Top Advertise Tips

Neon Signs

2009-03-03T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jason Gluckman

Neon signs are great advertising for any business. They work well for retail settings such as game rooms, restaurants, diners, manufacturing units, pubs and lounges, fraternity lounges, and many other establishments.

The first set of neon signs was sold by a French company named Neon Claude to a Packard car dealership in Los Angeles in 1923, for a sum of $24,000.These "liquid fire" tubes glowed in the night as well as broad daylight and soon became popular. Since then, the neon technology has evolved tenfold, and the signs are more popular than ever today.

Not all signs are made of neon, since the neon gas only produces the color red. After the initial discovery of neon-emitting red light, other colors were discovered using mercury, carbon dioxide, and phosphor. Today, it is possible to produce more than 150 colors using these gases. Neon tubes are actually positive-charge-filled lamps.

Every neon sign made is handcrafted; despite the advancement in technology, the manufacturing of a sign just cannot be done by a machine. According to the design wanted, the artisan heats a glass tube into a pliable shape and then moulds the design and lettering as per the requirements. During this process of continuous heating and bending, air is let into the tube to maintain its hollow shape. After the designing is done, the tubes are vacuumed out using a suction pump, after which an inert gas is let into the tubethis gas determines the color of the neon sign. The gas-filled tube glows when current is passed through it ionizing the gas, thus causing it to glow.

Neon gas tubes do not contain any filament like an ordinary light bulb, so their life spans are very long, ranging from ten to fifteen years.

Neon Signs provides detailed information on Neon Signs, Neon Beer Signs, Neon Open Signs, Custom Neon Signs and more. Neon Signs is affiliated with Mannequin Heads .

Where To Call For Free Advertising And Free Business Advice

2009-03-02T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Julia Tang

Believe it or not, there are plenty of opportunities out there for you to get your written materials free of charge, for free advertising space, and free business advice.

For free advertising space, many publications will write an article about you or your product if you purchase advertising space with them. One way publications sell advertising space is to agree that if the advertiser purchases the ad, he will also receive a certain amount of free editorial space. This free editorial space essentially doubles the amount of space you get for a given amount of money. This editorial space is devoted to an article about the company or individual or product, and it has the added cachet of seeming to be work of an outside source. The editorial company be written by the publication staff, or the advertiser may provide the copy.

Press releases can be another excellent source of free space. A well-written press release on an interesting subject will attract the editor's interest. The editor may even follow up with a phone call for more details. The result can be anything from a paragraph to a feature article. All this comes for the price of mailing the release. Keep in mind that you want to target the publication that write about the kinds of things you are doing.

If you have a computer at home and an Internet connections, you can get a lot of free advices and free business advertising from Internet. You can subscribe several high quality newsletters and learn from these . Some newsletters offers free advertising space. You can learn more about it from http://www.best-internet-businesses.com

---------------------------------------------------------
Julia Tang publishes Smart Online Business Tips, a fresh
and informative newsletter dedicated to supporting people
like you! To find out the best online business opportunities,
and to discover hundreds more proven and practical internet
marketing secrets, plus FREE internet marketing products
worth over $200, visit: http://www.best-internet-businesses.com
----------------------------------------------------------

Note: Feel free to publish it with the resource box and content unchanged

What Ad Agency Media Buyers Wont Tell You

2009-03-01T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Mike Myatt

Those of you familiar with my personal history know that I have a strong background in, and affinity for, digital marketing. Now that my bias is fully disclosed, I'm going to tell you what most traditional ad agencies will notthat the digital medium is far and away the most powerful, cost effective and measurable form of media available today. Advertising and MarComm budgets can no longer focus solely on traditional communications mediums; rather budgets must be spread across a broader spectrum inclusive of digital mediums.

Digital content is diverse. Like print advertising and direct mail, the content of the Internet is largely based on the written word. As with printed media, much of Internet related media relies on graphic images to support marketing messages. However, unlike print and direct mail, the Web enables moving graphics and sound to be conveyed to the prospect or customer. In that respect, it is more like radio or television and like the telephone, the Web can enable one-to-one, interactive communication with e-mail, instant messaging and voice. Yet, unlike any direct response medium, the Web can present the customer with a virtually unlimited amount of marketing information in multimedia format.

Print advertising is delivered through magazines and newspapers. Direct mail is delivered via the U.S. Postal Service or another delivery service. Radio and television are delivered via airwaves through passive listener or view devices. Telemarketing is delivered over telephone lines. Only the Internet is delivered directly via a computer. This is perhaps the most intriguing part of Digital Marketing and one of the primary differentiating factors that sets this medium apart from any other. Unlike any other medium, the computer delivers Internet based content in nonlinear information format. All other mediums are linear, meaning they have a beginning, middle, and end.

Digital Marketing is direct marketing at its most developed potential. It is the logical extension of a measurability mentality that is already inbred in business-to-business marketers. They recognize the importance of the brand, and they understand the need for awareness, but they also know that marketing must go well beyond brand image and awareness advertising. They need marketing that produces results.

As a marketing medium, the digital media has become the easiest, most cost-effective route to global marketing. The stunning cost implications of Digital Marketing in part, fuel the Internet's unprecedented growth. The Internet is not only cost-effective; it is downright cheap in comparison to other media. It is often estimated that Digital Marketing is 60 to 65 percent cheaper than traditional direct mail marketing.

Used effectively, digital media can deliver personalized content to each and every customer, or even automatically to another computer desktop via push technologies. As a result, a marketer can initiate a one-to-one relationship via e-mail and the Web with a prospect, customer or business partner. The marketer can also learn from that relationship via database marketing and grow the relationship over time.

A marketer can build and host a Website and reach a worldwide audience at a cost that is far less than the cost of one national television commercial. E-communication has a whole different cost structure from traditional print, direct mail, telemarketing or television media. There are no media placement costs associated with launching a corporate Website or employing e-mail as a marketing medium. You may have to rent e-mail addresses, but you do not have to engage printers or mail houses, or pay postage when you disseminate e-mail. There are no hotel, travel or on-site materials costs for Webinars and other virtual events. There are no printing and mailing costs for e-fulfillment. Even order fulfillment is cheaper with the Internet, especially if electronic catalogs are used to replace traditional paper catalogs.

Research indicates that Digital Marketing represents a threefold cost-savings over traditional direct marketing. Moreover, Digital Marketing can bring up to 10 times the return of a traditional direct marketing campaign. The areas in which you will achieve the largest amount of savings are likely to be: fulfillment, delivery, the medium used and the analysis of campaign metrics.

Digital media turns traditional media cost structures upside down. With Digital Marketing, there is nothing to print and mail, there are no advertising materials to reproduce, no telemarketing calls to handle. Websites can reach one, a hundred, a thousand, or millions of prospects or customers for about the same cost. With the proper in-house tools, e-mail can be widely distributed without unit cost implications, unlike direct mail, and at least so far, the Internet is a tax-free commerce zone.

The question is not whether Digital Marketing works, or is Digital Marketing here to stay, but rather how can a business leverage an integrated Digital Marketing strategy that will service their needs both now and into the future. So next time your ad agency is getting ready to pitch, make sure that they include a sizeable allocation for digital media.

Mike Myatt is the Chief Strategy Officer at N2growth. N2growth is a leading venture growth consultancy providing a unique array of professional services to high growth companies on a venture based business model. The rare combination of branding and corporate identity services, capital formation assistance, market research and business intelligence, sales and product engineering, leadership development and talent management, as well as marketing, advertising and public relations services make N2growth the industry leader in strategic growth consulting. More information about the company can be found at http://www.N2growth.com

Does Post Card Advertising Really Work

2009-02-28T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Woody Quinones

You've decided to try advertising your business with post cards. The idea came to you from the post cards you receive from other businesses. You like the idea because it seems easy to do and economical. However, you've never tried this before so you question whether this method will bring you customers.

Let me say this first, "All Forms of Advertising Work!" However, you have to clearly understand how the advertising medium works and realize that each form has it's limitations along with costs associated with it.

At this time, I also I need to dispel a myth that has been around for as long as there has been printed advertising. Many, many business people believe that if they do a 1 time mass mailing it should be a slam dunk in sales.

Let me be the first to say. "With over 36 years of selling to the public, it simply doesn't work that way!" If you plan on being in business longer than 1 day, then you must continually advertise to keep the clientele coming to you.

Advertising in any medium has always been about repetition and getting your name remembered. It's called "Branding". Study businesses that use television commercials. They are constantly repeating their business message 1000's of times a day. They are the best free examples to watch and learn from.

