When many people hear the word "entrepreneur,"
they associates it to somebody who's ecentric
- who doesn't do things the "normal"
way. Maybe this is because so many really
successful entrepreneurs haven't been afraid
to break the rules and do things that nobody's
tried before.
Often these entrepreneurs are
on tight budgets
and have to get the most out
of every dollar
the spend promoting their business.
This
forces them to be creative, and
once you've
seen a creative solution that
has really
paid off, you'll never want to
go back to
"normal" again.
But while this kind of creativity
is often
the hallmark of an entrepreneur,
successful
entrepreneurs also know the value
of being
able to get the most out of the
traditional
advertising mediums, too. These
mediums have
been around because they do work
- it's just
a matter of knowing the best
way to get value
from them!
Let's agree that advertising
works in two
main ways - one goes for the
quick sale (Call
1-800-buy-mine and get yours
for only $9.95
TODAY!) and the other goes for
the share of mind. Newspapers and Magazines are great for both
of these, but it depends on how you use them.
For example, a classified ad
conveys some
urgency toward a quick sale -
these ads won't
be around for ever, right? And
before you
say that your business can't
use a classified
ad, know that many business do.
Your ad doesn't
have directly promote your business.
It might
be for a "free" or
inexpensive
booklet outlining the benefits
of the kinds
of products or services your
industry sells.
How about a $4.95 booklet that
explains how
to design a great yard and select
a competent
landscape contractor (which just
happens
to be your business), listed
in the "used
lawn mower" section of the
classified.
Display ads, on the other hand,
are more
geared to the share of mind advertising school. Many people won't give
a display ad more than a quick notice. While
they'll see it, it may take a while before
they care really recall seeing it. In a lot
of ways, it's background. If you want them
to get attention, you better have a great,
eye-catching headline to draw them in. If
you can create urgency in a display ad, it
can become a quick-sale ad, but be warned
- too many of these and people will tune
them right out.
So what good are display ads,
you might ask?
They are a lot of good, they
just take repetition
to get into the potential customer's
mind.
Use them right and they can be
the cornerstone
of a effective advertising campaign.
- Don't expect potential customers to do anything
right away and you won't be
disappointed.
- Do expect potential customers to remember
seeing your ad and going back
to today's
paper to find it again, when
they need what
you are selling.
So what's the point? The point
is that with
a display ad, you need a regular,
consistent,
recognizable presence that future
customers
will know is you. They may not
need you now,
but you want to be the first
(and only) one
they think of when that need
(or recommend)
what you sell or provide.
The same theory applies to radio,
TV and
Cable TV ads. Unless you have
a great headline
that drives them into your business
(like
a 50% off sale), expect that
it may take
some time to get a result from
these advertising
mediums.
Be patient, be consistent and most of all,
be where they will see you.
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