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      <title>Special Advertising Informations</title>
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      <description>I will send you Spesial Advertising Informations.</description>
      <language>ja</language>
      <copyright>Copyright 2008</copyright>
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         <title>The Internet and Beyond - 12 Tips on Writing Better Brochures</title>
         <description><![CDATA[Every year thousands of online businesses fail. None of them begin with the idea they'll fail, in fact they have high hopes of success, but they fail all the same. One of the main reasons for the high failure rate is an over reliance on one marketing channel?the Internet.

Marketing isn't about using one medium. It's about getting and keeping customers. Yes, Internet marketing can help you can do that but only if you use it in conjunction with other tactical tools. In addition there are thousands of potential customers that are extremely cautious about placing important business or buying an expensive item from an unknown online vendor. That's one of the reasons why, in order to succeed, EVERY online company must have brochures and other forms of printed sales literature to hand out to customers and prospects.

An online company needs printed sales literature for two reasons:

1. Credibility: People expect a &quot;real&quot; company to have printed sales literature. It's easy to afford spending $60 on business cards, letterhead etc. and call yourself a corporation. But if you want to look like you mean business, you need a brochure of some sort.

2. Time-saving. People want printed material to take home and read at their leisure. Yes, you can direct them to your Web site, but a brochure adds a personal touch, tells your prospect what the product or service can do for them and why they should buy from you. Brochures also support other advertising, direct mail, online promotions, and can be used as a sales tool by distributors. In short, a good brochure sells.

Here are 12 tips on writing a brochure that will support your online marketing efforts, and increase your sales.

1. Know What Your Reader Wants

You must write your brochure or leaflet from the reader's point of view. That means the information must unfold in the right order. Begin by analyzing what your reader wants to know. An easy way to do this is by assessing the order in which your reader's questions will flow. For example, imagine you own a medical spa facility offering Botox and other anti-aging treatments. You are interested in encouraging your readers to make an appointment for a consultation and/or schedule a treatment. Now, given the nature of your business, your reader will have a lot of questions they'll want answered before they'll consider making an appointment. Your brochure should answer their questions in a logical sequence following the reader's train of thought. A good way to organize your points is to write down the questions you think a potential customer might have, and the answers your brochure might supply.

2.  Motivate your reader to look inside

The first page your reader will see is the front cover. Get it wrong and you've as good as lost the sale. Don't make the common mistake of couching your services in technical jargon. Think benefits or thought-provoking statements that motivate the reader to pick up the brochure and open it. Add a flash that tells the reader there's something inside that will interest them ? an exclusive invitation, a free report, special discount or advance notice of sales.  Don't be tempted to put only your company logo or product name on the front. It won't work.

3. Contents Page ? What's in it

In brochures of eight pages or more, a list of contents is useful. Make your list in bold and separate it from the rest of your text. Use the contents to sell the brochure. Don't use mind-numbing words like "Introduction" or "Model No A848DHGT". Pick out your most important sales point and use that in your heading.

4. Describe Your Product

To help you describe your product draw up a list of product features (facts about your product) and add the words "which means that..." after each point. For example, "The cake is made from an original recipe, which means that...it tastes better." Or, "The car has a 300 horse-power engine, which means that...it goes faster."  Remember that the purchaser of your product is not always the user so there may be more than one benefit for each feature.

5. Make it a Keeper

Putting helpful information in your brochure will encourage the reader to keep it, refer to it often or pass it on to other people.  If you're selling paint you can provide hints on color schemes, painting how-to information, tips from the pros etc. If you're selling skin care products you can give your readers tips on how to combat pimples, dry skin, fine lines and wrinkles.

6. Alter the Shape

Who says a brochure has to be A4?  Selling sandwiches? You can design a brochure in the shape of a sandwich. Season tickets to soccer matches? Design it in the shape of a soccer ball. Using your imagination when designing your brochure can produce better than average results. According to Direct Magazine, a recent mailing by CSi, a company that conducts customer satisfaction surveys for automobile insurance firms and repair shops, got a 15% response rate with a brochure delivered in a 32-ounce squeeze sport water bottle. The headline read, &quot;Thirsty for more repair orders?&quot;

Try tall and slim, square, oblong. Whatever you like. The only limitation is your imagination, and, of course, your budget.

7. Make it Personal

An experienced speaker talking to a large audience will pick out a face in the crowd, and talk to that face. This connection with one person allows the speaker to make his talk more personal than if he were merely addressing a mass of faces. In a similar fashion, the words in your brochure should use this technique and zero in on one imaginary single person. Why? Because writing in a direct &quot;I'm-talking-only-to-you&quot; style will increase response.

