This document provides tips for entrepreneurs on advertising and marketing. It discusses the importance of establishing a tone and personality for ads. It also outlines several principles for crafting effective ads, including breaking limits within small ad spaces, turning limitations into advantages, using existing materials before spending on new items, and ensuring approaches are feasible within budget and time constraints. The document emphasizes keeping ads timely and responsive to changing economic conditions. It provides many additional tips focused on copywriting, calls to action, testing, and building goodwill with customers.
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Advertising
1. Advertising 101 For Entrepreneurs
Now that we’ve covered the approach,
you’re going to take in your ads let’s take a
look at “Aspects of the Approach”. These
are subsections that needed a place to live,
but do not tell anyone.
Tone & Personality:
You must make a decision about
your ad relating to its tone and
personality. What
disposition/character/behavior/or
attitude is going to be the most
effective?
Now tone is the undercurrent of your
ad or the mood. Personality is the
make-up of the ad’s character. It is
important to think about this because
some advertisers ignore it and when
they pull the pieces together (picture,
copy, etc.) the ad does not project
anything.
For instance, think of the grabber
line being, “Big budget delivers big
results.” Hmm? Just as money can’t
solve all social ills, big budgets don’t
automatically create inventive
advertising. Many times, we’ve
seen an enormous budget plus a
rotten idea = a huge failure. Yet,
there are times when we see a small
budget plus a first-rate idea =
marvelous success. Be prepared to
make do and still make it fantastic.
Break the Limits.
If you have a small ad, demonstrate
that you are better than the space you
are in. Remember the prospect does
not care about the size of the ad, he
only cares about what you’re doing
for him.
Turn Adversity into Advantage.
If your client insists on showing
woodchucks in his jewelry ad, turn
out the best woodchuck jewelry ad
ever. You will get points for
2. originality, and because it’s a “zag”
you’ll probably get results.
Use What’s Already Available.
Before you spend a lot on photos and
illustrations, look at what you have
lying around. It is free.
Can the Approach Work?
Not to discourage free form thinking,
but you should reject approaches that
demand too much BLT (budget,
labor, and time). Instead, prepare
ads that require your talent and not
months and bucks.
Frugality Makes You Timely.
The smaller the production budget,
the sooner your ad can get in the
market. This is the “Rule of
Thumb.” The reason is because
you’re not relying on other
resources. So, unchain your ads
from expenses and move fast.
This is worthwhile because if
economic conditions suddenly
change (and they will), you can
quickly respond with a new ad
message that addresses the new
economy. You might decide to say,
“Now more than ever, it pays to use
our product.” You’ll again leave
your competitors in the dust because
they’re tied to expensive ads and
long production timetables.
Watch Your Language.
Most people don’t realize the power
that’s packed in language. One
misused phrase can upset thousands
of people, so keep you antennas up
and use your judgment.
For instance, use nothing at the
expense of a certain group. This will
offend people. Instead, show that an
ad can get results from scores of
readers and a smile from every one
of them.
3. Don’t make fun of the prospect in a
“we’re just kidding” way. He’s not
paying much attention to your ad, so
he won’t get the subtle nuances of
your wit – only enough to be
insulted.
If you can follow these hints you should be
able to work out a “cracker-jack” ad for
either yourself or a client. Next week we’ll
take a look at handling the media.
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4. KNOW THE SCORE
by Maureen Stephenson
Advertising 101 By/For Entrepreneurs
When you’re doing your ad, remember that
you must use psychology. You must, and I
mean MUST, make your prospect want your
product more than anything they can think
of – and right NOW!
By the time they get through reading your
ad, they should be panting to run out to your
store or shove their check in an envelope
and run to the mailbox.
Today I’m going to give you some tips that
will help you. First always remember that
enticing, siren of advertising AIDA. Who is
AIDA you ask? Well AIDA stands for,
A=Attention – Grab your targets
attention.
I=Interest – Create curiosity
D=Detail – Provide details
A=Action – Call for action
If you have AIDA before you every time
you start to do an ad, you’ll never fail. The
most important point is the “call to action”.
You’d be surprised at the number of sales
that are lost because the client is never asked
to “order now, try it for 30 days, fill out the
coupon” - or whatever you use to make your
client take action.
Here are some advertising pearls that will
keep you on the beam:
Force yourself to operate under
deadlines. When you start buying
advertising space you’ll have to meet
deadlines so get used to them.
A good headline answers the
question WIIFM (What’s In It For
Me)?
A customer who buys from you two
times is twice as likely to buy as a
customer that only buys from you
once.
