Advantages and Disadvantages to a Few Advertising Mediums

In our bustling consumer society, we are absolutely surrounded by advertising--some effective and helpful, others superfluous and obstructive.But what business owners want to know is what types of advertising can really tap into their market base without crossing into the realm of propaganda or worse, obnoxiousness?

As we all know, there are countless ways to reach an audience.Let's go over some advantages and disadvantages of a few of them.

First, we have the inevitable advertising method that arose with the advent of cars and highways: the billboard.Depending on the location, renting a billboard for advertisements may either be very cost effective or extremely expensive.In the heart of Los Angeles, it may cost you up to ten thousand dollars a month, while in a rural location or a small town, it may be as little as three-hundred dollars a month.

The main reason why advertisers choose to use billboards is because they are huge and eye-catching.It is very hard for passersby to miss a huge, brightly colored sign.They are particularly advantageous on long stretches of open highway, where there is little else to look at!

Furthermore, there are now electronic billboards which are able to shift between advertisements.This has been a great technological advancement for advertising on billboards, making them more brightly lit and striking.

However, a billboard can say little, as any important information must be written in large enough print to be read from afar.This means that meaning is often conveyed through pictures, which also help to keep the advertisement interesting.But the more "artwork," that is included, the more costly the billboard becomes.

Another very large ad comes in the form of pre-movie showing commercials which are featured before the upcoming movie trailers.Like billboards, they have the advantage of being difficult to miss, as they are directly in front of potential consumers.

But one major disadvantage is that as movie-goers shuffle into the theatre, get settled, or get up again because they realize they really do want popcorn, it is unlikely that many people will absorb and remember anything advertised.Before a movie begins, many people are also unlikely to fix their attention to the screen.

On a smaller scale, a common method used for local advertising is the distribution of printed fliers.They are cheap and require no maintenance after they leave your hands.But the issue with this is that they so often get discarded.
One way to rectify this problem is to place a flier in hallways or public restrooms, with tear-off contact information for any interested parties.This wastes significantly less paper, which saves you money in the long run.

Another popular route is that of the advertising refrigerator magnet.Even in mass production, they end up being fairly reasonably priced, but do be mindful that if they are discarded, it would cost you more than a simple sheet of paper.Also, they take longer to produce, so if you are in dire need of an immediate advertisement, this may not be the solution for you.

But the great advantage is that many people do end up saving magnets due to their sheer usefulness.Even if they do not act upon the advertisement right away, they will have plenty of time to see it on their refrigerator day after day, and constant exposure is a great tactic in advertising.

About the Author

If you are interested in ordering a customized advertising magnet for your business, be sure to check out American Printing & Promotions (http://postcardmagnet.

com/), the leaders in professional but cost-effective magnet making.Art Gib is a freelance writer.

Relaited Links:

• E-Book Marketing: Best Information about any Question
• Easy Money for Teens: Or Is It?
• Book Marketing: The Benefits of Giving Your Book Away

Advantages and Disadvantages to a Few Advertising Mediums

In our bustling consumer society, we are absolutely surrounded by advertising--some effective and helpful, others superfluous and obstructive.But what business owners want to know is what types of advertising can really tap into their market base without crossing into the realm of propaganda or worse, obnoxiousness?

As we all know, there are countless ways to reach an audience.Let's go over some advantages and disadvantages of a few of them.

First, we have the inevitable advertising method that arose with the advent of cars and highways: the billboard.Depending on the location, renting a billboard for advertisements may either be very cost effective or extremely expensive.In the heart of Los Angeles, it may cost you up to ten thousand dollars a month, while in a rural location or a small town, it may be as little as three-hundred dollars a month.

The main reason why advertisers choose to use billboards is because they are huge and eye-catching.It is very hard for passersby to miss a huge, brightly colored sign.They are particularly advantageous on long stretches of open highway, where there is little else to look at!

Furthermore, there are now electronic billboards which are able to shift between advertisements.This has been a great technological advancement for advertising on billboards, making them more brightly lit and striking.

