what area of the sales cycle you need to improve in order to close every sale!

7 Questions To Ask Before You Advertise

Writen by Michele Pariza Wacek

Most business owners and managers keep a fairly close eye on their marketing budgets.

And nothing throws a budget out of whack faster than advertising.

Advertising, or paying good money to get your message in front of your target market, still has a place in your marketing mix, although it's not quite as effective as it once was.

If you're going to advertise, you need to be smart about it -- or you can quickly find yourself with a blown budget and not much to show for it. Below are seven questions to ask yourself before writing out that check.

1. Do you need to generate customers/traffic/leads/etc. right away? If so, then you better pull out your wallet. Advertising is hands down the fastest way to get your message in front of your target market. (You're paying for placement after all.)

2. Do you have another way to get the word out about your business? For instance, do you have a customer database or an e-zine list? If so, then you might be better off sending an e-mail (assuming you have customers' e-mails). Although technically e-mail announcements fall under advertising, I'm not counting it in this particular case because it's more or less free (or very low cost).

Perhaps you have a good news angle and a good relationship with a reporter. Or you have a high-traffic Web site and/or blog. Or maybe you're an active volunteer with a large organization and can use networking to get the message out.

But if none of those really apply, then you'd better take a closer look at advertising.

3. Do you need to augment your other marketing efforts? Maybe you have articles featured on a Web site targeted to your customer base. Great when your article is front and center and not-so-great when your article is buried in archives. A little advertising on that site can keep you in your target market's sight all the time. Or maybe you struck gold and got a big article written about your company in the perfect trade publication. Fantastic for that month and not-so-fantastic for the other 11 months of the year. Or maybe it's taking you longer than you'd like to drive traffic to your Web site. Advertising is good for speeding things along.

Frequency is king when it comes to marketing -- if you're out of your customers' sight, you're probably out of their mind when it comes to buying time. Advertising is a good way to beef up or speed up what you're already doing.

4. Are other marketing methods not appropriate in this situation? Let's say you want to have a sale. But your customer database is small (or nonexistent). Your Web site has minimal traffic. And you aren't going to get any bites from the media since having a sale isn't news. What do you do? Run some ads.

5. Would you rather save time than money? Let's face it. Running an ad is easy. Other marketing methods are more time-consuming. If you want your marketing to be easy, then advertising is about as easy as it's going to get. (Now there is a caveat to this one, because you can hire people to do some of those marketing tasks, such as updating Web sites, running PR campaigns, etc. However, not everything can be hired out so you still might be stuck spending time you don't have.)

6. Are you planning to test a new campaign or a new product/target market? Running small, inexpensive ads can be a good way to test certain marketing aspects before launching big, expensive, time-consuming campaigns. If you want to penetrate a new market or if you have a new product to launch or a new marketing message to try, buy some ads and see what the response rate is. Another strength of advertising is control -- you have total control over your test.

7. Do other marketing approaches never quite measure up? It happens. Advertising in one or two specific media outlets seem to generate more sales and more leads then anything else you've tried. If that's the case, then don't mess with it. As the old saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Creativity Exercise -- Advertising and your business

Is advertising right for your business? Try this exercise and see.

1. What's your biggest marketing challenge right now? Write it down.

2. Go through the above list of questions and ask yourself each one. Does it apply to your situation? If it does, write that down too.

3. Do some brainstorming. In what ways can you use advertising to solve your marketing challenges? What media would work best? Online? Print? Radio? Television? Direct mail? Something else? Make up an ad for a variety of media.

Now do the exact opposite. Think of ways advertising WON'T work for your business. Brainstorm at least 25 reasons why advertising won't work for your specific situation. Be silly. It's a good way to loosen you up.

4. Go back and reread both your pro and con lists. Now read your ads. Do you like what you came up with? Do any of them resonate with you, even now after coming up with your list of objections?

You may have just come up with your next advertising campaign.

Michele Pariza Wacek is the author of "Got Ideas? Unleash Your Creativity and Make More Money." She offers two free e-zines that help subscribers combine their creativity with hard-hitting marketing and copywriting principles to become more successful at attracting new clients, selling products and services and boosting business. She can be reached at http://www.TheArtistSoul.com. Copyright 2005 Michele Pariza Wacek

Advertising Pitfalls

Writen by Kurt Mortensen

Perhaps the greatest obstacle to good advertising is excess. Ads can end up so crammed with ideas and features that they appear dense and uninviting. If over-designed, they can become more artistic than motivational, obscuring the sales message. If over-written, they can become over-subtle or over-cute. Certainly, some of the best ads ever created are clever and visually arresting; but good ads must also sell.

Similarly, selling points may over-promise. Use "largest," "best" and other superlatives only if you can back them up. Avoid any claim that could be construed as deceptive. In addition, make sure the overall tone of your ad is upbeat and appealing. Emphasize the solutions you provide, not the problems you address. And get outside opinions on your new advertising concepts to be certain they carry the personality and message you intend.