8. Add Atmosphere

Don't let your brochure sound aloof. Let your reader share your feelings. There's no reason why a brochure about a wood burning stove has to go into the ins and outs of how the stove works. Tell your reader about rain swept winter evenings and snow-bound afternoons. Let your words show them how warm and snug and they'll be when they purchase one of your stoves.

9. Get Selling...Fast

Remember, not everyone wants to be educated on every aspect of your product or service. Nor does everyone want to know the manufacturing details of your widget. Don't waste their time telling them about things that don't convey a benefit.

10. Talk about your reader's needs

Don't get carried away with your own interests. Talk about your reader, not yourself. Here are the first words in a brochure from a company selling insurance:

&quot;Insurance is a complicated business. Our company was formed in 1975 to help our clients deal with the process of finding the right insurance to suit their needs. In the last 20 years we have been selling insurance to a wide range of customers from many different walks of life. Our company's reputation is unsurpassed in the industry...&quot;

Yawn...This is the bar room bore in print. Instead of telling you how the company can help solve your problems, it's more interested in telling you about itself.

11. Give Directions

Every brochure should be organized so the reader can flip through the pages and easily find what they want.  Provide clear signposts or headlines throughout the brochure and make sure each one says: &quot;Hey, pay attention to me!&quot;

12. Ask for Action

Regardless of how you organize your brochure, there's only one way to end it. Ask for action. If you want your reader to respond include an 800 number, reply card, or some form of response mechanism. In fact, to increase your brochure's selling power you should include your offer and a response mechanism on every page.

About The Author

Julia is an independent copywriter and consultant specializing in advertising and search engine marketing services. To learn more about how Julia can help boost your company's profits visit her site at <a href="http://www.juliahyde.com" target="_new">www.juliahyde.com</a>. You may also like to sign up for Marketing Works! Julia's monthly ezine. Visit <a href="http://www.juliahyde.com/form.html" target="_new">www.juliahyde.com/form.html</a> to sign up or email Julia for details.

<a href="mailto:info@juliahyde.com">info@juliahyde.com</a>]]></description>
         <link>http://hiroseno.com/blog/advertising-03/2007/05/the_internet_and_beyond_12_tip.php</link>
         <guid>http://hiroseno.com/blog/advertising-03/2007/05/the_internet_and_beyond_12_tip.php</guid>
                  <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category">advertising</category>
        
        
         <pubDate>Sat, 05 May 2007 09:09:58 +0900</pubDate>
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         <title>Womentisements</title>
         <description><![CDATA[The unnecessary and extensive use of female models in advertisements is common not only in America & Europe, but also in Pakistan and rest of the world. Women are used to sell everything from cars to cigarettes. These advertisements use attractive women posing in ways. This type of advertisements initially started in the West to sell special women products, alcohol and adult entertainments. Gradually this trend spreaded to other markets & products and unfortunately it has been adopted by our market also.

The reality is that peoples of nearly all age group are influenced by advertisements and advertisers know this reality. After presenting an attractive model, the advertisers pose that their product/service can fulfill any need and can cure any problem or difficulty faced by the viewer.

There are two things to be noticed about women's appearance in commercials. First, in many advertisements women are used irrelevantly and these advertisements include products which are purely for men. Second, if presence of a woman is necessary in certain advertisements then advertisements focus mainly on beauty and body features of the model, and less on the product.

This practice has been carried out by various giant companies across the globe. One of the classic examples is the presence of a woman in the advertisement of Gillette Mach-3.1 Another example in the advertisement of FORD in which woman's body is compared with car's body.

Other examples are advertisements of JVC camera and Toyota Lexus. In both advertisements they have shown partial nudity, while presence of women was not fairly justified.

After watching these advertisements one thinks that what are they trying to sell, and what feelings they are trying to create.

In Pakistan a very prominent example was a billboard advertisement of a motorcycle company. The advertisement showed a motorcycle and an attractive women resting with it. There was model number, features and name of the company on the board but surprisingly there was no male model in the whole advertisement. In our culture we don't see even a single woman riding a bike.

Another recent example is of a series of billboards & newspaper advertisements of a local home appliances manufacturing company. The company has its advertisements for microwave ovens, window AC, split AC, floor standing AC and refrigerators etc. Advertisements show only woman models with the subject appliance.