So for your business, you can conclude that the more your prospects see your name or message repeated, the easier it is for them to get to know you and what you offer. Then it becomes an easier task to get them to buy from you.

So How Does Post Card Advertising Work?

You create an ad on a Post card. This can be done in your favorite graphics or word program. Then use the mail merge feature in the program to insert mailing addresses automatically. In case you haven't setup your address book you would need to do this before you do a mail merge.

Print out the cards, stamp them and then mail them out. If done correctly and repeated over and over again your customer base will grow. This is the simple mechanics of post card advertising.

So Where Do I Get Good Addresses From?

Before you can get good addresses, you must first know who it is you are wanting to target before you do your mail out. You wouldn't offer gun sales to anti-gun activists or religious material to a group of Atheists, now would you?

First, go to the large search engines and do some research to find out who uses your type of product and/or services. Once you uncover who they are, you then know who your target market will be.

As a side note, there are companies that do sell mailing lists that contain groups of people, organizations and businesses. It is all gathered and cataloged and based on personal interests and/or work related. You can buy these mailing lists or start your own.

Secondly you have to determine how often you will be sending your post cards out. The amount of times you repeat your message, to those you target, will determine how well they remember you. Let me show you how I am targeted by companies that I do business with and that get my attention as well as my order.

Example:

ImpactYourArea.com is targeted by companies that make promotional products. Everyday I receive something in the mail from some company. It could be product announcements, new product samples, promotions and/or valuable insight to generating more sales.

Some companies send me information at least once a month. Others 4 times a year. Then there are those companies that send me something only once a year.

Of those three company types which do you think I remember more? It would be those that send me something once a month.

From this example it should be clear that getting your message out repeatedly and often is how your prospects are going to remember you, your product and/or services.

So What Are The Limitations With Post Card Advertising?

Let's say you plan to send out 5000 post cards in a one time mailing. If you are targeting prospects that use your type of service or product, then statistically you should draw 1-2% in responses. Meaning that roughly 50 people may show some interest.

That doesn't necessarily mean you have converted the prospect into a buyer. It only means they have shown an interest in your offer and are willing to take it to the next step.

The next step, for them, is to find out a little bit more about your offer. These are your "Tire Kickers". Of those that responded your chance of converting them is also 1-2%.

So your chances of converting prospect to buyer, from your 1 time mail out could be 4-6 buyers from your original 5000 post card mail out.

Now most would say that the campaign was a failure. However, by the way this medium works it was right on target.

So How Do You Increase Response Rate?

Instead of sending out a 1 time mass mailing of 5000 post cards, consider sending out a smaller amount and do it in monthly increments. Repeat the mail out process once a month for 12-24 months.

So How Much Should You Send Out?

I would start small and build from that. This gives you the ability to spend a little at a time while measuring how each mail out converted. This keeps your advertising costs down and manageable.

Start with 500 post cards a month. Only target prospects you know that would use your product and/or services. Then I would repeat the mail out to the same group over the next 1-2 years.

Even if they do not buy the first or second time after they've received your card, they are beginning to get to know you and your product and/or services. As time goes by your chances of converting them to a buyer increases. There is also a good chance that those you target may pass your offer onto someone else.

In conclusion, never allow the idea that advertising once will be the solution to gaining repeat business. Don't forget that post card advertising does work if you learn how to do it right and you repeat the process over and over.

About the Author: Woody Quiñones has been selling to the public since the age of 10. With over 36 years of marketing experience he has started several businesses with little or no money. Including his popular website, http://www.ImpactYourArea.com Woody is also an Authorized Kaeser & Blair Dealer, a published online writer, a licensed and certified locksmith of 17 years and can be located on numerous online business forums.

Should I Hire A Professional To Do My Advertising

2009-02-27T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jeffrey Hauser

You wake up one morning with a stabbing pain in your back. It's in the lower part and hard to reach. You decide to take some aspirin or Tylenol. It seems to help and you forget about it. A week later you're in the hospital in traction. What went wrong?

It's a scenario that describes many small businesses that refuse to pay for expert advertising advice. Sure, they know all about tire sales or Mexican food, but what do they know about marketing? They try a few simple, inexpensive flyers or local ads and yet, their restaurant or store remains empty. What went wrong?

Advertising is a business and a profession. People like myself spend years learning the trade and learning some more. It never ends. Even with my degrees and agency experience, I'm still learning. I've counseled thousands of companies over the past thirty years and it's amazing how many companies use the do-it-yourself method of marketing in a hit-or-miss way. If you want to be successful, think about the following:

(1) Why are you in business?

(2) What are your marketing qualifications?

(3) Do you want to stay in business?

(4) How much do you budget for advertising?

I would want to also know, as part of question 4, what part of that budget allows for consulting services? Your basic business plan must include and promotional program, but that can't be conceived until you understand how you will reach your customers and how they will find you. Whether it's an advertising agency or a consultant, invest in a professional as you would in an attorney or insurance agent. The difference is that the advertising expert will make you money. The object of any business is to be profitable but recognize your own limitations and stick with what you know best. Leave the rest to the one's that have spent years in their fields. In the end, you'll be further ahead and wiser for the choice.

Jeffrey Hauser 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 from Monmouth University. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design firm, ABC Advertising. He has authored 6 books and a novel, "Pursuit of the Phoenix," available at amazon.com. His latest book is, "Inside the Yellow Pages."

How To Save Money By Making Your Own Sign

2009-02-26T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Tony Nagy

In the sign industry we commonly refer to the material that the sign is made out of as the substrate. Examples include, wood, vinyl banners, aluminum, coroplast, etc. But what many customers do not realize is that they can purchase vinyl lettering or vinyl decals and apply them directly to typical substrates themselves. Translation saving money by buying blank substrates inexpensively at local hardware stores such as Home Depot and Lowes and avoiding the prices sign companies need to charge to apply the material. Although you do pay tax by buying locally on the substrate, you can save tax on the vinyl by ordering over the internet.

What are vinyl letters and/or vinyl decals? They are letters (or images) that come prespaced according to customer specifications as words, phrases, or sentences on pre masking tape. The lettering is self adhesive and by removing the paper backing, they can be applied directly to almost any substrate, car, boat, truck, windows, snowmobiles, jet skis, vans, store fronts, etc. Make sure the surface is extremely clean and free of dust or lint. Once the lettering or decal has been aligned, simply rub over the masking covering the vinyl and then remove it. The result will be perfectly spaced lettering or a decal designed as ordered with a professional look. Most sign companies will allow you to purchase multiple lines of vinyl lettering with the spacing between the lines defined by you. You can also usually obtain a combination of vinyl lettering and images on one decal.

Another tack you may wish to consider is to have the entire sign printed on vinyl made to fit the substrate you prepurchased (with a small bleed of additional vinyl to wrap around the sides). We must caution you that this is a bit more tricky to apply than vinyl lettering, but problems can be overcome with care and some suggestions. When applying the vinyl to the substrate, remove the paper backing about two inches at a time, align, and then press or roll it on the surface. We recommend a roller for the application (roller applicator). Once the first part is properly aligned and applied, remove another two inches of the backing and proceed in this manner with the rest of the sign. Another trick is to moisten the substrate so you can move the vinyl if you accidentally align it improperly when first applied. The water prevents it from adhering permanently for a few seconds.

When you apply vinyl, it is inevitable that you will run into the "bubble" problem. Tiny bubbles of captured air will form under the vinyl. Usually these can be worked out with the roller but in some circumstances, they will remain. A blow dryer (not too hot) can be used to heat the vinyl up so that the air can be rolled out easier. Under some circumstances if the bubble is large, the vinyl can be heated and the bubble punctured with a pin (careful here only a tiny hole is needed). Be careful not to heat the vinyl too much because it can permanently deform it.

Recently, a new product has been introduced which enables the vinyl to be adjusted if it is pressed on but incorrectly aligned. The adhesive does not seal permanently for a few hours after it is applied. The material is a bit more expensive but well worth it if you are inexperienced. Don't feel bad. I know many sign companies that are now going to the easy stick vinyl to avoid large overhead costs caused by mistakes with the old permanent seal vinyl.

To learn more about Magnetic signs and other types of signs please visit http://designasign.blogspot.com/ To purchase Magnetis, Vinyl and just about every type of sign imaginable visit http://www.designasign.biz

Writing The Best Possible Text Advert

2009-02-25T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Philip Michael

So you've decided to spend some cash on a quick marketing blitz to get some more traffic to your website. The worst thing you could do now is waste that money.

Its essential to take your time when writing your text ads. You might only have 100-200 characters to work with, so make sure you follow the following tips and I'm sure your investment in this great advertising medium will pay off.