Fundamentals of Headlines, Copy and Design

While there are many opinions about what constitutes good headlines, copy and design, most professionals agree that these individual elements of the ad must work together. In combination, they must grab attention, convey a persuasive message and portray a consistent identity. An ad that's too cluttered can't convey a message quickly enough to engage the reader or viewer. One that's out of character with the product or service will be confusing rather than convincing. An effective headline (or a broadcast ad's opening moments) must immediately capture the audience's interest and pull them into the ad. A good rule of thumb is to look for the inherent "drama" in what you are offering and capitalize on that to create an alluring ad.

Examples: "We're Losing Our Minds" - a university ad appealing for funds. And "You Don't Have to Be Jewish to Love Levy's" - a bread company ad featuring a Chinese man biting into a whopping pastrami sandwich.

Next, the photo or illustration amplifies the message. A recent ad for Bull Worldwide Information Systems, for example, showed a satellite photo of the earth with the headline "GloBull."

Once the headline and illustration have drawn the customer into your ad, the copy convinces them to buy. So make it believable, full of information and bolstered with words and style that complement your identity. Almost any Mercedes Benz print ad exemplifies convincing copy in a style that suits the product perfectly.

Broadcast advertising will also involve selecting music, sound effects, actors or announcers and perhaps a theme song. All these elements enhance your message and reinforce your identity but, for the most part, the copy and what it conveys actually do the selling.

Learning how to persuade and influence will make the difference between hoping for a better income and having a better income. Beware of the common mistakes presenters and persuaders commit that cause them to lose the deal.

Conclusion

Persuasion is the missing puzzle piece that will crack the code to dramatically increase your income, improve your relationships, and help you get what you want, when you want, and win friends for life. Ask yourself how much money and income you have lost because of your inability to persuade and influence. Think about it. Sure you've seen some success, but think of the times you couldn't get it done. Has there ever been a time when you did not get your point across? Were you unable to convince someone to do something? Have you reached your full potential? Are you able to motivate yourself and others to achieve more and accomplish their goals? What about your relationships? Imagine being able to overcome objections before they happen, know what your prospect is thinking and feeling, feel more confident in your ability to persuade. Professional success, personal happiness, leadership potential, and income depend on the ability to persuade, influence, and motivate others.

Kurt Mortensen's trademark is Magnetic Persuasion; rather than convincing others, he teaches that you should attract them, just like a magnet attracts metal filings. He teaches that sales have changed and the consumer has become exponentially more skeptical and cynical within the last five years. Most persuaders are using only 2 or 3 persuasion techniques when there are actually 120 available! His message and program has helped thousands and will help you achieve unprecedented success in both your business and personal life. If you are ready to claim your success and learn what only the ultra-prosperous know, begin by going to http://www.PreWealth.com and getting my free report "10 Mistakes That Continue Costing You Thousands." After reading my free report, go to http://www.PreWealth.com/IQ and take the free Persuasion IQ analysis to determine where you rank and what area of the sales cycle you need to improve in order to close every sale!

Advertising That Annoys The Real Story

Writen by Mark Levit

Critics conclude that entertaining or "creative" commercials sell better than those that are bland. But liking the commercial may not really be that important in the scheme of things. It all depends on the needs and preferences, motivation and financial reservations of the customer. The question isn't whether people like the advertisement or not, it's whether the advertisement is effective in selling.

Often, people who are irritated by certain campaigns don't fall within the intended target market. In 2000 Budweiser ran its ''Whassup?!'' campaign. Ad Track reported these commercials scored best with 18- to 24-year-olds; 52% of the survey participants said they liked them ''a lot'', while participants 65 years old and over didn't understand them, or didn't want to; 61% disliked the commercials. Yet, it's highly unlikely that Budweiser was trying to reach the 65+ market.

When Toys R Us launched their campaign featuring Geoffrey the giraffe to promote the revamping of all Toys R Us stores, 38% of women rated the advertisements highly compared to 16% of men. Since the advertiser's goal was to get moms back into the stores, that low rating from men was meaningless to Toys R Us.

Pier 1 started running its commercials featuring Kirstie Alley this year. Twenty-seven percent of the people familiar with the commercials didn't like them, and only 6% thought that they were effective. That comes as a surprise to Pier 1 because same-store sales rose 17% in February and foot traffic is up 12% since October! The goal of most advertising is to increase sales. So, if people buy, the advertising is effective—no matter what critics may say.

Let's look at some other factors that contribute to the effectiveness of "irritating" or "disliked" advertising. Media weighting has a lot to do with response to advertising. It's important the media plan is developed to accurately reach its target. Just the right amount of frequency has been proven to increase recall, recognition and even persuasion. So a focused and targeted media schedule with effective frequency is a major influence in selling a product.