One is surprised to find no men in AC advertisements specially floor standing models that are usually used in offices. Chiefly the buying decision of these products has to be taken by a man who is the runner of the whole family. Same types of advertisements have been produced by other AC manufacturers.

A local ISP company carries the picture of woman on their internet hour's card, and even a 10 rupee card bears the same. According to a rough approximation the percentage of female internet users in our country is about 30%. So what about the remaining 70% male users? The advertisement does not reflect the high percentage users and just trying to pull the customer.

Another relevant example is of a mattress company advertisement. The advertisement show a luxurious room with a female model, cool dressed, lying on a bed. The object of interest for peoples is the girl not the foam because they simply can't move their eyes from a living thing to a non-living thing. The point here is that mattresses are for the use of both genders, not only for the women.

We have seen a lot of advertisements of shops, available in under constructing shopping centers. Female models are used in such advertisements & billboards who invite people to buy those shops. Logically there is no reason of showing women models in such advertisements because shop buying & selling is mainly men's business. A giant cellular company has associated female models with one of its service and shows attractive female models wearing tight sleeveless T-shirts in their billboard, electronic, print & visual advertisements. The company totally ignores the fact that in our country male mobile users are much more than female mobile users.

Advertisers can not justify the unnecessary use of woman's body for selling their products. These ubiquitous images encourage us to think of woman as a commodity. Advertising is an effective and persuasive marketing tool which creates an entire cultural worldview, shaping our attitudes and beliefs. The advertisements portray females as tall, extra smart & extra beautiful. They give emphasis to the physical attractiveness of woman's body. Advertisers use models & supermodels. Many times photographs are airbrushed or otherwise altered to remove any lines, bumps or lumps to reach perfection.

The negative effects of advertising on women viewers fall into a number of problems. The most common effect is continuous increase in the number of women who diet & thus being involved in eating disorders. Across the world millions of women & girls who are unable to reach this standard of beauty, feel a sense of shame and failure. The average girl sees hundreds of advertisements per day and by the time she enters the age of adolescence she has received millions of commercial messages, most of them pointing towards the same direction that is to be ideal. A poll conducted in 1996 by the international ad agency Saatchi proves that advertisements made women fear being unattractive or old.2 Seventy five percent of the &quot;normal&quot; weight women in America think they are overweight and almost half of American women are on a diet on any given day. While 5-10 million women are struggling with serious eating disorders.3

Conditions are not much different in the major cities of our country. I conducted a survey in a local college. Data was collected from 50 female respondents with age range from 14-22years. Following conclusions were drawn:

?Half of the respondents told that advertisements stay in their mind not because of words but because of images.

?76% of the girls are influenced by advertisements to buy products.

?73& of the respondents are attracted by female models & 50% of the girls want to be like models.

?60% of the respondents are not satisfied with their weight & 71% of them are somehow involved in dieting.

?In response to a question that what steps they can take to be like models. Almost 60% of the girls told that they can diet & improve figure for this purpose.

It seems that if consciously they do not strive to be models, but subconsciously these idealistic looks shape their views.

Today's fashion models weigh 23% less than the average female and a young woman between the age of 18-34 has a 7% chance of being as slim as catwalk model and a 1% chance of being as thin as a supermodel.  Exposure to idealized body images lowers women's satisfaction with their own attractiveness.

Advertisers purposely present unrealistically thin & beautiful bodies in order to create an unattainable desire that is ultimately related to their products, so their customer never disappears. It is only used to play with men's emotion, to try and encourage them to buy the products because this supposedly will get the girl.

An old example is of Brylcream advertisement. In this commercial a poor man is seen going to work everyday with messy hair, sitting lonely on the train ride (sure sign of a loser). As soon as he adds Brylcream to his hairs, suddenly two gorgeous babes are hanging all over him.

Same type of advertisement of a famous drink was seen on our local media.

Many of these advertisements promote violence against women. The results have been seen in American society with more women injured from being battered by men than by all rapes.

An advertisement of After Shave Lotion starts with a man learning Karate in a centre. The voice in the background tells that it is essential to learn Karate when using our lotion because as you will apply lotion, its smell will turn all women mad & they will just attack you. Afterwards in advertisement they show that when man applies the lotion, 3 women try to capture him and he replies them by kicking them off.