1. Make sure the ads you are writing are relevant to your audience. With AdQuick.co.uk, you choose what websites you advertise on, so you have a good idea what kind of people will see your ads. If the reason for your ad is more aimed at brand awareness ,then you can be a little more broad with the audience you aim your ads at.

2. Be a little bit naughty, look at what your competitors ads are like. Don't copy them, but by all means get some creative ideas to help your ad writing.

3. If the ad is advertising a certain offer of yours, make sure you send any potential customers who click the ad direct to that page on your website, and not just your homepage.

4. Be direct. Have you got an amazing deal or special offer? If so, then get the price in the ad somewhere. If you don't want to put the price in your ad, then at least make sure you get the actual offer in the ad.

5. DON'T USE CAPTIALS FOR EVERY LETTER IN THE HEADLINE. It annoys a lot of people and theres no need to shout. By all means use capital letters for each first letter in every word in your ads headline though.

6. Use the conversion tracking feature. This way you can get a good idea on how many sales or signups come as a result of your ad. You might have an amazing offer but if your ad isn't up to scratch you won't get anywhere, but with this vital feedback you can see what ads need more work.

7. Once you have done your research and you know which of your ads are working, make sure you don't just use the same ad over and over again. People will get bored of it and will just ignore it. Use a selection of different ads that you know work.

8. In a lot of ways the headline is the most important part of your ad. If you have 35-50 characters to work, this doesn't mean you have to use all 50. If you can get your message across in 6 words then that'll be brilliant. Don't try to make the headline an extension of your own sense of humour, by that i mean if you try to be funny, others might disagree and just not click through.

9. Don't rush, and use a spell checker. It might sound silly, but imagine how you'd feel if you realise that the reason why your ad that has just ended didn't get any click throughs because of bad spelling or grammar.

10. And finally, just a recap. Be direct, be simple, don't try to be smart, keep it short and don't rush.

www.adquick.co.uk

Marketing Lessons I Learned In Chicago This Week

2009-02-24T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Shawn Casey

I was in the fine city of Chicago this week to speak at a marketing conference. And I learned some interesting things:

1 - Traffic in Chicago is much worse than the allegedly bad traffic in Atlanta where I live. We left the hotel downtown at 3 p.m. and were parked on the "highway" a few minutes later.

The Lesson Learned:

I am thankful - as I know many of you are - that I don't have to leave home and fight through this terrible traffic on a daily basis. Life's too short to
suffer like this regularly. The stress level of doing this would take years off my life.

2 - Despite the traffic, I arrived at the airport early enough to rebook my ticket (by paying the $25 fee) on a flight leaving 90 minutes earlier than my original schedule. That was the good news.

The bad news turned out to be that this flight would leave 45 minutes late so I didn't gain very much for my $25.

Obviously, I can afford the $25, but that's not the point.

The Lesson Learned:

It's not about the money. It's about the perception of value received for the money. When I made the deal with the airline to book the earlier flight, I did so with the specific understanding that I was investing $25 to buy 90 minutes.

But, I ended up only getting 1/2 that time - 45 minutes. So, I felt like I'd gotten screwed in the deal.

People - like us and our customers - invest money with us based on the perception of the value they'll receive in exchange. If you don't deliver on your promise, then the customer is not going to be happy with the deal.

If you deliver more, the customer should be ecstatic. That's why you'll usually find extra - unadvertised - bonuses when you purchase my products.

It doesn't matter that I probably would have spent the $25 to get the 45 minutes anyway - that's not the deal I bought.

3 - When I booked my hotel reservation, the website promoted the fine history of the property. When I was standing in the lobby, they had an interesting wall display listing the famous people and many presidents who had stayed there years ago. And they specifically mentioned how they had upgraded the hotel with the latest in electrical, plumbing, etc.

I'm not sure how long ago someone wrote this fiction, but it must be at least 30 years ago - maybe longer. Perhaps the reference to Diamond Jim Brady should have clued me in.

I won't bore you with the sordid details about the sagging mattress and matted down carpet, but it was depressing to enter my room. Especially when I opened the curtains so I could look 15 feet across the air shaft at other rooms.

The Lesson Learned:

Next time I'm booking a reservation in a "historical" hotel, I need to be certain to ask if they've stayed true to their history or entered the new millennium.

Of course, for $39 a night, I might have expected something like I got. But, when I'm paying $120 for the discounted conference special rate, I'm not seeing the value in the deal.

For many products and services - like hotel rooms - we have an understanding of what we think we should get for the money we spend. It doesn't matter whether our preconceived notion is correct - we've got it in our heads already.

As marketers, we have to deal with the public that has these preconceived ideas. When we're not going to fit with them (like charging way too much for a crummy room), we should be fair and make that clear. But we'll obviously want to do this in a fashion that will show why this is a still a fair, if not great, value proposition.

4 - But this story gets even more interesting...

I was chatting with Paul Hartunian (the PR expert who once sold the Brooklyn Bridge - legitimately) and mentioned that I was not happy with my room. He remarked that other people had also voiced similar opinions, but he loved his room.

Turns out he had asked the hotel about upgrade options and, for $20 more, you could get a completely updated room with a wonderful view of the city and Lake Michigan.

Of course, no one volunteers this when you call to make reservations. And it's not mentioned at all on their website.

But I'll bet the people that work in this hotel are wondering why more people don't choose the upgrade option.

The Lesson Learned:

Don't hide your light under a bushel basket!

Think about this...the hotel could have turned many unhappy people into raving fans simply by mentioning the $20 option. Plus, they could have been grabbing an extra $20 a night from dozens of people for doing absolutely nothing.

Sure, we're sitting here in judgment thinking how stupid this is. But...unfortunately, we occasionally make the same kind of silly mistakes and don't make the really fine benefits of our product or service crystal clear.

To sum up:

1 - Don't play in traffic. It's hazardous to your health.

2 - Explain the value in your offers and deliver what you promise (preferably more).

3 - Don't hide your best benefits and offers. Put them right out front so your prospects will become happy customers.

Yours in success,

Shawn Casey

P.S. If you missed the incredible Jeff Paul teleseminar this week - or just want to review it and take some more notes (Jeff talks fast and delivers a lot of info), you can hear the recorded version here:

http://www.ShawnsNews.net/JeffPaulRecording.html

(Scroll down a little when you get there)

Internet Millionaire Shawn Casey's "Mining Gold On the Internet" is one of the best selling Internet books with over 85,000 copies sold. In "Mining Gold", Shawn reveals the same step-by-step strategies he uses to create millions in Internet sales => http://www.ipcgold.com/ad/100/CD3839 Benefit from Shawn's 7 years of Internet experience and learn from someone who has actually made millions online.

Increase Business By Being Nice

2009-02-23T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Mark White

I have been reading articles on increasing sales using search engine optimisation as well as writing them for a very long time and I have not seen many which point out the best way to increase sales.

The answer is obvious yet often overlooked; you just have to be as good to your customers as you would expect any other site owner to treat you.

The World Wide Web is vast and the choices are many, it doesn't matter what you want you have probably got a choice of 30,000 to 3,000,000 sites to pick from. Our customers will become repeat customers if they are provided a personal service that exceeds their expectations.

The Internet has been a boom for many people, businesses have sprung up and their owners have managed to make a living from them, some more than others.

The Internet has also taken away the contact we used to have with shop assistants, we no longer see shopping as a personal experience and I think this is a real shame. You can't ask questions, you can't see the goods you are buying and you don't get a feel for the person you are dealing with.

It is down to us, the seller, the owner, the customer service manager to provide a personal service to these people who entrust us with their hard earned cash to provide not only value for money but also a service that will leave them with a warm glow in their heart and a need to return to us for further purchases.

We will also get the benefit of the most valued advertising; FREE word of mouth recommendations are invaluable and must never be underestimated. One person shows off their newly acquired goods and says how fabulous your site is to 2 or 3 people and then those people tell 2 or 3 people so on and on it goes. Before soon you have loyal customer base.

Remember that it takes a long time to build a solid reputation but only one mistake to destroy it. It takes a lot of hard work and sometimes you have to swallow your pride and say " the customer is always right", we all know that is not always the case but even an awkward customer has mellow moments and friends (well most of them do).

Mark White has worked in I.T. for the last 15 years and currently runs 3 websites.

http://sunspeks.com/

http://tendollardownloads.com/

http://phone-bits.com/

And administrates for http://freetraffictip.com/members

Why People Fail In Mail Order

2009-02-22T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by DeAnna Spencer

Mail order is a very complicated business. Every phase must be planned, analyzed and tested. The right demand products must be selected. The correct type of ads must be placed in the proper media and a multitude of other details must be attended to constantly.

