Win the Advertising and Promotion Game

I am certain that, as a business owner, you have
often entertained the question as to how much to
spend and where to spend your advertising
dollars. For most small business owners, these
questions can add to the headaches suffered in
the course of normal everyday operations of their
business.

THERE ARE NO SIMPLE ANSWERS

The how much to spend and where to spend it
questions have no easy answers.

Depending on your type of business, many people
suggest that the *how much* should be equal to
anywhere from 4% to 10% of your gross receipts.

The quandary is that a business cannot survive
without a fresh flow of incoming customers. But,
a business can seldom generate a fresh stream of
customers without spending money to get the word
out about their business.

THE CHALLENGE OF DEVELOPING
EFFECTIVE ADVERTISING

Have you ever paid for advertising and sat back
to await the fresh flow of customers, only to
find yourself sitting and sitting and then
sitting some more?

Don’t feel bad about that. It has happened to
many of us before.

See, knowing where to spend the advertising money
is not enough to get the job done.

Where to spend the money only begins to highlight
the other issues connected with advertising:

· Marketing Plan
· Advertising Strategy
· Headlines, Ad Copy and Visual Presentation
· Tracking the Success of Your Advertising
Campaigns

THE MARKETING PLAN

The Marketing Plan is used primarily to identify
your own products and services, costs, strengths,
weaknesses and the strengths and weaknesses of
your competitors.

To learn more about constructing your own
marketing plan, visit the Small Business
Administration website for a comprehensive
study of the elements of a Marketing Plan:
http://www.sba.gov

ADVERTISING STRATEGY

It is important to understand what you expect to
gain from your advertising.

Do you simply wish to get your name known so that
when your customer will need you, they will think
of you first? Or, do you wish to get your
customers in your front door on Saturday?

Do you want your customers to come in and take a
look around to discover the next object that they
cannot live without? Or, do you want them to come
in and buy a specific widget?

Do you hope that enough people will come in to
buy enough products or services to pay for your
single ad? Or, do you expect to gain a lifelong
customer who will help pay for your advertising
over the course of several years?

When you know what you want, then you will better
understand just how to do it.

HEADLINES, AD COPY AND VISUAL
PRESENTATION

You might be surprised how many business owners
put out advertising without regard for the
quality of the sales pitch or presentation. The
quality of your distribution outlet or the amount
of money you spent to get there will do little
for you if the advertising vehicle is a junker.

Test all of your advertising materials in smaller
markets before blowing your advertising bank roll
on it. You must absolutely know the value of your
advertising before putting large sums of money
behind it.

TRACKING THE SUCCESS OF YOUR
ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS

Tell your customers to save another 10% when they
tell you they heard or saw your ad in
such-and-such location. Suggest that they can
register to win a free widget if they fill out a
form and have them to tell you how they heard of
your business. Advertise a specific widget in
your ad and track the sales of that widget.

It does not matter how you track your advertising
--- just make sure you do it!

IN SUMMARY

The ideal way to spend your advertising budget is
to buy a rifle with a high-powered scope and to
only shoot your targets in the light of day.

If you are not tracking your advertising, then
you are shooting a pellet gun without an attached
scope, with blinders on, and shooting in the dead
darkness of night.

Even with a bigger gun, the blinders in the dark
constitute the single largest mistake made by
advertisers. If you are unable to track your
advertising to learn what is working well, what is
working somewhat, and what is a money pit, then
you are condemned to repeat your mistakes over
and again.

By relying only on gut instinct, you may be
choosing to spend more money in the money pit and
to lose all of your money in the process.

When you get down to the nuts and bolts of making
money from your advertising, you should plan,
prepare, track and study your results. You must
have factual information on which to base your
advertising decisions. When you are making the
right advertising decisions, then making money
from your business might just come easy.

David Hudson, webmaster of webcashlink,
business articles author, and a super affiliate,
can help you with your online business.
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