Archive for March, 2010
POP Advertising And Small Budget Advertising For Small Businesses
Small businesses usually have a tough time competing with the big firms that have huge resources and can spend tons of money on advertisements. Small businesses usually have to work on a very small budget for advertisements, usually spending 2 to 5% of the gross sales. Thus, they have to have very good marketing and advertising strategies and develop a fail-proof plan to increase their reach and get good ROI on the amount they spend on advertisements.
Enterprising and creative small businesses have developed skills that make it possible for them to advertise using a minimal amount of money yet have astounding reach and response. The main ingredient for their success is to use frequent, consistent, repetitive, and inexpensive advertisements that constantly keep their firms visible and generate new customers regularly. The proven direct approach strategy works best usually, but measuring response rate of any advertising tactic is necessary to determine which strategy has the best ROI.
The firms have to be very clear about their target market and the message they want to get across. Businesses must develop quality ads within their budget and track and monitor constantly to see if the ads are effective. Offer incentives to attract customers, give time limits to offers, and even offer them gifts for just visiting the store.
POP Advertising:
Small businesses have resorted to using online advertisements because they are very effective, inexpensive, and have potentially a far greater reach than traditional ads. Some advertising strategies include search engine advertising, advertising networks and opt-in or permission-based e-mail advertising. Some use pop-up advertisements, but the general perception is that they are annoying and an irritant that has resulted in numerous software applications that block pop-up advertisements. Although they annoy a larger number of users, the results show that pop-up advertisements are very effective ROIs While trying to close pop-ups, you end up visiting the advertiser’s home page; some pop-up ads take you directly to the advertiser’s home page if you merely roll your mouse over the ad.
The general view is that pop-up ads will have no future as stricter rules are enforced as well as the mounting irritation of users. Another way of using pop-up advertisements is to use keyword search options and search engines that will display your page when users search for particular keywords. Though you may have to pay the search engine for displaying your page, it is a highly targeted and effective way of advertising. Instead of annoying pop-up ads, you get to use a whole page. This kind of advertisement aimed at the target market definitely has a greater return on investment.
These are some facts about pop advertising and small budget advertising for small businesses. Small businesses need to work on a budget but need to ensure that the advertising strategies are effective and results monitored. There are firms that offer services as well as products that can help run a business more effectively.
By: Alexander Gordon
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Vehicle Advertising – Let Your Vehicle Do the Work
Have you ever sat and calculated how much time you actually spend in your vehicle while driving to and from work each day. Take into consideration the times that you are stuck in traffic because of some accident or simply due to rush hour traffic. Then you need to add in all of the extra time that is spent due to appointments, errands, and even leisurely drives and such. Once you came up with a final tally it would be quite overwhelming. The truth is that tons of people spend a lot of time stuck on the road staring out at other vehicles, reading license plates, or trying to keep their road rage under control. If you think about it, that time that people are invariably stuck on the road daily is a great time to market your business.
This kind of advertising can be accomplished to some extent with the use of billboards. Unfortunately billboards don’t always get noticed, especially when drivers are multitasking more than they should be while attempting to drive. Instead, vehicle advertising is a great way to get your business noticed by those who are out on the road. A great aspect of vehicle advertising is that it quick, easy, and quite affordable. Why not take advantage of the fact that everyone needs to get from one destination or another at some point in the day? When you utilize vehicle advertising you are doing just that while boosting your business.
Vehicle advertising is a new form of marketing campaign that is sure to get your business noticed in a minimal amount of time. One of the things that make this sort of marketing campaign so attractive is that you can choose to use any design that can be created. Once the design for your business is complete it is then printed out onto vinyl and can be quickly and easily applied to whatever vehicle you have. The custom design allows you to have the same advertisement on a variety of different vehicles such as vans, cars, and trucks. They will all look great and fit the particular vehicle like a glove. Why pay a fortune for a similar service that involves someone painting which can takes weeks or more. Vehicle advertising is a great way to get city wide advertising for a low price.
