4 Mistakes NOT To Make When Advertising and 11 Must Dos

Failed advertising is generally a result of saying the wrong thing to the wrong audience. But by following these effective guidelines, you'll decrease the likelihood of creating ineffective ads and increase the value of your message.

Failed advertising is generally a result of saying the wrong thing to the wrong audience. But by following these effective guidelines, you'll decrease the likelihood of creating ineffective ads and increase the value of your message.

4 Mistakes NOT to Make When advertising:

1. Avoid using your business name in the headline. Instead, highlight a value or benefit

* Do you grab the attention of the best audience for your product or service?

* Have you stirred curiosity and made only promises you can keep?

* Do you "hook" your target audience and make them want to take action?

2. Avoid failing to create a "loop" in the headline.

* A loop is created when your audience has to (and wants to!) read or listen to the whole ad to reap the benefits.

* Your audience will only read or listen to a whole ad for benefits if the content is compelling.

* The loops guides your target audience back to you.

3. Avoid failing to use "You" in the headline.

* Using "you" personalizes the advertisement and makes your audience feel like you are addressing him or her individually.

* Using "you" closes the distance between you and your target audience.

4. Avoid failing to ask your target audience to "act" on something.

* Did you forget to include a Call to Action in your ad?

* Is your Call to Action compelling and appealing enough to your target audience for them to take an immediate action, even if that action one small step?

While the purpose of advertising is to sell a product or service, other key purposes are to inform the listener or reader, to strengthen brand recognition, and to reinforce the message that you have something of value for your customers.

Because of media saturation, it has become extremely important for business owners to create a buzz that will keep customers talking--and buying--again and again. Strategy is the key. Think of it this way…if a meal is memorably delicious, who cares what kind of plate it is served on?

Don't get me wrong. Presentation is important. But far more important is the content of that presentation. The goal, of course, is to have the content, message, and presentation working together to form the perfect link between you and your customers.

Here are some solid tips on how to create effective ads:

* Be Straight Forward. "Buy One (product or service) And Get A Second For Free" is more effective than being funny or clever. Granted, companies like A1 Radiator broke that rule when they came up with their tag line: A1 Radiator - A Great Place To Take A Leak. Still, most people would do better to stick to straight-forward strategies when creating advertising.

* Think Big. You might be saying, "But my product is small," but that doesn't mean you can't think big. How? You can sell "package" deals, combining your product or service with something else of value. You can put together an event that offers demonstrations of your product or service. You can place your product or service by something much smaller, making it look big. The possibilities are endless.

* Keep It Local. Even if your product or service reaches beyond your community, let your community feel like they are a part of your success. Make yourself the "team" your community can get behind and support. Identify what sets you apart from your competition.

* Educate Your Audience. People want to feel like they've made a good choice and have been given a great deal. To feel that, they need to make informed decisions. Give them the reasons why they should go with your product or service. Put their needs first showing how they will benefit by using your product or service.

* Tell A Compelling Story. A colleague of mine read the same story to her son 150 nights in a row until she thought she would go insane. She started to fantasize about a book that would consume itself. She then realized what she wanted was a book that turned into what it was about and created her patented Puppetbooks: Cloth Books That Turn Inside Out Into Workable Puppets. What's your story? People respond to good stories.

* Solve A Problem. People buy things to fill a need. Identify what that need is and show how your product or service solves a problem.

* Fulfill A Wish. We all have them: Dreams. But a good advertiser will make you feel like those dreams can come true. The point is not to lie. You want to be honest and show how your product or service can make your customers' wishes come true.

*Make 'Em An Offer They Can't Refuse. Great value does not need to cost a great amount of money. What's your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)? What do you offer the customer that someone else can't or doesn't?

* Under-Promise/Over-Deliver. Imagine the surprise your customer will get when he or she receives something unexpected. My mechanic quoted me a price. It was a lot to swallow. When I went to pay, he had found ways to cut down the cost, surprising me with a lower amount. I was thrilled.

* If It's Not Broke, Don't Fix It. If your advertising is bringing in customers by the droves, you're clearly on to something and should re-run it. Imagine if we tried recreating the wheel over and over and over and over. Don't waste time. If something works, keep doing it until it's time to do something else.

* Track and Measure Everything. What good is running an ad if you have no idea of its effectiveness? Too many business owners I come across guess, rather than having actual numbers they can point to that show whether a campaign has been marginal or successful.

Want a real surprising "bonus" fact? If you use a portion of your current advertising dollars to invest in a business coach, you'd get the systems in place that would help you effectively advertise more than you ever dreamed possible. Think of your business coach as the "Business Engineer" that helps you build a solid bridge to your success.

For advice and access to proven systems that will advance your business, visit http://www.actioncoachcalteam.com/ and http://actioncalteamblog.com Peter Williamson, Business Coach and Master Licensee, helps you find instant and lasting solutions to boost your profits by 61% or more - guaranteed. Email [email protected]

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