Familiarity with the product plays a role in increased sales of a brand with an "irritating" advertising campaign, too. According to the Journal of Advertising Research, customers' knowledge of, experience with, or loyalty to a brand are components of familiarity—and familiarity is the most important factor in the effectiveness of advertising. Since customers tend to give greater attention to advertisements of a familiar brand, and may attach their experience with the brand to the advertisement, customers are likely to accept the message and respond to the "irritating" advertisement with a purchase.

International Brand & Advertising Research conducted a test to determine if "feelings of liking or disliking commercials are the motors that drive brand attitudes and sales." In the study, 251 30-second commercials were aired, representing six major product categories: food, confectionery & desserts, beverages, household products, personal care products and automotive. An analysis of the 251 commercials showed that there was no "robust, empirical evidence to suggest that either liking or disliking are reliable predictors of a commercial's performance in relation to sales-validated, evaluative measures." In fact, liking or disliking accounted for "no more that 11% of the variation on any of the major evaluative measures."

A "well-liked" advertising campaign does not always mean an increase in sales. Just like an "irritating" advertising campaign does not always suppress sales. The fact of the matter is that effectiveness depends on factors other than "likeability", and what may be "irritating" to some may not be "irritating" to the intended target. At the same time, what may be "well-liked" by one group may not be received as well by another. It's up to the advertiser to determine the most likely target and the best way to reach that market to make a campaign effective.

Mark Levit is managing partner of Partners & Levit Advertising and a professor of marketing at New York University. Partners & Levit's clients include Procter & Gamble, UnitedHealth Group, and GE Commercial Finance. For more information call 212-696-1200 or visit http://www.partnerslevit.com.

5 Advertising Mistakes Most Small Businesses Make

Writen by J D Moore

Effective advertising is an investment in your business. Ineffective advertising is a liability and a waste of money. Here are the top 5 things to avoid making sure you advertise effectively.

1. Don't advertise at all

If you are in business and you don't do some kind of advertising you are not doing business. The only excuse for not advertising is that you have more business than you can handle and then you should expand, raise yoru prices, and advertise more.

This is not to say that you should buy advertising that you cannot afford. If you're strapped for cash, look for low cost advertising options like co-op advertising, buying remnant newspaper space, flyers, direct mail, or negotiate for trade.

If you are reading this then I am assuming that Coke and Nike are slightly larger companies than yours. These companies spend hundreds of millions of dollars a year in advertising. Why? Well, how long do you think they would keep brand dominance if they stopped advertising today? Pepsi and New Balance would take over in a matter of days or weeks.

If things are slow – that's a ridiculous reason not to advertise. How do you expect them to pick up – magic? Studies show companies that advertise through economic downturns out perform their competitors during the downturn. When the economy picks up they boom.

There are too many cost effective ways to advertise for you not to be building your business.

2. Put all your eggs in one basket

One ad in one place does not make an effective campaign. A good advertising strategy includes a good mix of methods. Studies show that ideally you should be reaching your customers 4 or more ways.

Combining radio or TV advertising with print will increase the ROI of both. Multiple exposures to your message has a synergistic effect. Don't blow the budget on a tv or radio campaign and forget other channels.

3. Don't target your advertising

If you are selling a product or service targeted to people that earn in the top 2% income and you advertise in a mass market medium like the newspaper you are wasting 98% of your advertising dollars.

Who are your customers and where are they likely to see your message?

I saw a great example of targeting recently. An upscale steakhouse advertised in a golf magazine. Golf is a fairly expensive hobby, and many who golf for business networking also do business lunches and dinners in upscale restaurants.

4. Run a cute or gimmicky ad

Ads that are cute and gimmicky may win advertising awards (and frequently do) but they do not sell unless they are designed to sell.

I know you have some wonderfully creative idea for an existentialist ad that violates the advertising principles that billions of dollars and hundreds of years of research have proven effective. Good luck! Creativity is great, but ground it with good marketing principles.

5. Advertise inconsistently

Ok you ran your 2 column inch display ad in the back of the local newspaper once and you didn't get the 50,000 new customers you want. So, you pull the ad, change your whole message and put it somewhere else. No dice.

Testing response is ok, and it's a good idea to test campaigns. However, advertising takes time to work. Did you know that the average person who responds to an infomercial has seen that infomercial 7 times? Print advertising builds to a level of maximum effect after 4-6 months. Even direct mail takes multiple hits to be effective.

Consistency and repetition are cornerstones of effective advertising.

Copyright 2005 J D Moore

J D Moore - Marketing Comet
Small Business Marketing Secrets
http://marketingcomet.typepad.com

Advertising Today Pays The Bills Tomorrow

Writen by Lance Winslow

They say advertising will help build your business and indeed Ted Tuner use to say; Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise. And the young Ted Turner meant it too. You see, Advertising Today Pays the Bills Tomorrow. Of course if you pay too much for advertising, which does not pull such as expensive Yellow Page Advertising or Yellow Page Advertising, which is too cluttered then the bill keeps coming but no customers come a calling.