A great number of people enter the mail order field every week. When they find in many instances that only three responses are received from 100 mailings, or that a $100 ad in a magazine with 4 million readers pulls 15 inquiries, it appears hopeless. Especially after reading the glowing ads portraying the $THOUSANDS$ that can be made overnight from your kitchen table! The mail order enthusiast is led to believe that he should be able to hit it big immediately with little work. Dream on. When he finds that this is not the case he drops out before he has a chance to learn. Many people do this because it will take too much of his prime TV time, or that it will cost too much to get started on the ROAD TO PROFITS! CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, IT DOES COST MONEY TO MAKE MONEY. Much more than the $10 or $20 often advertised as the total amount necessary to create a substantial income in the mail order business.

Many are continuously making fortunes in the mail order business. However, if they can do it and you are one who thoroughly enjoys the world of mail order, then there is no reason why you cannot make it also.

REMEMBER AS YOU PROCEED ON YOU WAY TO ULTIMATE SUCCESS, THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A FAILURE . . . 95% of the people in mail order DO NOT FAIL IN THE MAIL ORDER BUSINESS . . . THEY JUST DO NOT SUCCEED ! ! ! !

This article may be reproduced and redistributed freely on the Internet as long as the content remains the same and the resource box is left intact.

DeAnna Spencer is a virtual assistant that helps entrepreneurs run a successful business by providing affordable administrative help. She also publishes a blog for small business owners. Visit this small business resource today.

Liebermanlamont Advertising And How It Relates To Small Businesses

2009-02-21T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jon Sinish

When Ned Lamont first sought to challenge 3-term U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman in today's Democratic primary, almost no one thought this political neophyte had any chance.

Sitting on my back porch here in Connecticut, it's an hour before the polls close in this political duel between the well estabished, well-known brand (Lieberman) and the new, unknown brand (Lamont).

The unknown (Lamont) has succeeded in making his alternative into a viable choice on a $4 million budget, compared to Lieberman's $6 million. Just running for office is a big business. Many of my clients would be happy with that kind of gross revenue!

And so, with an incredible voter turnout of just over 40% (in August!!) both sides are saying it looks good for them. We'll know soon enough.

Both have used TV and radio and direct phone calls. We even got an oversize postcard from Lieberman here at home.

Lamont has attracted attention in his TV commercials being surrounded by mostly younger people who want change. Lieberman tends to show more mid-age supporters and continues his well publicized visits to roadside diners to keep in touch.

It's like the 60's again --- an increasingly unpopular war and dissidents. But this time, the dissident is in the form of a telecom multi-millionaire from one of America's richest towns --Greenwich, Connecticut -- who came out of political nowhere to challenge a political big guy. Did he think, "I'm rich and I think I'll run for the U.S. Senate"?

This could be compared to the feelings the hometown hardware store might have felt when Home Depot or Walmart came to town. Big money comes in and disrupts a long relationship.

It's not all about money. Sure, Lamont has the personal money to get his message across.

But look at how he has expressed his emotional anti-war message. One really has to respect his campaign committee and ad agency for keeping his message consistent across all the media he is using.

Some questions to ask yourself as a small business:

1. Is your "high quality" brand getting stale with your customers?

2. How can you tell them you are still as "fresh" as you were when they first discovered you?

8:30 pm --- The polls have been closed for a half hour now, with 2% reporting, Lamont is leading 60% to 40%.

Emotions, rather than competent past experience, have taken the lead.

Observe: Consumers are a fickle bunch. Pay attention to the emotions of yours!

11:15 pm --- 96% of the vote is now in. The Lamont (unknown brand) is still ahead 52% to 48%.

The pundits are already having a field day.

Connecticut, 7 pm, August 8

Jon Sinish is a 30-year champion of advertising for small businesses, whose clients range from international corporations to private professional practices.

Explore http://www.advertising-for-small-businesses.com to discover more than 25 articles that reveal practical tips, tactics and strategies to help the small businessperson manage and improve their advertising and marketing programs.

Advertised Products Versus Perception From A South African Perspective

2009-02-20T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Andrew Smit

A South African publication revealed that South Africa's top 100 advertisers spent in excess of $930 million on building their brands in 2005. Some individual companies spent upwards of $28 million on advertising to drive their brands home.

What's being advertised and what's being delivered are two totally opposite things. Customers have been left by the way side reeling at the fact they have just been coned in many instances.

"If the brand experience does not measure up to the advertised expectation, Mr Joe Public is guaranteed to walk away. This is one of the great tragedies of brand communication efforts."- Terry Behan

Why is there a major flaw in advertised products versus the delivery thereof, simple, the average business spends six times more to attract new customers than it does to keep old ones. Service quality in South Africa needs huge attention, this is not only our problem it is also a global problem. One of the single greatest keys to longterm success can be summed up in three simple words: quality customer service.

Major brand suppliers have no idea about these simple words, they could care less because they have no competition in their field. Consumers have no choice but to purchase from these suppliers and hope nothing goes wrong with the product, God forbid they have a problem and have to ask for help.

Painting pretty pictures for the consumer is what sell products, delivering on the fine print can either make or break a brand or company for that matter. All companies have one thing in common, they sell commodities and the strange thing about that statement is consumers do not buy commodities.

Despite all of the untold millions of products and services available for sale in today's market place, customers will exchange their hard earned cash for only two things: Good Feelings and Solutions to problems. Don't sell me clothes. Sell me a sharp appearence, style and attractiveness. Don't sell me insurance. Sell me peace of mind and a great future for my family and me.

Many customers are being left in the lurch because of promises made to them by companies. They are not delivering on what is advertised nor are they taking responsibility for after sales help. In my opinion they actually have no idea about what customers actually want and need.

The customers perception is everything, overpromising and building unrealistic expectations by companies and their side kicks the marketing divisions are killing the consumers trust.

Ethical Advertising Or Not Part 2 From A South African Perspective

2009-02-19T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Andrew Smit

In an article by Ted Lampert,President, Children Now "Childhood obesity fueled by marketing tactics" in the San Francisco Chronical April 27 2005.

"Every day our children are bombarded with advertisements -- quite often for products that are harmful to them. Each year, the average child sees about 40,000 commercials on television alone, according to communications professor Dale Kunkel of the University of Arizona; the majority of ads targeted at them are for candy, sugared cereal, soda and fast food.

While parents may actually be the ones paying the price for all of this advertising at the cash register, our children are paying with their health. In addition to the social stigma and psychological effects that overweight children often suffer, they are also significantly more likely than their peers to become afflicted with serious health problems such as asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure and sleep apnea. In fact, the U.S. Surgeon General has identified overweight and obesity as "the fastest growing cause of disease and death in America."

Parents paying at the cash register is where the problem lies in my opinion, in my first article on this topic i stressed that the parents should take more responsibility. Kids are spoilt these days, given huge allowances and no action is taken to see where and how kids spend their money. "Mommy I want", and the kid gets. Yes marketing is persuasive but i still feel that this type of marketing can only work if the parents are suckered into it. Sure kids will see the the funky adverts for sugar and spice and all things nice but are the real persuasive tactics used by the kids to convince parents to buy the advertised products. Advertising is not the biggest enemy, they should take some of the blame. Ultimately parents need to be the ones more strict.

My dad always said to me after giving me my small allowance, "Son, get a purchase slip for everything you purchase". This way he could see what I was buying with my 'washing the car cash'. If i could not produce a slip that money would be deducted from my next allowance. Running kids like a business made sure that i made the correct choices.

The protection of our kids is vital for the future of a country, making sure they are mentally and physically fit is of the utmost importance. The role of advertisers should be more controlled, no more advertising of less than desirable products during kids programs is a start. The rest has to be up to the parents, this is ultimately where the buck stops.

Ted Lampert wrote,"Many advertisers prey upon childrens vulnerability by disguising their advertisements as online games or by using product placement to sneak them into prime-time shows. It is through television, computers and video games that perhaps the most insidious attempts to manipulate childrens eating habits occur. It is where food advertisers spend billions of dollars each year pushing unhealthy cereals, snacks and drinks through commercials and product placements aimed at children; where beloved cartoon characters shill for fast- food chains (such as Burger King's use of Teletubbies and SpongeBob); and where advertisements for cookies and candy are disguised as arcade-style games. It is where broadcasters and advertisers put their own financial well-being above the health of our children."

I don't mind my kids taking a liking to advertising tactics where Teletubies and SpongeBob is involved, they know that junk food only happens once a month. As young adults we lived our life on the wire all the time, but when my kids arrived the social responsibility towards them increased. Knowing the pitfalls of advertising, illegal use of drugs, alcohol and everything else that kids could come into contact with was high on 'the 101 of raising kids agenda'.