However, a billboard can say little, as any important information must be written in large enough print to be read from afar.This means that meaning is often conveyed through pictures, which also help to keep the advertisement interesting.But the more "artwork," that is included, the more costly the billboard becomes.

Another very large ad comes in the form of pre-movie showing commercials which are featured before the upcoming movie trailers.Like billboards, they have the advantage of being difficult to miss, as they are directly in front of potential consumers.

But one major disadvantage is that as movie-goers shuffle into the theatre, get settled, or get up again because they realize they really do want popcorn, it is unlikely that many people will absorb and remember anything advertised.Before a movie begins, many people are also unlikely to fix their attention to the screen.

On a smaller scale, a common method used for local advertising is the distribution of printed fliers.They are cheap and require no maintenance after they leave your hands.But the issue with this is that they so often get discarded.
One way to rectify this problem is to place a flier in hallways or public restrooms, with tear-off contact information for any interested parties.This wastes significantly less paper, which saves you money in the long run.

Another popular route is that of the advertising refrigerator magnet.Even in mass production, they end up being fairly reasonably priced, but do be mindful that if they are discarded, it would cost you more than a simple sheet of paper.Also, they take longer to produce, so if you are in dire need of an immediate advertisement, this may not be the solution for you.

But the great advantage is that many people do end up saving magnets due to their sheer usefulness.Even if they do not act upon the advertisement right away, they will have plenty of time to see it on their refrigerator day after day, and constant exposure is a great tactic in advertising.

About the Author

If you are interested in ordering a customized advertising magnet for your business, be sure to check out American Printing & Promotions (http://postcardmagnet.

com/), the leaders in professional but cost-effective magnet making.Art Gib is a freelance writer.

Relaited Links:

• Expand Website Conversion with Better Communication
• How Private Label Rights is Different from Master Resale Rights?
• Make Money With Writing And Promoting Ebooks

Tell Your Business Book's Story To Everyone . . . But Spend Little

Everything comes to him who waits -- among other things, death.

--Francis Herbert Bradley

Most of what people will tell you about promoting a new business book is a lot of nonsense.

How do I know that?I spent a lot of time, money, and effort following what turned out to be bad advice.

Here's what you should do instead:

1.

Put up brief excerpts where people who like to read business books will find them (snippets located at online book sellers are especially effective).

2.Send excerpts by e-mail to anyone who wants them.

3.offer to convert parts of your book into materials that others want to promote for their purposes both online and off.

4.Let anyone who reviews business books and wants a copy have one or a PDF.

5.Write lots of online articles that include key concepts from your book.

Here's how I know that's good advice: I learned it gradually after many business books for which I tried to follow the traditional advice.In fact, most of your readers will come from these methods rather than direct promotions or word of mouth.

Now don't get me wrong: If you are a famous CEO, you can follow the traditional advice.If you merely have good ideas that will help people, you'll need to follow the advice that I've given you.

As a new author, I received a lot of advice about how to successfully launch a business book.I spent time discussing the subject with friends who had written business best sellers.

I also read interviews with best-selling business authors about what they felt had contributed to their success.Members of the 400 Year Project steering committee also had ideas about how to get the word out.

Clearly, everyone had an idea for how to get someone else interested ...but no one seemed to want to take the exponential solution process into his or her own organizations or personal life.That reaction should have told me something.

But I was so caught up with the advice for attracting others that was so enthusiastically given that I didn't notice that the well of enthusiasm for our work wasn't very deep.

A common piece of advice was to get advance copies out to as many decision leaders and influencers, such as CEOs of major companies, authors, media figures, reviewers, and social leaders, as possible.Having heard that advice very often, I took the direction seriously.

Thousands of advance copies and autographed versions of the first printing poured out of our office like a hundred year flood.Federal Express probably had a record year based on our heavy air freight volume.
I waited.I waited some more.Then I waited a little longer.

Then I got the first clue that hit home: A friend who worked in Harvard Square reported that the copy we had sent to the Harvard alumni magazine where I had labored as a youngster was being offered at a local used book shop for $1.00.