Nevertheless, you could never argue that efficient advertising today will pay the bills tomorrow. Businesses need good marketing and advertising. Unfortunately cash strapped small businesses will cut back on advertising to save a buck on expenses today and sacrifice their near future business volume because of it.

You must not be left out in the cold or hang your business out to dry when it comes to proper advertising. Ted Turner knew this and look where he ended up; On Forbes Billionaire listings.

Advertising Today Pays the Bills Tomorrow and you must never forget this. Perhaps today is a good time to review your advertising budget and your past successes and think about where you wish to be tomorrow and start advertising again today? Consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Why Would Anyone Want Your Business Card

Writen by Diana Ratliff

Do you remember how proud you were the first time you saw your name in print?

Most entrepreneurs feel that same flush of pride when they gaze on their new business cards. That small piece of paper represents years of planning and effort and hard work and dreams. The thrill of seeing "your name in print" on a business card is hard to beat.

Unfortunately, other people couldn't care less. Your business card, the one you're so proud of, is just another advertisement ? another piece of clutter to file. It's no more or less important than any of the many business cards that cross a prospect's desk at any given point in time.

So how do you make sure that your card is one of the few that attracts attention, gets kept, filed, and actually used when your prospect needs your product or service?

It pays to think about the reasons people keep cards to begin with. Often, it's not for the reason you expect. Understanding this critical concept can dramatically affect the design and ultimate effectiveness of your card.

Let's say that you install and maintain swimming pools. You meet Nancy Newcomer and have a great conversation about landscaping around in-ground pools. You're eager to conclude the conversation by giving her your business card because she certainly displays a lot of interest in your service. She's a "hot prospect" for sure!

Not necessarily.

Nancy could just as easily be asking because her neighbor has a pool, or because her mom had a bad experience when they installed their pool, or because she's always liked to swim and loves plants too, or because she collects business cards and doesn't have one with a pool on it, or because she's new in town and you're the only friendly person she met today.

In fact, according to Dr. Lynella Grant, author of "The Business Card Book", there are eight reasons that someone may decide to keep your business card.

1. As a link to a potential customer or client

Let's say you're in network marketing, and John Johnson mentions that his wife used to be in MLM, too. She liked the business model but just wasn't happy with the company. Odds are you'll keep John's card because it's a means of contacting John's wife about your own business opportunity.

2. As a link to a resource or a supplier

If you're in the construction business and meet someone who sells hard-to-find lighting and fixtures, you'll probably keep their business card.

3. As a link to a colleague

Many business people keep business cards of colleagues and competitors. Perhaps you refer business to each other during busy periods, or work together as members of an industry association.

4. For social, non-business reasons

Maybe you couldn't care less that Kelly sells car insurance. She's awfully cute, though...

5. For referring business - it may be passed on to someone else

If your neighbor has had a hard time finding someone who washes windows, and you meet someone who's just started a residential window washing service, you'll probably accept their business card and pass it on to your neighbor.

6. To update information they already have

Maybe they have an old card of yours with your old phone number on it, or without your website address.

7. "Just in case"

Some people have a hard time parting with anything because they might need it someday.

8. Finally, a business card may be kept because of something likable, unusual or useful about the person or their card

I kept the business card of a police officer named "Sarah Justice" just because I think she's got a great name for her line of work (it's called an "aptronym"). Other people keep business cards that contain useful information such as amortization schedules or lists of emergency phone numbers.

Keep these reasons in mind when designing your card. Make it clear what you do and who you do it for. Your card may be passed on to someone else, or the recipient may be trying to remember you later after a long day of meeting people at a convention.

More strategies:

• Add useful information to the back of your card.

• Get in the habit of jotting notes on the back of business cards ("Likes football. Send catalog.") Encourage card recipients to do the same.

• Ask people who receive your cards to pass them on and reward them for referring business to you.

• Develop and memorize a catchy tagline to say as you hand out your card, especially if your card isn't particularly unusual or useful.

Stuck with boring or generic company-designed cards? Create your own online and choose from thousands of business card templates for a truly unique design.

About The Author

Diana Ratliff of GreatFX Business Cards helps business people get great business results through effective business card marketing. You can get more free articles and order business cards online at the company website, http://www.greatfxbusinesscards.com.

info@greatfxbusinesscards.com

10 Reasons Why Your Company Needs Custom Invitations

Writen by Laura Paladino

I am always amazed when I hear about companies who spend tens of thousands of dollars organizing a make-it-or-break-it company event designed to celebrate a company milestone and/or impress prospective customers. Sometimes these events have big contracts or sales at stake! Yet, often planners will fall short on the most critical aspect of planning the event—the invitations! After all, before a client steps foot into your venue, or even confirms attendance, the invitation sets the tone and leaves the first and most important (and lasting!) impression!