The increase in product competition the world over will see more and more sly and subtle advertising tactics being used. I personally do not see it changing to any other way. Why should any product not sell if it openly states that it is bad for your health, as in the case of branding on cigarette packs, people still buy 'smokes'. The good thing about cigarette companies in South africa they are not allowed to openly sponsor events or place their adverts in any public advertising material.

Take an important decision about what your kids come into contact with and use your own subtle tactics to steer them on the right path. We, as parents have a social responsibility towards them, keep in mind that your kids these days might fall victim to more sinister things than unhealthy burgers sold by SpongeBoB and the rest of his gang.

9 Secrets Mark Twain Taught Me About Advertising

2009-02-18T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Alex Kecskes

"Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising."

Advertising is life made to look larger than life, through images and words that promise a wish fulfilled, a dream come true, a problem solved. Even Viagra follows Mark Twain's keen observation about advertising. The worst kind of advertising exaggerates to get your attention, the best, gets your attention without exaggeration. It simply states a fact or reveals an emotional need, then lets you make the leap from "small to large." Examples of the worst: before-and-after photos for weight loss products and cosmetic surgeryboth descend to almost comic disbelief. The best: Apple's "silhouette" campaign for iPod and the breakthrough ads featuring Eminemboth catapult iPod to "instant cool" status.

"When in doubt, tell the truth."

Today's advertising is full of gimmicks. They relentlessly hang on to a product like a ball and chain, keeping it from moving swiftly ahead of the competition, preventing any real communication of benefits or impetus to buy. The thinking is, if the gimmick is outrageous or silly enough, it's got to at least get their attention. Local car dealer ads are probably the worst offenders--using zoo animals, sledgehammers, clowns, bikini-clad models, anything unrelated to the product's real benefit. If the people who thought up these outrageous gimmicks spent half their energy just sticking to the product's real benefits and buying motivators, they'd have a great ad. What they don't realize is, they already have a lot to work with without resorting to gimmicks. There's the product with all its benefits, the brand, which undoubtedly they've spent money to promote, the competition and its weaknesses, and two powerful buying motivatorsfear of loss and promise of gain. In other words, all you really have to do is tell the truth about your product and be honest about your customers' wants and needs. Of course, sometimes that's not so easy. You have to do some digging to find out what you customers really want, what your competition has to offer them, and why your product is better.

"Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are more pliable."

In advertising, you have to be very careful how you use facts. As any politician will tell you, facts are scary things. They have no stretch, no pliability, no room for misinterpretation. They're indisputable. And used correctly, very powerful. But statistics, now there's something advertisers and politicians love. "Nine out of ten doctors recommend Preparation J." Who can dispute that? Or "Five out of six dentists recommend Sunshine Gum." Makes me want to run out and buy a pack of Sunshine right now. Hold it. Rewind.

"Whenever you find you're on the side of the majority, it is time to reform."

Let's take a look at how these statsthis apparent majoritymight have come to be. First off, how many doctors did they ask before they found nine out of ten to agree that Preparation J did the job? 1,000? 10,000? And how many dentists hated the idea of their patients chewing gum but relented, saying, "Most chewing gum has sugar and other ingredients, that rot out your teeth, but if the guy's gotta chew the darn stuff, it may as well be Sunshine, which has less sugar in it." The point is, stats can be manipulated to say almost anything. And yes, the devil's in the details. The fact is, there's usually a 5% chance you can get any kind of result simply by accident. And because many statistical studies are biased and not "double blind" (both subject and doctor don't know who was given the test product and who got the placebo). Worst of all, statistics usually need the endless buttressing of legal disclaimers. If you don't believe me, try to read the full-page of legally mandated warnings for that weight- loss pill you've been taking. Bottom line: stick to facts. Then back them up with sound selling arguments that address the needs of your customer.

"The difference between the right word and almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug."

To write really effective ad copy means choosing exactly the right word at the right time. You want to lead your customer to every benefit your product has to offer, and you want to shed the best light on every benefit. It also means you don't want to give them any reason or opportunity to wander away from your argument. If they wander, you're history. They're off to the next page, another TV channel or a new website. So make every word say exactly what you mean it to say, no more, no less. Example: if a product is new, don't be afraid to say "new" (a product is only new once in its life, so exploit the fact).

"Great people make us feel we can become great."

And so do great ads. While they can't convince us we'll become millionaires, be as famous as Madonna, or as likeable as Tom Cruise, they make us feel we might be as attractive, famous, wealthy, or admired as we'd like to think we can be. Because there's a "Little Engine That Could" in all of us that says, under the right conditions, we could beat the odds and catch the brass ring, win the lottery, or sell that book we've been working on. Great advertising taps into that belief without going overboard. An effective ad promoting the lottery once used pictures of people sitting on an exotic beach with little beach umbrellas in their cocktails (a perfectly realistic image for the average person) with the line: Somebody's has to win, may as well be you."

"The universal brotherhood of man is our most precious possession."

We're all part of the same family of creatures called homo sapiens. We each want to be admired, respected and loved. We want to feel secure in our lives and our jobs. So create ads that touch the soul. Use an emotional appeal in your visual, headline and copy. Even humor, used correctly, can be a powerful tool that connects you to your potential customer. It doesn't matter if you're selling shoes or software, people will always respond to what you have to sell them on an emotional level. Once they've made the decision to buy, the justification process kicks in to confirm the decision. To put it another way, once they're convinced you're a mensche with real feelings for their hopes and wants as well as their problems, they'll go from prospect to customer.

"A human being has a natural desire to have more of a good thing than he needs."

Ain't it the truth. More money, more clothes, fancier car, bigger house. It's what advertising feeds on. "You need this. And you need more of it every day." It's the universal mantra that drives consumption to the limits of our charge cards. So, how to tap into this insatiable appetite for more stuff? Convince buyers that more is better. Colgate offers 20% more toothpaste in the giant economy size. You get 60 more sheets with the big Charmin roll of toilet paper. GE light bulbs are 15% brighter. Raisin Brain now has 25% more raisins. When Detroit found it couldn't sell more cars per household to an already saturated U.S. market, they started selling more car per carSUVs and trucks got bigger and more powerful. They're still selling giant 3-ton SUVs that get 15 miles per gallon.

"Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society."

Who gets the girl? Who attracts the sharpest guy? Who lands the big promotion? Neiman Marcus knows. So does Abercrombie & Fitch. And Saks Fifth Avenue. Why else would you fork over $900 for a power suit? Or $600 for a pair of shoes? Observers from Aristotle to the twentieth century have consistently maintained that character is immanent in appearance, asserting that clothes reveal a rich palette of interior qualities as well as a brand mark of social identity. Here's where the right advertising pays for itself big time. Where you must have the perfect model (not necessarily the most attractive) and really creative photographers and directors who know how to tell a story, create a mood, convince you that you're not buying the "emperor's clothes." Example of good fashion advertising: the Levis black-and- white spot featuring a teenager driving through the side streets and alleys of the Czech Republic. Stopping to pick up friends, he gets out of the car wearing just a shirt as the voiceover cheekily exclaims, "Reason 007: In Prague, you can trade them for a car."

About the Author

Alex Kecskes is a former ad agency Copy Chief who has created effective copy and concepts for a wide range of ad agencies, Fortune 500 companies and startups. As owner of ak creativeworks, Alex provides brand names, as well as strategic copy for brochures, mailers, multimedia, articles, newsletters, PR and web content. He has published articles in a variety of publications about health, business and technology--this includes copy for over 130 different products and services. He has won such national awards as the Andy, Belding and One Show. For more information and samples, please visit: http://www.akcreativeworks.com

What Every Yellow Page Advertiser Needs To Know

2009-02-17T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Jeffrey Hauser

Do you know the five things to ask your Yellow Page representative? You should, because they determine a lot about your advertising. How about the best type of headline? Okay, what about ad costs? How much should you be spending? Still in the dark? You’re not alone. Most business people know little about a media that’s been around over 100 years and is a fixture in every consumer’s home. But it’s not your fault.

If you’re a typical advertiser, you get the bulk of your information each year when your YP rep comes around. Depending on how efficient they are, they will pass on all the salient data needed to make an educated decision. But what if they fail to tell you something valuable? How do you even know that you’re missing anything at all? Let’s move on.

Is the headline really all that important? Well, most times it is the first thing a consumer will see in regards to your business. It sets the tone and may help or hinder a business based on a few words. Writing it should be left to professionals, unless you have insider information.

