Advertising - For Small Businesses (Part 2)
by:
Alan Fairweather
How to do it.
People skim through newspapers and magazines and they aren't necessarily looking for information on products or services (unless they're reading the classifieds) It's therefore absolutely vital that your advertisement grabs their attention and encourages them to read more. Many ads are designed merely to create awareness of a product or service, however, small to medium size businesses need a result.
Use words that attract attention in your headline - The two most powerful words in a headline are - YOU and FREE. Other great headline words are - How to - New - The Secrets of - Amazing - Breakthrough - Announcing - Discover - Protect - Facts you - At last
Don't worry too much about a photograph or a graphic - A good headline is what you need to grab attention and differentiate you from your competitors. There are several ads in my local paper for plumbers. All but one has the name of the plumbing business at the top of the ad - "Fred Smith Plumbers." One of the ads has "DYNAMIC PLUMBERS" at the top of the ad. I had to read more to find out what made this plumbing service "DYNAMIC." To me - one plumber is much like another; however, this one grabbed my interest.
Offer something free - A sample - an hour of your time - information - a drink - a coffee - some food - a place for children to play - a book - an audio or video tape. Offer something that has a high perceived value for the customer but a low cost for you. Remember - you want them to respond to your ad, not your competitors.
Use simple language - Get to your point FAST - remember, people will only spend a few seconds looking at your ad, so don't beat around the bush.
Offer benefits - Tell the customer how your product or service benefits them or solves their problems. Don't start sentences with - "We do ……." start with - "You will ……."
No jargon - Watch out for abbreviations, jargon, buzz words and technical information. You might understand the language but does the customer?
Don't be boring - Don't use words like -"Quality service" (What does that mean?) - "Established in 1862" (Who cares) - "We provide an individual service" (Doesn't everybody?) Look at what some of your competitors say in their advertising and do something different.
Touch the emotions - Make your ad look and sound human, warm and friendly. Perhaps put a name in - "Call Jim now for a FREE quotation."
Use testimonials - Put in the names of people and businesses that you've worked with and what they said (with their permission of course)
Call for action - Your advertisement must prompt people to do something. You must ask them to phone you - come and see you - ask you to see them or place an order - NOW! Make it as easy as possible for them to do that - a free phone number - a freepost address - a simple tear-off coupon to complete - something free or any other incentive for them to take action NOW!
About the Author:
Discover how you can generate more business without having to cold call! Alan Fairweather is the author of "How to get More Sales without Selling" This book is packed with practical things that you can do to - get customers to come to you . Click here now
http://www.howtogetmoresales.com
No. of Times this article has been viewed :
722
Date Published :
Dec 2 2009
Most Recently Published Advertising Articles as of
|
|
Jul 25 2010
Because Pictures are Worth a Thousand Words
by
James Creve Coeur
The famous proverb that says "a picture is worth a thousand words" was actually accepted only during the 1920s when businessmen started using images and pictures to advertise their products and services. Since it is very effective, it has been used since then.
|
Jul 18 2010
Text to Screen: The Interactive SMS Campaign You Need at Your Next Event
by
Michaela Cristallo
SMS campaigns are a fantastic way to reach your target audience in a personal, targeted and cost effective way. If you're looking for something interactive and engaging then text to screen might be what you're looking for.
|
Jul 18 2010
What Makes an Ad Successful?
by
Karran Finlay
Good advertising needs to evoke emotion and impel action. All ads are created for different reasons and therefore have different boundaries, but generally, a good add should follow these guidelines.
|
Jul 18 2010
The Easy Way to Print Business Cards
by
Jean Meyer
Printing color business cards can be done easily if you know what you are doing. In this guide, I will tell you what you need to do so that you can print color business cards easily and avoid all the technical stuff about its production process.
|
Jul 18 2010
How to Build an Effective Online Display Advertising Campaign
by
Andrew Nester
There are over 30 billion web pages on the Internet today with multiple display ads on most pages. How do your ads get found? Getting your ads in front of the proper audience, at the right time, as often as possible, is the key to having a successful online display advertising campaign.
|
Jul 15 2010
Pay Per Click Advertising Strategies in Determining Keyword Phrase Value for Seo Marketing
by
Stephen Kavita
The secret to optimizing your per per click advertising is to go for exact phrase match option. This is where you place open and close brackets around your keyword phrase, "[]". This option will tell you the ....
|
Jul 14 2010
Understanding Automotive Advertising
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
Coming up with direct mail advertising is proven to be the most effective means of bringing in more cars for your shop. However, in order for the mail to be effective, it must be afforded with the right factors such as design, marketing analysis, shipping and so much more.
|
Jul 9 2010
Keys Steps To Choosing Effective Promotional Products
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
Marketing yourself is of supreme importance in the competitive environment of the modern business world. One tried and true way to do so is with giveaway logo gear. Here then are some Keys steps to choosing effective promotional products.
|
Jul 9 2010
How to Advertise Your Company with Classified Ads
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
Classified advertising is somewhat different from normal advertising techniques due to the fact that it allows private people to advertise the products and services they have to offer.
|
Jul 9 2010
Some Keys Steps to Choosing Effective Promotional Products
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
Following these key steps to choosing effective promotional products may not guarantee your success, but it sure can help put you on the right path. Represent yourself, well, choose appropriate items, and spend wisely to create the greatest impact.
|
Jul 9 2010
Billboard Advertising a Different Approach to Driving Online Traffic
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
Billboard advertising is expensive, so you need to carefully weigh your options and be sure it's the tactic you want to use along with your other internet marketing methods.
|
Jul 9 2010
Wondering How Does Reward Programs Affect Brand Loyalty
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
By knowing how does reward programs affect brand loyalty and using it to your advantage, you might find yourself with more business than you hoped for.
|
Jul 9 2010
How to Advertise Effectively
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
How do you make use of your opportunity to advertise? The following are some tips on how one can utilize the opportunities in promoting business.
|
Jul 9 2010
Printing Online for Business on the Go
by
Brent Durell
Online printing provides an easy way to print marketing materials at an affordable price and at the soonest possible time.
|
Jul 8 2010
How Do You Make Money On The Web?
by
Jerry Bader
Before I decided on the title for this article I wrote down a list of options: how to engage an audience, how to affect change, and how to alter perceptions and change attitudes. All of which are valid, and all of which are important to you as a business owner or marketing manager.
|
|
Search for ebooks on Management & Business