Have a look at this compelling list of "10 Reasons Why Your Company Needs Custom Invitations". The information in this article may very well be worth thousands of dollars to your company!

1) Double Exposure! – Before, during, and after the event, your invitation represents your company with guaranteed staying power to the date of the event. It's better than an ad! It's an ad with a useful purpose that MUST be reviewed, responded to, and kept securely for weeks or months to the event date (and even after!)

2) The "U"-Factor (Ubiquitous Factor) – Simply put, stunning invitations get noticed—everywhere. They get tacked up in communal areas (bulletin boards, lunch rooms, reception areas, etc) or passed around your guest's office, management, other potential clients or partners. How do you get "stunning" invitations? Through a custom designer!

3) Stay Ahead of the Competition – If your company isn't sending out excellent invitations, rest assured your competition is! More and more companies are using custom invitations to gain that competitive edge and "unique" distinction in respective industries.

4) Image is Everything – A flimsy self-printed Times New Roman font invitation card with perforated edges leaves just as "strong" an impression as an elegantly shaped shimmering layered silver pocket-fold emblazoned with your company logo. Which "strong" impression would you have your company make?

5) Create Buzz – What? Excitement over a company or corporate event? It's true. I recently created gorgeous custom invitations carefully packaged and wrapped in the company's foil stamped logo. They were labour-intensive but definitely memorable invitations. The actual event was a debate between two respected audio engineers – pretty dry by most standards. But the impact of the invitations alone made it one of the most talked about events in the industry!

6) Cutting Edge, Modern, & Savvy – An invitation allows you to make a real statement about your company. Use this vehicle to reinforce your image or insert a more dramatic contemporary interpretation of your company image! It will get noticed!

7) Establish a Relationship with a Custom Invitation Designer – Save time, money, and stress on your invitations! Develop a personal one-on-one relationship with the right invitation designer and you'll never regret it. Your designer will be able to customize and anticipate your needs while avoiding or preventing potentially costly errors or miscommunications!

8) Good Career Move! – We once had a client who was responsible for planning a significant corporate event. We helped him narrow down his choices to one custom invitation style and was truly impressive and original. Long after the event, he contacted us to thank us and explain that the custom invitations made such an impact that he believed they helped him gain notice within upper management circles which eventually lead to a promotion! We can't guarantee that kind of success with all of our customers, but it does illustrate that… with the right invitations, anything can [and does] happen!

9) Professional, Knowledgeable, & Your Resource – Don't Sweat the Details! Outsourcing your invitations to a custom designer allows you to have better use of your time. Your Invitation Designer is a resource for formatting tips/guidelines, etiquette, invitation options, event-planning, and more! You'll be confident you're making the right choices and having the perfect sounding board for your ideas too!

10) Invitations are just the Beginning – A custom Invitation Designer can help you make the right choices for all your other stationery requirements. Perhaps you need webcards, change-of-address cards, important Announcement cards etc. You can save a lot of money and hassle by making your Invitation Designer the one-stop-shop for stationery, accessories and even gifts and gift-related items.

Just because technology is changing rapidly, doesn't mean you can forget about the pen and paper. Event stationery is getting a lot more creative and a lot more intensive. I'm constantly amazed by how many company staff people planning events miss out on this golden opportunity to showcase their event, company and product.

Laura's work has been featured locally and nationally across print and television. Her public and commercial clients range from brides to wedding and event planners to celebrities in Canada and the United States. For additional articles and resources, information on Laura Paladino, her invitation design collections, or her select bridal boutique products and studio services, visit http://www.laurapaladino.com

Nobody Reads Signs And Other Popular Myths

Writen by John Stanley

People don't reads signs, you heard people say it, you have had said it yourself. What is the point of putting a signage strategy in your business when nobody reads them in the first place.

Let's look at his popular myth in more detail. Firstly, all retailers have to accept that consumers today are inundated with messages on signs, as a result, the majority are not read. Any sign that looks amateurish, too complicated or is not targeted is, in today's over signed world, rejected by the consumer. They simply don't have time to read them.

Consumers have become selective in what signs they will read. In today's retail world you have to be targeted and specific if you want customers to take in the message.

What's the message?

Signs are used to communicate various messages to consumers and the first priority is to decide what message you want to get across to your audience.

Some signs aim at getting a brand message across, symbolism is more important than the words. Nike, Shell, Coca-Cola and McDonald's are all highly successful at getting symbolic brand messages across through their signage strategy.

The key is to be consistent in all your signage when it comes to branding, this includes consistency in colour, word typeface and graphics. Other messages you may want to get across may be price, benefits of a product, or technical details about the product.

A sign should inspire people to buy, alas too many signs just provide price and technical jargon and as a result don't achieve their objectives to increase sales.