Then there is that monthly YP bill. Are you happy with the cost? Did you realize that the ad charge is not the main concern: it’s the ROI or “return on investment” that determines the final cost.

There are dozens of things to know before you place that next ad. Many are common sense, but not all that obvious. Others are industry secrets that no one, including YP reps, want to talk about. How do I know so much? 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 expertise in YP creation and have advised almost 7000 companies on how to put together the most effective YP ads. 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 the headline, artwork, body text, placement, book, or heading. You must 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. There are many good and inexpensive places to turn, some available on the internet. Make sure the consultant is well qualified with at least 25 years experience. Otherwise, you’ll be wasting your own time and money.

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.

Trade Writing For Cash

2009-02-16T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Angela Butera Dickson

Often considered as "plain Jane's" of the print world, trade magazines prove that there is more to a market than just a pretty face.

Trade magazines are written for a specialized audience and typically focus on one specific area or industry. Even the ads reflect this focus.

They assume the reader is familiar with the material that's covered and though it can be quite technical, they aren't usually written in a scholarly manner this is good news for writers seeking to ad power clips to their portfolios.

Trade magazines provide a large, open and lucrative market for freelance writers because with so many competing magazines there is always a huge need for content and being an expert isn't a prerequisite for industry publication.

Try putting "trade magazines" into a search engine such as Google.com and you get well over 250,000 hits. Now try "consumer magazines." At 86,000 hits it's easy to see where the markets lie.

Now is the time! There are literally thousands of FREE trade magazines available by subscription on the Internet and more become available every day. They cover every subject and every angle imaginable. They are also some of the best paying markets in the business.

Get Your Money Where Your Trade Is Or Isn't!

You don't need to be an expert to get published in trade magazines as long as you are very familiar with what your target magazine is buying.

The ABA Journal for lawyers, pays between $400-$2000 per article and requests that all material be centered around the law, or practicing the law, but they also buy pieces focused on legal news, current trends, the business of running a practice and technology for lawyers. This leaves room for writers who don't happen to be law experts to find a niche' in this publication. Can you write about the newest technology or software that would be appropriate for law office staff? Can you offer a fresh approach for making a waiting room delay more enjoyable for their clients?

Across The Board is a non profit magazine for leaders in business, government and more. It's 60% freelance written and pays between $50 -$2500 for articles, essays, book excerpts, humor, personal experiences and opinion pieces. They also buy reprints. No expertise needed here! An article focused on the positive philanthropic policies of a fortune 500 company or the uplifting personal story of some one helped by such an organization would be right at home in this venue.

Of course, if do have an area of expertise consider exploiting it in the trades too.

The American Journalism Review at 80% freelance written, covers expose', ethical issues and personal experiences. Paying between $1500 and $2000 per piece for 2,000-4,000 words. Online, in the news and real time media focuses all apply.

Looking for Markets -in all the right places

As I said earlier the Internet is an incomparable resource of markets specifically for trade magazines and below are my two favorite places to shop for FREE magazines to find markets:

Free Magazine Trade Source is one of the most comprehensive sites for you to subscribe to trade magazines that you would like to target for article publication. They literally have hundreds of free publications.

TradePub.com is another excellent source for FREE trade magazine subscriptions. They also have hundreds of high quality magazines to chose from - it's amazing really.

Don't abandon what you know to work either Writer's Market currently has a list of 550 paying trade markets listed with contact information, rate of pay and a description of the types of submissions accepted and there are many others only a mouse click away. And many other writer's website have market listing that include trade market information. You can look for more places to find writer's markets on the Resources for Writers page.

With their plain industrial covers and unilateral focus trade magazines have been the unattractive sibling of consumer oriented magazines for a very long time. It's a reputation undeserved in the freelance writing market. With no true need for specific expertise in most publications maybe it's time for us all to take a second look at the lucrative opportunities available for freelancers that write for trade publications.

About The Author

Angela Butera Dickson is a full service, freelance copywriter offering some of the best prices on the web. From articles to brochure copy, ghostwriting to marketing letters, she can help you cultivate a polished, professional business image: www.angeladickson.com, email: angela@angeladickson.com

Why Advertise Online With A Website

2009-02-15T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Aleem Khan

A magistrate in the home country of Breaking News, Trinidad and Tobago, ordered an investigation into how a picture of one of the accused in the Sean Luke murder case got on the Internet. The boy is 13 years old and his picture is supposed to be protected because he is a minor. Ever since she made this comment, one of the top search phrases for and from Trinidad was "Sean Luke's killer face."

If you don't have one already, this court order only highlights the need to get your website as soon as possible because from a business perspective, it shows the true advertising power of the World Wide Web.

Here's what the magistrate's request teaches us:

No website, no business
The magistrate said that her daughter told her that the picture was on the Internet. Her daughter and her daughters' friends are going to be the driving force behind the international economy tomorrow. If you don't have a website, you may not even show up on their radar screen. "Oh well, I can wait until they do become the driving force and then get in." Here's some Breaking News for you: it has already started happening. Multi-million dollar corporations are complaining about competition from online merchants. So what you should really say is, "I am going to wait until everyone else has established their brands on the Internet and by then I would have missed the boat but I like to play catch-up."

The Power of Word of Mouth
Again, the magistrate said her daughter was the source of information. Now, you can advertise all you want, pour millions of dollars into TV, radio, and press ads. But when someone you know and trust tells you that Singer has the best quality furniture, you're going to buy from Singer, even if you just saw ten Courts ads on TV. Given the fact that the Internet is still a game of search-and-find, people feel accomplished when they "find" something on the Internet and they tell their friends about it, many times even when their friends never asked.

Just fix it
From our preliminary investigations, we found that the owner of the website where the picture was allegedly published acted quickly to remove the picture. What happens if you invest a few thousand dollars into a press ad and then after it's published you realise it contains a mistake that you made when you submitted it to the newspaper. You just lost your money! Not with the Internet. In the same way, the Trinidadian Canada-based student acted quickly to remove the picture, you can remove anything from your website in fractions of a second. You can fix your ad as soon as you find errors.

No Mediator
Now, this is a power that ought to be used responsibly. There is no active mediator of content on the Internet and with blogs, basically anyone can publish anything. In old-school advertising, publishers still check ads to ensure that they adhere to (1) their own rules (2) advertising rules and (3) laws of the land.

Small Advertising Fees In a future issue, we will publish a comparison chart on the cost-effectiveness of advertising in different media including the Internet. However, what is undisputable is that advertising on the Internet gives one of the best Cost-Per-Thousand ratios. With a website of your own, you stand to save a lot. Don't think you need to advertise? Let me know who you are so that I can bump you off our list. :-) Seriously though, if no one knows about you, no one can buy from you. It's that simple.

Interactivity
Only on the Internet can someone go into your ad in detail and interact with it. If your website is your 24-hour ad, then you can even put systems in place on your website to get information from customers and stay in touch with them. That can't happen with any other media.

There are many other reasons to stop waiting and act now but I'm always eager to hear what you think. So drop me a line or two especially if we're not on the same page.

Aleem Khan is an accredited Internet Expert with the International Internet Authority, a secure and reliable place to getYourNAMEin.com.

Yellow Page Ad Design Second Opinions That Will Kill You

2009-02-14T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by John Morana

One of the first things our Yellow Page ad design clients like to do is get other opinions on their newly designed Yellow Page ad before committing it to print. They ask employees, friends, their spouse, and even their current customers. They may even seek the opinion of a marketing specialist. Once, a client told me he asked his 14-year old daughter for her input (She hated it). The logic is, "the more feedback I get, the better!" But you don't want bystanders to like your Yellow Page ad, you want PROSPECTS to be persuaded by it.

The simple truth is that second opinions have LITTLE to NO VALUE UNLESS that opinion is coming from a member of your target audience at 1) the exact moment they are viewing your ad and 2) are in immediate need of your service. These folks are in a very "particular" state of mind. They need a solution to their problem (at that instant) and they're smack-dab in the middle of a decision-making process. They're trying to determine "who can best solve my problem?"

At that moment in time, a prospects opinion is worth listening to, but not necessarily something to be taken at face value, cause what a person says they would do and what they actually do, are two different things. Remember, tens of thousands of prospective customers said they preferred the taste of New Coke to Coke...but that hardly meant they were willing to buy it when it came out.

So unfortunately, the most valuable opinion isn't necessarily a conscious opinion at all it's the gut level or emotional response that will drive a prospects buyng decision when confronted with your ad. This is a far cry from polling customers and something really only measurable from results of running an actual ad. But don't worry, there's an answer.