Another very serious problem is the fact that advertisements almost always portray women as sex object in order to increase to appeal of their product. This significantly affects the way women think about themselves, particularly young women, because it is during the adolescent stage of life that young people develop their sense of self identity. This send the underlying message to women and girls that the only important thing about them is the way they look, causing many women to believe that their self-worth is dependant upon attention from men.

In response to a question that does a woman's value depend on her face or on her overall features and looks, about 98% of the respondent girls of my survey told that it depends on overall features & looks. And 77% of the girls were not fully satisfied with their personality and looks.

The commodification of women undoubtedly contributes to the high incidents of rape and physical assault in nearly all cultures around the world. These types of advertisements have also changed the thought process of men. Now a woman's value is determined by the way she looks. The impractical ideal in the minds of men lives only in the advertisements and not in the real world. This attitude is harming the women. All the credit goes to advertiser & then to media.

It is the reality that advertisers are not there to meet our social needs but are there to make sales and deal with big money. Corporations, whether big or small, can do anything to make a sale. This is a gift to society from Capitalism. Advertisements sell not only products, but also promises, life-style, images, hopes & dreams. But what kind of promises, images, life-style & dreams are they? This is the matter of question.

Conditions can not get better until & unless corporations realize that there are certain &quot;Marketing Ethics&quot; that have to be followed. Whether it is America or Pakistan, governments will have to look seriously into the matter. We ourselves will have to change our concept of ideal woman. We need to concentrate more on the product & services than on the projected bodies. Women will have to identify the red line between advertisement's world & the real world. Unless these improvements come into effect we will continue to suffer.

================================================================

REFERENCES

- Video available at: 
http://www.marketingtoolbox.com/cases/gillette/index.htm 1

- Peacock, M. (1998). "Sex, Housework & Ads." Women's Wire web site.  
Available at: http://womenswire.com/forums/image/D1022/  2

- Body Image and Advertising. 2000. Issue Briefs. Studio City, Calif.: Mediascope Press.  
Available at: http://www.mediascope.org/pubs/ibriefs/bia.htm  3

- "Facts on Body and Image," compiled by Jean Holzgang. Just Think Foundation web site.  
Available at:  http://www.justthink.org/bipfact.html  4

- Olds, T. (1999). "Barbie figure 'life-threatening'." The Body Culture Conference. VicHealth  
and Body Image & Health Inc 5

- Limpinnian, D. The Portrayal of Men and Women in TV Ads. 
Available at: http://www.aber.ac.uk/~mcswww/Students/del0001.html

- Moore, J. Women and Advertising. Available at: 
http://www.socialistalternative.org/justice29/13.html

- Kilbourne, J. Still killing Us Softly. Available at: 
http://www.mediaed.org/videos/MediaGenderAndDiversity/KillingUsSo

================================================================

Adnan Asfar; <a href="mailto:adnanasfar@yahoo.com">adnanasfar@yahoo.com</a>]]></description>
         <link>http://hiroseno.com/blog/advertising-03/2007/05/womentisements.php</link>
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         <title>Why People Fail in Mail Order</title>
         <description><![CDATA[Mail order is a very complicated business.  Every phase must be
planned, analyzed and tested.  The right demand products must be
selected.  The correct type of ads must be placed in the proper media
and a multitude of other details must be attended to constantly.

A great number of people enter the mail order field every week. 
When they find in many instances that only three responses are
received from 100 mailings, or that a $100 ad in a magazine with
4 million readers pulls 15 inquiries, it appears hopeless. 
Especially after reading the glowing ads portraying the
$THOUSANDS$ that can be made overnight from your kitchen table!
 
The mail order enthusiast is led to believe that he should be
able to hit it big immediately with little work.  Dream on.  
When he finds that this is not the case he drops out before he has a chance to learn. Many people do this because it will take too much of his prime TV time, or that it will cost too much to get started on the ROAD TO PROFITS!  CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, IT DOES COST MONEY TO MAKE MONEY.  Much more than the $10 or $20 often advertised as the total amount necessary to create a substantial income in the mail order business.

Many are continuously making fortunes in the mail order business.  However, if they can do it and you are one who thoroughly enjoys the world of mail order, then there is no reason why you cannot make it also.

REMEMBER AS YOU PROCEED ON YOU WAY TO ULTIMATE SUCCESS, THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS  A FAILURE . . . 95% of the people in mail order  DO NOT FAIL IN THE MAIL ORDER BUSINESS . . . THEY JUST DO NOT SUCCEED ! ! ! !