I later learned that the people I had sent the materials to often received as many as 100 books or advance reader copies a day.Some local charity, library, or used book seller was the inevitable recipient of this unsought largesse.

I should have remembered our own surveys of CEO reading habits: CEOs are busy people and usually don't read many books until after they retire.Even then, business books are low on the list of preferred reading.

We finally realized that the advice to distribute advance copies was only good for those who could command attention because of who they were, something that didn't apply to me.

Fortunately, our publisher prided itself on doing a great job of attracting book reviews, and I soon found that some of our review copies found their way to people who were writing favorable reviews.Unlike Broadway where you find out whether or not you've got a hit by reading the reviews just a few hours after the curtain goes down on opening night, book reviews trickle in.

But within four months, I learned that people who read the book almost always liked it even if they didn't seem to apply it.That was some good news.

About the Author

Donald Mitchell is an author of seven books including Adventures of an Optimist, The 2,000 Percent Squared Solution, The 2,000 Percent Solution, The 2,000 Percent Solution Workbook, The Irresistible Growth Enterprise, and The Ultimate Competitive Advantage.

Read about creating breakthroughs through and receive tips by e-mail through registering for free at

http://www.

2000percentsolution.com

Relaited Links:

• Top 15 Tactics to Explode Your Web Presence and Link Popularity
• 5 Things You Need to Know About Directory Submissions
• Mistakes By New Internet Marketers: The Top 4

Copywriting When Your Offer Sounds Too Good To Be True

Copywriters face a special challenge when you offer a "knock you socks off" benefit.Readers will notice the promise and tell themselves, "I dont believe it." They click away to another website.

Recently I saw a notice promising "free web hosting without ads." And I dismissed the promise as yet another "too good to be true." I was reminded of all those diet plans that promise you can eat all the chocolate and french fries you want and still lose weight.

But suppose you really can deliver a product or service thats truly unique.In the free web hosting example, maybe customers automatically receive an ezine filled with hard-hitting ads.The hosting company could sell space in their ezine or they could run their own adsense or affiliate ads.Now the business model makes sense and customers will believe the promise - if you tell them.

So if you have a "too good to be true" offer:

1 Promise only what you really deliver.

That means no surprises and no hidden fees, charges or conditions.

Suppose that web hosting company doesnt charge hosting fees or show ads on your website.But instead you have to join a club with monthly dues of 40.Or you buy their design services, whether you need them or not.Or they charge a set-up fee.

In any of these cases, their offer would not be genuine.As a copywriter, I would have to make sure customers really knew what they were buying.

Sounds far-fetched Ive seen dozens of "free stuff" offers from big name marketers.When I say yes, Im directed to an order form to pay shipping charges.Usually theyre modest -- just a few bucks because the marketer wants to capture your name and physical address.

But once I saw a terrific offer to get a product for 20...if Id pay a 40 shipping fee to get 6 CDs and a notebook.The actual shipping costs less than 10 and packaging maybe another 2.This offer comes dangerously close to being deceptive.

2 Design a website that absolutely screams credibility.Use colors, words and layout to communicate sincerity and commitment.

You dont have to spend big bucks on design.Most of the top marketers spend very little.In fact, a simple design with easy navigation and magnetic copy will encourage visitors to trust and buy from you.

3 Include testimonials with full names and URLs of satisfied customers and clients.If your clients dont have websites, use their cities and ideally tell readers their occupations.

You have to convince readers that these testimonials came from real people.These days, "Mary S from Chicago" will actually cost more credibility than no testimonial at all.

4 Defuse the hype.Include a line like, "Heres how we are able to make this offer." You may have a system, ingredient or business model that allows you to offer special value.

Ideally, you will translate your unique quality into a benefit.For example, a client says, "Most consultants require 4 visits to analyze your system.We need just 1 on-site visit.The copy will read:

"With 20 years of experience in this specialty, we have developed a 3-step system that allow us to analyze your system with just one on-site visit.

You benefit because you can continue your business without interruptions.Your increase in productivity will more than justify your entire investment in our services." systems that create savings in time and money.Therefore, we can offer solution that deliver higher return for your investment."