If you’ve got a good product, a good,
liberal, strong guarantee should go
5. with it and will increase your sales.
The amount of returns/refunds you
get will be insignificant compared to
the increase in sales.
The more your sales letter looks like
a “personal” letter, the better it will
work.
Remember the 40-40-20 rule for
using direct mail. It breaks your
success in three ways: 40% of you
success is using the right list, another
40% is having the right offer, and
20% is everything else (copy,
format, graphics, paper, etc.).
In advertising it is better to offer a
Free Bonus than to offer a discount.
Direct mail advertising statistics
show that mail delivered on
Saturdays and Mondays get the
poorest response. Best days are
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday-
and in that order.
Use testimonials in your ad and put
them before the call to action and
after the details about your widget.
“Buy 1 get 1 FREE” always out-
pulls “2 for the price of 1”.
Nothing is more powerful than
“goodwill” except ill will. If a client
is dissatisfied, make good and make
it fast.
Always make your customer feel like
they’re the most important customer
you have, and they’ll keep buying
from you and not your competitor.
If you want to mail an ad for your
business to prospects, research
mailing lists on the Internet at:
www.edithroman.com You’ll have
access to virtually every direct
response mailing lists in the U.S.
Sales copy can never be too long, it
can only be boring.
You can increase your response rate
from a mailing if you add a “post-it”
note on your sales letter. You can
say something like, “Only for the
month of June”, or “Reply before
6/30 to get the discount.”
6. The best way to keep tabs on your
competition is to become their
customer and see how you’re treated.
In Direct Marketing (which ads by
mail are called) there are only two
rules: Rule #1: Test everything.
Rule #2: See Rule #1
Ad copy type-set in ALL CAPITAL
LETTERS is harder to read than all
lowercase of Mixed Case.
Repeat your offer and guarantee on
your order form.
Whenever possible, give your
customers an extra added and
unexpected bonus or gift along with
the order to show your appreciation.
There are only three ways to grow
your business: (1) increase the
number of customers; (2) increase
your average dollars per sale; (3)
increase the frequency you do
business with your customer.
Always remember, “turn-over may
feed your ego, but it won’t feed your
family.”
The more you treat your clients as
friends, the more likely they’ll talk
about you and do more business with
you.
Don’t ever let a Holiday come and
go without offering your current
customers a special deal in an ad.
Use the event as the “hook” for the
ad, and if you research the subject
you’ll find there’s a holiday of some
sort almost every month. Not just
the big ones like Valentine’s Day or
Easter, but use one’s like
Groundhog’s Day, National Dairy
Month, Boy Scout’s Week, or
whatever you can work into your
product line.
Now that I’ve introduced you to AIDA, and
given you all these marketing pearls you
should be able to compose an ad that will
not only increase your presence in the
marketplace, but also bring you more
clients, business, and profits.
-30-
7. KNOW THE SCORE
by Maureen Stephenson
Image, Timesaving and Cash Saving Tips
Since entrepreneurs are wearing all the hats
in their business, every little shortcut or tip
that makes life easier is always welcome.
Let me share some “been there-done that”
information with you to make your business
life a little easier.
Office furnishings and decorations say a
great deal about you, so to convey the image
you want to convey pay attention to these:
Furniture Arrangement: Setting your
desk in the middle of the floor with
chairs facing it conveys a “formal”
atmosphere. It conveys to your
clients that you want to maintain a
distance from visitors. Instead, place
your desk against a wall (not facing
it) to convey confidence.
Messy Desks: A small amount of
messiness implies comfort and
friendliness, but too much clutter
makes visitors think you don’t care
about making a good impression on
anyone. The opposite extreme, an
immaculate desk conveys coldness
and could be perceived as you not
having enough work to do.
Decorations: Plants, drapes, and
artwork will convey a comfortable,
relaxed attitude. Books and artwork
express your sincerity.
Awards & Certificates: If job-
related, they reassure visitors that
you are experienced and competent.
Planning is essential for the entrepreneur,
and all you need is 30 minutes to plan your
entire week if you use the OATS formula.
1. Objectives: What results do you
want to have by week end? Write
them down and rank them.
8. 2. Activities: List the necessary
activities you must do to achieve
your goals, and rank them.
3. Time: How much time will each
activity require? Plan realistically
allowing more time than you think
you’ll need to compensate for
unexpected problems.
4. Schedule: Look at your calendar and
decide when you can do each
activity. Most people underestimate
the power of a schedule, but you
won’t accomplish anything if you
don’t schedule the time.