Think about how expensive it would be to put up billboards at every road, intersection, or even residential street. The cost would be absolutely ridiculous not to mention a fortune. By paying to have a vehicle wrapped in your businesses advertisement you are able to accomplish mass advertising for a very nominal fee. A car, truck, or van can drive all over the city and even to different states while continuously advertising whatever services or products that you business has to offer. Vehicle advertising is an unbelievable way to advertise with great graphics that catch the eye of everyone that you pass on the road. Don’t be left behind, vehicle advertising is defiantly the way to boost your business.
By: Hal Lewis
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Scary Subliminal Advertising And Why It Works
According to an April 2006 issue of the New Scientist, research has proven that subliminal advertising messages work… and that if conditions are right, subliminal advertising to promote a brand can be made to work.
Previous experiments claiming this were debunked. But in a recent experiment, scientists found that eighty per cent of volunteers who had been exposed to the subliminal advertising message chose that product, compared to only 20 per cent of the controls. Those are scary stats indeed.
The term “subliminal message” was popularized in 1917 (World War I), when the US army would sneak messages into songs and put subliminal messages in posters trying to get people to join the army.
A subliminal message is defined as a signal or message designed to pass below the normal limits of perception. Subliminal messages target the subconscious mind and may be generated in the form of an image transmitted briefly and not perceived consciously and yet perceived unconsciously.
While the conscious, rational mind acts as a filter and screens out messages not consistent with our beliefs, the subconscious mind accepts messages without filtering them – rather like the mind of a child.
The effects of subliminal television advertising could be even more powerful on children. It’s been found that for each additional hour per day that a child watched television an average of one additional request was made for an advertised product.
But then it doesn’t take a scientist to tell us what most parents know anyway. Most of us have experienced pester-power first-hand.
The researchers also found that priming only works when the prime is goal-relevant. In plain English, this means you’re likely to buy a product that quenches your thirst only if you were already thirsty anyway.
So, subliminal messages could be more useful in priming a target audience to choose one brand over another, rather than in creating an actual need for the product.
What if politicians started using it to influence our choices? Well, it’s very likely they do already.
Do subliminal messages violate the code of advertising? Will this change the way advertising is regulated? How could we detect subliminal messages inserted into creatives?
And, in our opinion, what is “wrong” – the fact that they actually work, or that advertisers would be sneaky enough to use them?
But far better uses have been found for subliminal messages than advertising. In personal transformation, for instance.
As we learn more about the way our mind works, it will become clearer how subliminal messages really affect our decisions and whether they should or should not be allowed in advertising.
By: Priya Shah
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Five Characteristics of Highly Flawed Small Business Advertising
Behind every disappointing small business advertisement there is at least one reason for its failure. The good news is that any flaw with your advertising can be corrected, if you are willing to try new ideas.
Unless you are in the advertising business, chances are your strongest skills are not in advertising. If you are like many small business people, your small business advertisements are likely guilty of at least one of several common flaws.
Identifying what is wrong with your advertising is the first step toward making corrections that will result in greater response, increased revenue and stronger profits.
Following are descriptions of five common characteristics of highly flawed small business advertising. There are more, but correcting these will make for a great start.
Unfocused Market
Many small business owners make the mistake of thinking a bigger market is a better market when choosing where to run their ads. The result is they spend their advertising dollars to reach a larger but less focused market.
Are the places you choose to run your ad laser-focused on your market?
When your ads are focused squarely on your market you increase the likelihood that the readers who see your ad will actually have a need for your service. The more effectively you place your advertising in front of an ‘already interested’ market the more likely they will be predisposed to noticing and reacting to your ad, which is what you want.
For example, imagine your company specializes in helping law firms reduce the cost of prosecuting long, ongoing cases. If you choose to run a series of full page ads in the New York Times instead of the New York Law Journal you will likely be disappointed by the response to your campaign; despite reaching the considerably larger audience of the New York Times you would be missing the focused attention of the legal minded readership of the New York Law Journal.
How can you tell whether or not you can focus your advertising on a more receptive market?
Lack of Distinction
The next most common problem with small business advertising is that advertisements for companies in the same industry often fail to distinguish themselves from their competition.
How can you expect to win the lion’s share of your market if your advertisements pretty much look the same and contain the same elements as those of your competition?