Before you pick up a pencil or stroke a single key for your new Yellow Page ad, define your most important prospect and think about what makes that person click. Crawl deep inside their head! What emotional thoughts and words will move this individual and convince them that YOU are the very best business to call. When you're done, (and if you've been successful) your Yellow Page ad should resonate with NO ONE except this particular target individual. Their opinion will be the only one that matters. And they'll happily voice their opinion through phone calls, lots and lots of phone calls right to YOUR phone.

Experienced judgement absorbed from designing and running decades worth of successful Yellow Page ads can save you years worth of trial and error as well as tens of thousands of dollars worth of missed sales. If you hire an experienced expert that truly knows their craft and you trust their judgement - you can be darn sure that YOUR OPINION of Yellow Page advertising is going to drastically change for the better.

Explosive Yellow Pages advertising...Yellow Pages advertising design that works! Call John Morana at 800-726-7006 for expert advice and a FREE no-obligation Yellow Page ad evaluation. Learn how to maximize your Yellow Pages advertising ROI at www.max-effect.com © 2006 MaxEffect Yellow Page Ad Design. All rights reserved.

Get The Word Out With A Smart Printing Campaign

2009-02-13T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Tom Sample

If you have a product you need to move or a web site that needs promotion, there are great ways to achieve the goal without breaking the bank. One of the best solutions is a smart printing campaign. Generally cheap, easy and quite capable of producing results, few things are easier than a smart printing campaign for getting the word out. Plus, printing doesn't just have to mean fliers.

Printing is an easy way for you to market your business and the products that you sell. Many sellable goods can be printed such as T-shirts, baseball caps, book covers and cups. These items are easy to produce and a cost effective means of marketing your business or web site without the hassle of hiring an advertising firm.

Creating a design is the first step in the process of screen-printing. Creating a design can be as simple or as complicated as you wish to make it. There are many web sites available on the Internet that can you help you with this process and some companies provide design tools on their web site to help the buyer out. When creating the design you should always include the most important information about your product or business. Keep in mind that the more elaborate the design the higher the cost will be.

The next step is to determine what to put you design on. This is a very important part of the process because you will need to decide which type of items will do you the most good. T-shirts and clothing items are generally a good choice because these are items that are worn on a daily basis and the rate of exposure is high. Equipment like gym bags and sweatbands get a more limited exposure rate but are still good choices if your target audience is in a gym. Coffee mugs and glasses are another good choice but again these items have limited exposure rates but are good for exposure in areas like offices.

Choosing a company to print your products is the final step in the process. There are many different companies that will screen print and choosing one is not always an easy thing to do. Doing a search online and visiting the various web sites can help you to narrow down a company that is right for you and that will fit your needs. Be sure to investigate the company by doing checks at the better business bureau and any online watchdog groups.

After that it is just a matter of receiving your new products and determining how best to utilize them. A good idea is to calculate your costs and set aside a number of the products to sell so that you can cover these costs. The items that are left from that count could be given away as promotional goods thereby insuring that the advertising is out there or if the cost of producing these items is minimal then consider giving all of the products out as promotional items. When people wear your T-shirts or drink from your cups, they're inadvertently helping your advertising effort. That kind of exposure generally pays for itself.

In the world of marketing, advertisement costs can quickly get out of hand but screen printing can be a cheap yet effective means of promoting your business or product. Anything that helps you get the word out about your business is a good choice.

#1 Resource
Custom promotional goods.
http://www.custompromogoods.com

Marketing And Advertising How Much Should You Be Spending

2009-02-12T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Linda Riley

Whether you're a startup or an established small business, one of the toughest decisions that you will make is how much money you are going to spend on your advertising and marketing communications. Prospects need to be acquainted with you, need to know what you do and how your product or service will benefit them. They need to know where to find you, and how to contact you. But how much should you spend to get that word out?

For companies who are just beginning a communications program, the tendency is to decide where you think you need to advertise, and then spend whatever it takes to get to be there. You rely on your instincts to tell you what communications vehicles you ought to be using, and then price out what it costs to use them. Perhaps you do know your market very well, and you won't waste a lot of time, money and energy in the wrong places. However, this approach has a definite flaw. You are not taking into account either what your company can really afford, or the dynamics of the marketplace, both of which are important factors that should play strongly into your thinking.

There are other, better ways of determining your marketing budgets, and at least one of them just may fit better into your company's strategies.

1. Take a look at what your competitors are spending, and establish your budget based on the competitive marketplace. This approach works well when your competitors are around the same size that you are, and when they are pitching the same size accounts that you are pitching. If everyone is spending at a fairly similar rate, then you can be comfortable that you know what the price of entry is into the market. You don't necessarily need to use the same promotional vehicles that your competition uses, but you do want to try to capture a comparable share of voice in your prospect's mind. The downside of this approach is that it really cannot be implemented effectively if there are only one or two very big spenders in your particular area. As a smaller business person, you cannot outspend or even match their big budgets, and so you must find a more creative way to gain mindshare among your prospects.

2. Take Approach #1 one step farther, and factor in your relative position in the market compared to the competition. For this method, you still have to be aware of what your competitors are doing, but now you must also acknowledge that you need to be spending somewhat more if you are a late-comer to the market, or if your goal is to improve your market position. Conversely, you can spend less if you are already one of the leaders in your market. Take a look at what the average spend rate is in your product category, matching your geography and target audiences, if you can. Then think about using a dollar range that is 5% plus or minus that average, depending on whether your position is where you would like to be or not. Once again, you can be successful here if everyone in the market is around the same size, and you can be comfortable in their spending patterns.

3. Base your communications budgets on a percentage of your projected gross revenues. Now you are taking into account what kind of monies you will have available for communications, and also you are leaving yourself the flexibility to revise and adjust your budgets as your situation changes. If your program is very successful and sales increase, you can increase your budgets. In slow times, you can cut back, but still maintain a presence in your marketplace. You won't spend yourself out of business, but you still need to take into account your particular market. The percentage that you will want to work with will vary by industry, but you should think about what it will take to be visible in the advertising media that your industry uses.

Any of the three methods outlined above will bring a sense of discipline to your marketing program. Whether you choose one of these options, or choose to work out a combination of techniques, you can feel more confident that your marketing efforts reflect a prudent business base, and that they integrate well into the personality of your company and the dynamic of your marketplace. And those are ultimately the keys to a successful marketing communications program.

Linda Riley
Linda Riley Media Services

http://lindarileymedia.com

For over ten years, we have been providing our clients with creative media strategies and cost-effective media buys. We don't stop until you have the best possible program for the lowest possible media costs. For more information, email Linda at lriley@lindarileymedia.com.

Advertising Do Not Tell Me Show Me

2009-02-11T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Lance Winslow

It is amazing how many advertising account executives there are and it is amazing that we even allow them to call themselves advertising account executives because it almost sounds like they are seasoned executives who specialize in advertising and know something that we do not. That is to say most advertising account executives are nothing more than salespeople who have the gift to gab and no real skills in advertising or experience to back up the expert advice that they purport.

So often, an advertising account executive will come into a business and explain to the storeowner that if they do not advertise they will never achieve their sales goals. Such a blunt statement may be true in some regards, however that is not to say that only their particular advertising that they happen to be selling today is going to do the trick either.

If you ask an advertising salesperson what type of advertising you should produce you will should not be surprised to find that if they sell newspaper advertising they will recommend a double truck full page ad in the center of the newspaper or buying the entire back page; why you ask? Because these are the most expensive and they will get the highest commission.

Advertising account executives will also say it takes time for their advertising to work. In other words you need to advertise for a long period of time to get the proper results. This guarantees ongoing money from you and commissions for them. Perhaps it is time that all business owners tell all advertising account executives; do not tell me; show me.

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

13 Facts About Newspaper Advertising

2009-02-10T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Mike McDaniel

Advertising in the paper works for many people in business. The astute merchant understands the newspaper's weaknesses and works to avoid them whenever possible.

Here are 13 facts you should know.

1 Despite declining circulation figures and increasing ad rates, newspapers still reach large audiences, daily.

2 Newspapers are considered the PRIMARY advertising medium by 99.4% of all retailers. Newspapers have been there in every step of the typical store owner's life from the very beginning. Newspapers covered his birth, his high school graduation, his engagement, his marriage, the death of his parents and everything else.

3 Many, if not most, retailers, lay out their own ads. It is said that over the years, merchants have come to believe the only way to get it right is to do it themselves. This thinking has given rise to the new breed of newspaper salesperson. No training, just a list of customers and the daily question "Gotchyur ad ready yet?"

4 There is no proof full page or double-truck ads are more effective than half page ads. The savings can be spent on a concurrent radio campaign or billboards.