Sonia Larson of Michigan University in the USA has spent her career researching into signage strategies that work for consumers and retailers alike.

K.I.S.S.

Signage clearly fits into that K.I.S.S. principles of business (keep it simple sells). Because consumers don't have time to read signs, keep it simple actually increases sales.

What does keep it simple mean?

Tell me the name of the product

Provide me with the three key benefits

Give me the price (in that order)

Take a look at many product signs and look at how information is presented. In a lot of cases they actually deter consumers from buying rather than encouraging them to buy. They often have too much technical information presented in a way that consumers cannot absorb the information.

I have worked with so many hundreds of retailers around the world who have proven that a simple signage strategy does increase sales.

But too many signs confuse customers!

I agree, the last thing you want is a store that looks like a cemetery with loads of signs looking like tombstones lined up along a pathway. I'm a great believer that point of purchase signage should promote about 10% of any category. This means you need to rotate your signs to ensure all products have their fair share of promotion at any one time. The key is to ensure every category is adequately covered. I often come across situations where some categories are undersigned whilst others are over signed. Getting the balance right is critical in maximising sales per square metre across the whole of your retail space.

Make signs stand out

Many companies produce excellent signs, but then forget that the sign needs to stand out. The sign stand is as critical as the sign itself.

Sell freshness

We are in the freshness industry and this applies to signs as well as products. Signs must look as fresh as the product. They need to reflect the seasons, be topical, clean and vibrant. Stale signs can affect the whole image of the business and suggests the products it is trying to promote are also stale. Somebody should be walking the store at least once a week and checking out the store signage strategy.

John Stanley is a conference speaker and retail consultant with over 20 years experience in 17 countries. John works with retailers around the world assisting them with their merchandising, staff and management training, customer flow, customer service and image. http://www.johnstanley.cc

Effective Advertising Coverage Enticed People To Place Their Very First Bet On A Chance To Win Big

Writen by Howard Keith

With in the past few months more and more people have tempted their fate with hopes to win big at gambling. It seems as though everyone has jumped on the band wagon to capitalize on those that seek fame and fortune through gambling. Everywhere you go from your local department stores, radio advertisement, television commercials and highway billboards you have now been exposed. This effective advertisement has enticed people to take a chance to win big.

For the novice gambler, playing around a card table for minimal bets is exciting and rewarding. As time goes on these same people advance in their gambling addiction to scratch offs and lottery. These are convenient to buy, there seems to be one vendor per block. Even the local malls have set up booths to sell scratch off tickets and lottery. Its big business nowadays and people want to cash in one way or another. There seems to be just as much coverage on gambling compared to all the other forms of entertainment put together.

Now that people have been exposed and tempted fate they may be one of the unfortunate ones who realized they have a problem and can not stop gambling. What do they do now? Where do they go? Why did this happen to them? And so on. This is the point they begin their search for a solution to their problem. A majority reach the conclusion that if they win back their money everything would be okay. In reality that makes things worse by continuing their self destructive behavior. They begin to realize their gambling addiction is hard to stop. Part of their mind tells them they should gamble, while their other part tells them they should never gamble again. They try to stop themselves on numerous occasions and finally admit that stopping their addiction is very hard to stop.

Once compulsive gamblers reach this stage of realization they usually experience one or more of the following:

I am depressed

I am anxious about everything

My hearts beating fast

I have no self esteem

I want to kill myself

I am so lonely

I want to blow up all the casinos in the world

I want to beat this addiction

I can believe I lost all my money

I am so stupid to let this happen to me

After all the crazy thoughts pass they begin to pull themselves together in hopes they will find a way to stop. They begin to try various programs that offer them some hope that they can beat their addiction. Through time they can find the right formula to finally help them stop their addiction.

Mr. Howard Keith has an extensive background in dealing with compulsive gamblers, relatives and friends of gamblers and teenage gamblers. Mr. Keith believes there are many alternatives to aid in the recovery of a gambling addiction verses a twelve step program. A large percentage of his emails were from compulsive gamblers looking for an alternative to Gamblers Anonymous and twelve step programs. Gamblers Anonymous also helps a significant number of people each year but there is a large percentage that they are unable to reach.

For more information on gambling addiction and stop gambling you can check out I Stopped Gambling So Can You

http://www.istoppedgambling.com/

You can also check out Mr. Keith's other website Take Flight with Reliable-Marketing where you will find everything from Domain Registration, website hosting to reliable shopping http://www. reliable-marketing.com/

Sunday Your Daily Yellow Page Ad Review

Writen by Jeffrey Hauser

Sorry to be bugging you on your day off, but after you've been to church, had lunch with the family or been out golfing, return with me to your den and take a moment to look at your ad. In review, until now, I've had you create a more effective headline, sub-head, photo, body text, and made you consider your ad size, placement, and type of customer you are targeting. So, what could possibly be so important that I would bother you on a Sunday afternoon? Well, it's just this very important thing you have to do to measure your ad if you don't want to waste your money. It's called tracking.