Underlining reading material is another
great timesaver. With the mountains of
material entrepreneurs must read to keep
abreast of their niche, being able to find it
again when you need it is essential. After
you’ve read the article/book/paper/report,
then go back and underline the important
information so you can find it again easily.
The reason for underlining after you has
read it. is because most of us underline too
many words before we’ve finished the
passage and understand the key points. Wait
until you’ve finished an entire section or
chapter, then go back and highlight key
points.
Returning phone calls is another time-stealer
for entrepreneurs. Time-management
experts recommend setting aside an hour a
day to make and return your phone calls.
But which hour do you choose? The best
times of day are the first two hours of the
morning or the last two hours of the
afternoon. Those are the times when most
people are in the office and accessible.
Do you think business is doing better
because of your optimistic attitude? I would
think so. However many management
experts are now saying that pessimists make
better managers. Why? Because they’re
always thinking of what could go wrong and
are coming up with solutions to problems in
case the worst happens. My suggestion is
not to toss your optimism away, I’ve found
it very helpful some days, instead force
9. yourself to write down everything that could
go wrong with a new project, ideas, or
employees. (Remember “Murphy’s Law –
Whatever can go wrong, will.”) Personally,
I think Murphy was an optimist! My advice
is to be optimistic but be prepared. Once
you do this you’ll naturally be prepared with
solutions if disaster does strike.
In this present age of computers and time-
saving gadgets, we are at times prone to
purchasing the latest thing that promises to
save us some work. When it comes to
purchasing software, a good question to ask
yourself is: Is it better than a pencil? The
answer will help you decide if the expense is
really justified. Keep in mind that
computers are supposed to make your work
easier and faster.
For the entrepreneur that travels overseas
often, consider registering your handprint
with the U.S. Immigration and
Naturalization Service and obtaining an
INSPASS card. It’s not exactly Star Trek
technology, but it’s close. With the card, all
you have to do is slide it through a machine,
press your hand against a screen, and slip on
through bypassing the lines. For
information wit to: INSPASS, P.O. Box
2010, Newark, NJ 07114-2010
Want to impress your clients with Broadway
shows? Call the Actor’s Fund of America
and ask for “Fund Tix”, 212-221-7300. The
tickets are double the price, but half goes to
charity (tax write off) and the seats are great.
Are there days when you want to give up?
Is your family telling you you’re too old to
try something new? Well age isn’t always a
factor in your success or failure. Consider
these famous examples:
Actor George Burns won his first
Oscar at age 80.
Golda Meir was 71 when she became
prime minister of Israel.
At 96, playwright George Bernard
Shaw broke his leg falling out of a
10. tree he was trimming in his
backyard.
Painter Grandma Moses didn’t start
painting until she was 80 years old.
She completed more than 1,500
paintings after that; 25% of those
were produced when she was past
100.
Michelangelo was 71 when he
painted the Sistine Chapel.
Albert Schweitzer was still
performing operations in his African
hospital at 89.
Doc Counsilman, at 58, became the
oldest person ever to swim the
English Channel.
S. I. Hayakawa retired as president
of San Francisco State University at
70, and then was elected to the U.S.
Senate.
Casey Stengel didn’t retire from
managing the New York Mets until
he was 75.
Entrepreneurs often have crazy ideas for
making money and giving good
customer service. The next one you
have, remember the story of Phil
Romano the founder of Fuddruckers the
national hamburger chain. He once
owned a small, out-of-the-way Italian
restaurant called Macaroni’s. He packed
the place every Monday and Tuesday
nights, a time when most restaurants
struggle to keep their doors open. How?
Apart from the obvious fact that
Macaroni’s served good food, Romano
had a “gimmick” based on the old Psych
101 principle, “Random rewards beget
regular behavior.”
If you happened to be dining there on a
randomly chosen Monday or Tuesday
night, you and the other 200 customers
received a letter instead of a bill at the
end of the meal. The letter stated that
because the Macaroni mission was to
make you feel like guests, it seemed
awkward to charge guests for having a
good time. So, once each month on a
11. Monday or Tuesday, and always
unannounced, everyone would eat free.
What did it cost Romano? One night
“comped” out of 30 reduces his revenues
by 3.3%, but he has a full house on 8
nights a month when the place would
normally be empty. Word-of-mouth
testimonials are one of the most effective
forms of advertising, and in one fell
swoop Romano got a couple hundred
tongues wagging.
Remember what Goethe said; “Daring
ideas are like chessmen moved forward;
they may be beaten, but they may start a
winning game.”
-30-