Furthermore, distinguishing your company from your competitors is often made more difficult because, within a given advertising vehicle, advertisements for companies in similar industries appear virtually on top of each other. This scenario is particularly true for yellow pages listings and pay-per-click advertising. In order to succeed with your advertising your ads need to stand out and above those of your competition.
For example, if you are the owner of a pet supply company and your ads simply say, “We Sell Pet Supplies” they will be passed over along with every other bland advertisement for Fido’s food.
On the other hand, your ads will stand out and attract much more attention to your shop if you state that you sell, “King Sized Bones and Bowls for the Royalty in Your Family.” By focusing your ads on the owners of large breed dogs you distinguish yourself from the crowd of pet shops that simply sell pet supplies and make it clear to the owners of large dogs that you sell what they need.
Be sure the copy of your ads has the effect of making what you offer unique. Your highly targeted prospects will reward you by noticing the difference in your ads and buying from you.
Do your ads distinguish your business clearly above your competition?
Failure to Demonstrate Value
Another property of flawed advertising is that it fails to demonstrate the value of any products or services provided. By failing to demonstrate value in your advertisements you give your prospects only a foggy idea of the benefits you provide and no clear reason to buy from you. Demonstrating value will also help you set yourself apart from you competitors.
How can you change your ads to demonstrate the value you provide?
Too Much Focus on Products and Services
Consumers buy products and services because they fill a need or solve a problem. If your ad copy focuses too much on your company and the products and services you provide you miss your opportunity to demonstrate to your prospects that you provide the solution they need.
For example, imagine you are recovering from knee surgery and need to work with a physical therapist to regain your full range of motion. Would you be more likely to choose a therapist who advertises his new and modern equipment or the one who advertises that she will have your knee working and feeling like new again in just three weeks?
What should you focus your advertising on instead of your products and services?
Lack of a Clear Call to Action
A fifth characteristic of a highly flawed advertising is a lack of a clear call to action. An ad without a clear call to action is like calling 911 and not telling the operator where you are. Why bother calling?
Don’t assume that your prospects know what they should do once they’ve read your ad. You need to tell them to be sure they know.
If you’ve gotten their attention, demonstrated your value and shown them that you are the solution to their problem, don’t waste your good work by neglecting to instruct them to take the next step and contact you.
Move Your Marketing Forward™
Stop wasting money on ineffective advertising. If you are disappointed with the business your advertising generates why not take action to correct your dysfunctional ads?
By: Jeremy Cohen
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Establishing a Business Image Through Advertising
1. It is always a good thing mentioning the deadline of your offer. It is common knowledge that people literally hate to know that they are missing out on something. Therefore mentioning a deadline will make them more/ less compelled to act. E.g. ‘Hurry- competition closes next Saturday! Call/Visit/Email today to reserve your place. Make sure that the customer knows how to contact you and try to make it a few different ways.
2. ‘Hurry- competition closes next Friday! Call/Visit/Email today to ensure you don’t miss out!” Ensure that you tell the customer how to contact you and try to make it a few different ways.
3. Submit your advert. Put yourself in the shoes of your customer. Think from their angle. For instance; what publications do they read? What websites do they visit? Try to diversify your advertising modes over a few mediums. This means that you should have both online and offline methods and will ensure that your ‘eggs are not in one basket.
4. Test your advertising and measure your responses. Before committing yourself to a large advertising budget test a few different methods to see if they work. E.g. before sending 5000 inserts into a magazine, ask them if you can send around 300 to test. If you don’t get any responses you have saved yourself a lot of money!
5. Final word. It is important to understand that advertising and marketing is an ongoing process. It isn’t just something to do a few times per year. It is advisable that at least 50% of your time be spent on advertising and marketing. After all if people don’t know about your business- how can they buy from you? It is said that people need to see your advert or brand at least 5 times before they will act upon it? So consistency is very important. Always have a monthly advertising budget. Be prepared to adjust and adapt to changing trends and marketing conditions. Keep building your momentum and keep a constant watch on it. Never Set and Forget.
By: Susan Hutson
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