Even if all the elements are in place, you have to know if the ad is getting you the results you hoped for. This is especially crucial if you have other forms of advertising. Suppose you have newspaper, direct mail, and Yellow Pages. When the customer calls in, how do you know which of the media is working? Or, if you have several YP ads, which is the one carrying its weight? There are many ways to track the results, beginning with the ad itself. You could place a special phone number in the ad that isn't listed anywhere else. When that line rings, it's from a specific ad. Or place a line of copy that says, "Ask for Fred for a discount." In another ad, it says, "Ask for Bob."

If the ad is already in the book, jot down every page number with the various ads and have the person answering your phone ask for that number at the end of the call. Then have a notepad next to each phone and tally the results weekly or monthly. Of course, you have to train each employee to ask for that number. But it's important to know how many calls come directly from your YP ad to gauge the effectiveness. Anyway, it's a day of rest but I just wanted you to be thinking of ways to insure that your program is a success.

Speaking of success, you may want to learn about all the other vital elements to your ad. Right about now, you also might also be asking yourself how I know so much about directory advertising.

Well, I was a YP rep and consultant for nearly 25 years and, prior to that, had my own advertising agency. I also have a degree in marketing. I've been designing Yellow Page ads for the past three decades. So I have experience in creating ads and have advised almost 7000 companies on how to put together the most effective ones. If you have a display or in-column ad, regardless of size, color or position, I can tell you it most probably needs improvement in essentials areas like the headline, artwork, body text, placement, book, or heading. You must also understand the ROI or return on investment and learn how to track the results as well.

So consider getting some expert advice before you place your next ad. If you want to more detailed instruction on all the inside secrets to better YP marketing, then please visit my website listed below.

Jeffrey Hauser's 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.

Getting Started With Easy Selfpromotion

Writen by Angela Booth

All selling starts with self-promotion. Before anyone will give you money, they have to know something about you. They need to feel comfortable with you and to trust you. This means that they have to get used to seeing your name and your story.

When you're starting out with a new small business, you may feel uneasy about self-promotion. After all, bragging is wrong, right?

If this is you, that's fine. You can become a superb self-promoter without changing who you are. You find it difficult because you've been told stuff like: "Good work speaks for itself", and "Do a good job and recognition will come", and "Don't blow your own horn". Those aphorisms may have worked 150 years ago. They don't work today.

There's a reason Pizza Hut and Macdonald's advertise, advertise, advertise. They have to do it to survive. If they have to do it, when they're so highly visible, it makes sense that you need to promote yourself as well. Everyone's busy today. We've all got short attention spans.

YOU must tell people who you are, and what you do. If you don't do it, it won't get done, and that would be a tragedy, because you'll miss out on dozens of opportunities which would have flowed into your life as a natural outcome of your promotional efforts.

Creative self-promotion is an art, and it all starts with your attitude.

=> Enthusiasm: decide to have FUN with self-promotion

Your attitude must be based on enthusiasm. Nothing sells like enthusiasm. Are you enthusiastic? If not, tell yourself that you are. Keep telling yourself this at least 15 times a day for the next month --- yes, this is an affirmation, and affirmations work. Put a little note on the corner of your computer monitor, or on the dashboard of your car: "ENTHUSIASM--- I am enthusiastic!"

Your second affirmation for the next month is: "Self-promotion is fun!"

You may feel silly at first, repeating your affirmations, but if you find marketing difficult (promotion is an integral part of marketing) it's because you're letting your attitude get in your way. And because your attitude is in your mind, you can and must change your mind.

So for the next month, put the proper foundation under your future marketing endeavors by working on your attitude. At the end of the month, you'll see a real shift, I promise.

Author of many books, including Making the Internet Work for Your Business, copywriter and journalist Angela Booth also writes copy for businesses large and small, and consults on search engine marketing. Angela has written copy for companies in many industries, ranging from technology and real estate to the jewellery trade. Her clients include major corporations like hp (Hewlett Packard), WestPac Bank, and Acer Computer. For copywriting services and marketing advice contact Angela at angelabooth.com

Top 10 Proven Classified Ad Selling Tips To Guarantee A Successful Sale

Writen by Janet Doherty

It's Spring Cleaning Time! The weather is getting warmer and it is time to dig through those closets, garages and storage areas and turn your unused items into cash! Traditionally, this is the busiest time of the year for classified advertising. Motor vehicles and recreational vehicles are especially big sellers during the warm weather. If you are considering selling, now is the time. Hundreds of potential buyers are out there reading the Sunday morning newspaper every week, so take advantage of the opportunity to sell your items. Below you will find some great tips to help you get the ball rolling.

1.PREPARE: Determine the items around your home that you no longer need. Once you have collected these items, confirm that they are in working order and in good selling condition. If items have been in storage for a long period of time, you may need to clean them up to make them more attractive to potential buyers.