5 The same with color. It looks great, but the increased cost many times does not justify the small increase in readership. Forget the color and go with more frequency.

6 The paper is delivered daily, but there is no need for an ad every day as the paper reaches the same readers. 3 times a week works just fine. Spend the difference in the shopper or on a supporting radio campaign.

7 Newspaper coupons will have a better rate of redemption with a radio chaser. Especially if the coupons are NOT in a Sunday paper competing with 85% of all coupons weekly. Think about a coupons on Tuesday with supporting radio to drive them to it.

8 Less than half of newspaper readers read the entire paper. Most are skimmers. How many times through the paper does it take for you to find your own ad?

9 Over half of every newspaper is advertising. Almost as bad as TV where commercial breaks now last more than three and a half minutes. More than two-thirds of the huge and heavy Sunday brick is advertising and stuffers and lap cards (those pesky little cards that fall out when you pick it up).

10 Newspaper rates are climbing faster than any other advertising media. The smallest of ads in the smallest papers can cost over $100. One time, one shot and POW!, its at the bottom of the bird cage or spread out for an indoor dog's emergency.

11 Newsstand and subscriptions prices are rising, too. 75 cents an issue is rapidly losing to 4 quarters.

12 Most papers offer no competitive protection. Your ad can be placed side-by-side with your competition. Get the salesperson to guarantee you separation.

13 Daily newspaper numbers are dwindling. There are less than 1000 daily papers left in the US. Smaller communities must rely on weeklies or papers from another area with a "local" section. In some markets one publisher controls several small town papers, printing them at a central location, changing only the front page for each community.

Newspapers are still a formidable advertising force. Find ways to continue to use the paper to increase store traffic, but do it with other advertising too, so the media mix is efficient. Don't let anyone tell you NOT to advertise in the paper. Just do it better.

For more about advertising, get my article "Do Your Radio Ads Work?" MailTo:RadioAds@BigIdeasGroup.com

Subscribe to "BIG Mike's BIG Ideas" Newsletter MailTo:subscribe-956603364@ezinedirector.net

Advertising Balloons In The United Kingdom

2009-02-09T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Low Jeremy

Getting the attention of the customer is the only way a company can survive. Since there are other brands competing, it is important to advertise in order to gain leverage over the others.

A company can spend a lot of money on television, radio or the billboards but if there isn't enough money in the budget it is best to use advertising balloons instead. The practice of using this in the United Kingdom is almost the same as in the United States.

The firm can choose to use inflatables or get those that are powered using helium. Most of the companies in the United Kingdom go to a firm that will make a design or use an existing one and get that ad in the air. An experienced pilot will fly one of these as well as take some riders who will like to come on board.

The standard shape of the balloon is always there. If people want a different touch, this can be shaped into a soda can, a strawberry or a famous cartoon character that can really make people look up and be sold on the ad.

The cost of an advertising balloon for really big ones is divided into three parts.

The first will be the construction costs that will come from the manufacturer. This will on the design and specifications given by the client.

The second is the operation of the balloon. Some people will just want to tie this on the roof of the office.

The third is called balloon public relations where someone experienced flies around the city.

If the company doesn't have the money for this, there are other options. These people can settle for the inflatables that are powered by large fans. Again a design has to be chosen before it can be delivered.

The difference between an inflatable and a balloon is that these can't float in the air. The fan is what keeps this on the ground and will just wave from one direction to the next depending also on the direction of the wind.

Advertising is the only way to launch a product or create awareness in the market. If people don't have a lot of money but need to advertise, using a balloon is the best way to go. These are easy to make and maintain enabling the company to make a new one after a few months.

Low Jeremy maintains http://advertising-balloons.articlesforreprint.com This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included.

The Skinny On Newspaper Advertising

2009-02-08T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Mike McDaniel

The SKINNY on Newspapers

Using the paper is considered gospel by many people in business. Use it wisely and it can be a good tool.

Remember, newspapers are passive, non intrusive media. They tend to reach only buyers who are looking for the product. They are poor at reaching prospects before the need arises.

Think about it, there are few times you have been driven to go to a store to buy a product you never heard of because you saw an ad in the paper. You had to have an earlier impression about the product for the newspaper ad to point you to the location to buy it.

There are 4 ways to use the newspaper for advertising.

1) Display advertising from one column wide by 2 inches high to a full two pages, display ads can be so numerous the news stories have to be cut so both can live on the page.

There is usually no protection. Competiting store ads can be next to each other (next time you see the paper look for tire store ads on the same page).

When designing your ad, remember it's all about them. Use a catchy headline and tell them what you will do for the. Forget about your picture or your "Number One in the District Award". Good advertising "feels their pain".

2) Classified advertising The effectiveness of classified ads varies by paper and by who wrote the ad and by what the ad is selling. Many classified sections have turned into giant car dealer pages and huge homes for sale sections complete with four color pictures.

The small, private, "gotta sell my Bow-Flex" ads can be lost in a giant classified section. Many shoppers and Nickle Savers have smaller, and cheaper, classified sections.

Some small business operators find success with a series of small classified ads. Small blurps tend to build "top of mind awareness". A cheap way to keep your name out there.

3) Tabs and special sections Tabs, the cash cow for newspapers, are manufactured events designed to sell ads. Progress Editon. Easter Shopping Special. Dollar Days. You name it, there is a tab every idea.

Typically a tab is the regular paper page turned sideways (landscape) and folded in half.

Tabs get ad-on advertising dollars from existing clients and offer one time only exposure to those who don't normally use the paper (i.e. the giant corporate ads in every Progress Edition). Most papers have so many tabs, they print an advertising calendar.

Understand them for what they are, vehicles to get extra bucks from you. If you want to be in one, rearrange your budget, don't ad to it.

4) Inserts and stuffers Some Sunday papers weight 4 to 5 pounds each, mostly for the weight of stuffers and inserts. Usually reserved for national advertisers and big box stores. They print them and deliver them to the paper and pay a per piece fee to have them stuffed and delivered. For smaller businesses they become cost prohibitive. Better to stick with display ads.

Sunday papers have the biggest circulation, and ad rates are more expensive. Regional and national papers can be expensive, too. Local papers and shoppers are less expensive, but nonetheless can be a major part of a small business ad budget.

Newspaper advertising is sold by the column inch. Different categories of ads and section placement determine the rate and rates vary throughout the paper. Rates also vary with advertisers, depending on how many column inches they have agreed to buy in a one year period. The more the cheaper.

Plan your advertising well in advance and stick to your budget. Sell to needs, not ego and newspaper can be your buddy.

For more about advertising, get my article "What Does your telephone say about you?" MailTo:TelephoneSay@BigIdeasGroup.com

Subscribe to "BIG Mike's BIG Ideas" Newsletter MailTo:subscribe-956603364@ezinedirector.net

Advertising Divas And Consumer Queens

2009-02-07T11:00:00.001-08:00

Writen by Penny Archer

In the past, the saying has always been "don't underestimate the power of branding" but now the best advice seems to be "don't underestimate the power of women!" Ignore it at your peril.

If statistics out of the US are any guide for the rest of the world to follow, and in the past this has been the case, then everyone in the advertising industry should give their serious attention to this fact. Jupiter Research has concluded that women influence 83 percent of all purchase decisions. There are more women online today than men.

And looking forward, 70 percent of all US women will be online in 2006, and looking even further ahead, 85 million women will purchase products and services online by 2010.

These statistics are huge by anyone's measurements. Does anyone out there still have doubts as to the potential of ecommerce? Or more importantly, guys, how do your doubts hold up as to the influence of women on the internet?

US women over 40 are devoting more time online per week than running errands, eating or preparing meals, relaxing, or spending time with friends. Their internet time outweighs watching TV, listening to the radio and other media activities.

So what does this really tell us?

Fact #1 Advertisers in both traditional and new media, have up until now, been seriously underestimating women power
Fact #2 Women are the dominant gender when it comes to online spending
Fact #3 Women know women better than men know women (I'm sure most husbands would agree.)

Who better to understand the consumer behavior of women than women themselves? This last fact should lend itself to a rush to employ or promote females into the positions of advertising executives and creative directors. Now guys, don't get us gals wrong, sensitive men can still create great ads for women and vice versa, but if the above statistics can be believed, then surely you should be eagerly encouraging the women in your industry to play a greater role in both decision making and creativity.

This makes such common sense to me, nothing biased about it.

Penny Archer, herself a "Consumer Queen", is a Director of SmartDames FZ LLC, an international email List Broker based in Dubai Media City, Dubai. Other articles that she has written can be found at http://www.smartdames.com or http://www.listownerlimbo.com