People always ask me, "How can I get commercials or ads that get
me more customers?" They usually tell about a sad situation where
they spent hard-earned cash on advertising that just didn't work.
Here's a quick tip that will put a lot more punch into your marketing.
Remember these four little letters: A. I. D. A.
They stand for:
Attention.
Interest.
Desire.
Action.
Those are the four mental steps you must lead a prospect through
before he or she will buy your product or service. Before any selling
can happen, you must get the prospect's attention. With so much advertising
swirling around our heads these days, getting someone's attention
can be a challenge. Keep your message simple, to the point, and exciting.
Get the prospect's interest by talking about what your product or
service will do to make his or her life better. Nothing gets interest
like time savers.
Build desire by repeating your ad over and over. Consistency works.
Finally, make sure the prospect knows how to find you. Include phone
numbers, address, email address, and URLs.
Fliers and Signs
Finding inexpensive ways to market a small or home-based business
can be a real challenge. Advertising in big newspapers or on radio
can put you in the poor house in a hurry.
For a great many businesses, fliers and small signs make a wonderful
(and very cheap) marketing tool. A professional flier can be put together
on any word processing program. Include a to-the-point headline emphasizing
the benefits of your product or service.
Many copy shops now have photocopiers that make very clean copies--almost
as good as offset. You can often get 1000 quality fliers for $20 or
less. To make small signs, print your message on yellow paper and
laminate it to stand up to weather. Be sure to include your phone
number big enough to be seen at a distance. Follow community rules
when you distribute them.
Some people think that fliers and small signs are too tacky to be
effective. That depends entirely on the kind of business you have.
Many small and home-based businesses generate all their new customers
from fliers and signs.
How many times have you purchased after finding a flier or seeing
a sign that offered just what you needed?
Trade for Ads
What do you do when you want to advertise, but you don't have the
cash? Trade! Many radio stations, newspapers, newsletters, and television
stations need services and products that your business can provide.
I have a friend who owns several large radio stations. He's never
forgotten his early days when he was scraping to make payroll. Recently,
when he needed several new storage buildings to be built behind the
station, he saved his cash. Instead, he traded valuable commercials
to a small contractor. My friend got his new buildings, and the contractor
got lots of free commercials.
A newspaper editor I talked with last week advised that circulation
departments are always looking to trade ads for items they can give
their paper boys and girls for incentives.
When Joan started her new donut shop, she gave boxes of donuts to
radio stations to give away as prizes and use in staff meetings. Radio
personnel loved her donuts and talked about them in glowing terms
on the air. Great free advertising! Joan's donut shop is booming and
she's never spent a dime on marketing.
How can you trade with media to boost your business?