5 Use a news type headline instead of a claim or "struggle" headline.

So instead of "Get a free web host without advertising," you could say, "New 3-in-one program delivers free web hosting without ads." The sub-headings will assure readers, "No hidden charges or cancellation fees."
About the Author

And now I invite you to learn more techniques to attract clients and generate website revenue by claiming your free download of 7 Copywriting Secrets to Increase Sales.

Get instant access by visiting
7 Free Copywriting Tips
From Cathy Goodwin, Ph.

D., Your Website Makeover Pro.

Do You Need Help Designing A Better Yellow Page Ad?

If you own a local small business effective yellow page advertising is nearly a must. But for small business owners who almost always have small advertising budgets every dollar really counts. And just how many of us actually know how to design an ad let alone an effective ad? Well I'm gonna give you a few tips on doing just that.

For starters I want you to know you can do it yourself but if you need to you can hire a professional to do it for you. Just remember that's going to cost you also.

So where do you start? First off you need to contact your local phone book and set up a meeting with an advertising rep. Now remember the rep can offer you some decent advice on how to design an ad but they've still got a job to do which is sell ad space. They really don't care what you're ad looks like. To be fair I have had ad reps that did seem to give a hoot about my ad but I've had the reverse too!

Now before you meet with them you need to get an idea of what your budget is going to be. Your comittment to the ad will have to be anywhere from six months to one year depending on how often the book is reprinted. You'll be asked to make your payments monthly but the ad will also need to be submitted about four months in advance to allow for changes to the proof.

When it comes to designing the ad and what the ad will cost there are two main considerations. Number one is the size of the ad. The bigger the more expensive it is. Second is if the ad is in color or not. They don't really care about pictures or how many words you use when it comes to pricing. It's size and color.

Size and color I've found really go hand in hand. If you want an ad that stands out you either need to be the biggest in your category or be the sharpest looking. I've always opted for the sharpest. Personal experience has taught me that being the biggest is not always best. Mainly because they're dull looking. They blend in to much with the book itself.

So I highly recommend a color ad. And when your picking colors try to develop some rythm to it. Say if you have a website or color business cards try to stick to the same scheme. If you don't have one now's the time to create one.

Next you need an image. You want an image that tells people something about your business. One image I used to use featured our store front. And remember an image can act as a background as ours did or it can be a focus point of the ad. The point is that you need to grab their attention remember you're just one of many so you need to stand out.

Once you've got your size, image and colors figured out then you need a headline. You need something appealing to them but make sure you're not copycating someone else. People don't want to see multiple ads saying they're the fastest. So you need to pay attention to what others are saying and say something new and powerful. You want your ad to speak to people.

As far as the actual text of the ad is concerned it needs to tell readers something about your company. You need the usual address and phone. If you have a web site make sure you list it. Also if you're a member of the Chamber of Commerce or Better Business Bureau mention it. If you take credit cards make sure to include those symbols too. Opinions vary on how to lay these things out but one thing I've seen that seems universal is don't clutter it up. Space things out as much as possible. People don't really want to read ads they just want to find a provider for their needs.

So tell them what you do and make it easy to contact you. Your telephone number should be prominent and the website address as well. Also remember a phone book is not a magazine. Don't try to get to cute with the ad. Remember your just trying to get their attention!

My last tip in designing an ad is flip through your yellow pages. Pick a subject and see what catches your eye under that heading and others. You'll probably be able to figure out who is wasting their money and who isn't.

Yellow page ads can earn a healthy return on your investment but you have to put in the work so take it seriously and you might actually wind up having some fun with it in the process.


About the Author

Cash Miller is an experienced entrepreneur and speaker who has spent over a decade as a small business owner. His years of experience in small business cover many topics. For more information visit Small Business Resources or go to http://www.SmallBusinessDelivered.com

Relaited Links:

• The Importance of Marketing Mix and the 4 Key Mix Elements
• Do You Need Help Designing A Better Yellow Page Ad?
• Why Do Direct Marketing?