2.RESEARCH: After all items are collected, do your research. Determine the value of your items and decide whether it would be worth you time and effort to place a classified ad. Some things will do well on their own while others may do better in a garage sale setting. If certain items do not have enough value to justify placing an advertisement and you are not interested in hosting a garage sale, donate these items to a local charity for a nice tax deduction.

3.WHERE TO ADVERTISE: Once you have the items sorted out, you need to decide the best method of advertising. Most items will do best advertised in your daily newspaper since you will be able to reach a local audience. Online classifieds generally do not receive as many local buyers, but most are free so you may want to place an ad there as well just to cover all the bases. If you are selling a larger item such as a car, motorcycle, motor home, etc., you will also want to place prominent for sale signs on the items themselves. You can also utilize bulletin boards in your local community to post a free advertisement.

4.DRAFTING YOUR AD: What are the most attractive selling features of your items for sale? Decide which of these features you want to highlight in your advertisement. Look for classified ads for similar items to get an idea of how they are written. Check out the competition to see how your item is better or different than the items that will be running along side your ad.

5.WRITING YOUR AD: Create a catchy title to get your reader's attention. This will spark an interest in your classified ad. Always include the brand name when applicable. Price should only be included in the title if it is an obvious selling point. Next, you need to write the body text of your ad and entice buyers even further with the details. Make your description clear and factual. Provide specific details in what it is that makes your item stand out from the others. Be honest in your representation and do not make your item appear better than it actually is. Always include the price in your ad. Take some time to view other classified ads for similar items in your newspaper. This will help you determine a fair asking price for your item. Keep in mind, just because you paid $1,500 for your dining room set, does not mean you will receive that much for it on resale. Be realistic in your expectations. Furthermore, if you will only be available during certain times of the day to discuss your item, make a note of this in your advertisement so buyers know the best time to reach you. If possible, include your email address.

6.INCLUDING PHOTOS: A picture is worth a thousand words. Some local newspapers provide you with the option to include photos with your classified ad. Be sure to include the photos! When buyers have the opportunity to see an article for sale they have a higher degree of interest and are more likely to buy when they follow up by telephone or email to ask questions or to get more information. If your newspaper does not offer photos or the photo option is too expensive, you can use an online classified photo hosting service. Visit http://www.seethisitem.com for information on how to include free digital photos with your newspaper classified ad.

7.COMMUNICATING WITH BUYERS: Do your best to be available when customers call for information regarding your item. Be polite and helpful and answer all questions to the best of your knowledge.

8.SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS: If you receive numerous calls for your item, be sure to space out the appointments so that you will have enough time to spend with each buyer and your appointments will not overlap. Safety tip: Whenever possible, have someone home with you when a buyer is coming over to look at your item. You really can never be too careful when dealing with people you have never met before.

9.NEGOTIATION: Decide before you negotiate, the lowest amount you will be willing to accept for your item. This will assure a smoother negotiation process.

10.PAYMENT: Never accept a check for your item. You should only accept cash or money orders. If a buyer decides they want the item, but they do not have cash on them, always take a deposit to hold the item until they are able to come back. Be sure to set a deadline for them to return with the balance due. Even though you have a deposit, do not stop showing your item since the deal is not final until you have the cash in your hand. If someone else is also interested, tell them you just received an offer, but you will be happy to take down their name and number in case the deal falls through. This will give you more options should the original buyer back out of the sale.

That's it! Keep these selling tips in mind and you will be on the road to a successful sale. Take your time, be thorough and most of all have fun! If you follow the steps outlined above, you will be turning your unused items into cash in no time.

Have a Classified Ad Selling Tip or Story of your own to Share? Submit it to us and be eligible to win our contest. Your submission may also be published on our website! Visit us at http://www.seethisitem.com for details. All entries must be received by 7/31/06.

Advertising To Support Your Brand

Writen by Lance Winslow

There are many types of advertising and there are many reasons that companies advertise. Most of the time companies advertise a special or a sale in order to get customers to come in the door and make purchases. All advertising is trying to get the reader to do something or to make a decision; a decision to support something, adopt an idea, vote for a candidate or purchase a product or service.

When a corporation or a company advertises to strengthen their brand name they are trying to get the consumer to adopt that brand-name, as their first choice when purchasing or buying that type of product or service. It is at essentially the same, although how it is done is vastly different.

When you advertise to support your brand name in the marketplace you want the reader or consumer to associate your brand with strength, durability, acceptance, integrity or perhaps reliability. If the consumer adopts these as underlining themes about your brand you have accomplished your mission.

Sometimes advertising does both. It supports the brand-name and gets the customer to come in and buy it. A great brand, which is well respected by customers will be able to sell itself merely by its logo with a short phrase below it reinforcing the customer's image of the brand. Please consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/