Copyright DeAnna Spencer 2004

This article may be reproduced and redistributed freely on the Internet as long as the content remains the same and the resource box is left intact.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
DeAnnaSpencer is the Publisher of Prospecting and Presents.
Subscribers get one free ad per week.  
Subscribe today by visiting <a target="_new" href="http://www.pnewsletter.com">http://www.pnewsletter.com</a>  
To thank the editors that use my articles, I give them a free
solo ad.  To get your free solo ad, contact me using the form
on my contact page.  Be sure to include the url where my 
article is located so that I can confirm the use of the article. 
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Ezine editors: you can remove the instructions regarding obtaining
your solo ad when you run this article in your ezine or on your website.]]></description>
         <link>http://hiroseno.com/blog/advertising-03/2007/05/why_people_fail_in_mail_order.php</link>
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         <title>Science of Advertising and How to Benefit From It</title>
         <description><![CDATA[It is very important to realize that persons buy from you. It is the mind at other end of the internet who will decide a sale from you. Thus it is very essential to know how your customer's psychology works.

What is the process that goes in the mind who reads your promotion? An understanding of the whole process will make you achieve your goals and build your business better.

Many a theories have been developed to explain the process when person views advertisement and then goes for sale. It has been charted and every model points to one thing in common.

The process is not instant. It is sequential.

Anybody who has been marketing on the net must have come across AIDA. It is the simplest advertising model that in short stands for

-Attention

-Interest

-Desire

-Action

This model suggests that advertising must gain customer's attention, arouse the person's interest followed by desire for the product and stimulate the action towards the purchase of the product.

This explains and guides how to formulate your advertising. Successful marketers have followed AIDA for generating successful advertisement campaigns.

AIDA is good but is not that well defined. Another model that has gained popularity   and is more comprehensive than AIDA is DAGMAR. Its steps are more defined and thus easier to apply than AIDA.

DAGMAR   stands for 'Defining Advertising Goals for Measured Advertising Results'.

It maintains that all advertisement aiming at a sale must carry the potential customer through four stages.

-Awareness

-Comprehension

-Conviction

-Action

Let us assume that you have a product and your target customer is totally unaware of it.

So in first stage you make him aware of the product. For example posting an advertisement on a high traffic website.

Second stage is comprehension. What is your product about? What are its potential benefits and features? How can your customer get it? This is achieved when your potential customer clicks your posted advertisement and reaches the page that contains details of your product.

Next is the stage of conviction. This is very important stage. You need to convince your customer about benefits of your product. Testimonial for your products is an excellent tool to achieve   this stage. Visible proof or evidence is another great tool. But be genuine or this won't work in the long run.

After he is convinced with your product, your potential customer enters into stage of action. This may involve a request for further details, ordering a trial offer if available or the actual sale itself.

Whatever model you may use to build your campaign it must be remembered that a sale is not an instant process. On the contrary it is sequence of the events that your potential customer's mind goes through. Each stage has to be preceded by the previous. Each one is essential and crucial for a successful sale.

That should remind that instead of running a 'Buy Me' advertisement concentration should be on making the flow in the advertisement that begins with introduction of what you intend to sell and why people should buy it.

Use the science for your benefit and see the results.

Wish you success.

Copyright © 2005 Arun Pal Singh

Arun Pal Singh, a successful marketer and writer offers a unique and duplicable business opportunity at <a target="_new" href="http://www.homeforprofits.com">http://www.homeforprofits.com</a> To avail his free Income Course e-mail to <a href="mailto:homeforprofits@getresponse.com">homeforprofits@getresponse.com</a> with subject 'subscribe']]></description>
         <link>http://hiroseno.com/blog/advertising-03/2007/05/science_of_advertising_and_how.php</link>
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         <title>Marketing Tips - Advertising</title>
         <description><![CDATA[Typical methods of advertising-newspapers, radio and television are effective if used properly, but there are other, less expensive ways to get your company's name out.

Local or cable television is an inexpensive alternative to the traditional forms of advertising. Even if you have no experience advertising in this medium, there are companies who specialize in lending a helping hand. Even if finances are a concern (as they are for most of us), you'll be surprised to discover a 30 second spot television ad can cost as little as a few hundred dollars.

Many areas have public auctions on local stations that will advertise your product, if you donate up to a certain dollar amount. The number of advertising spots will depend on how much you donate.

Remember also to send press releases to your local television and radio stations. Many times they will come out and do a story on you, if it is of interest to the public.

We volunteered to do resumes for people out of work and sent releases to all the radio and television stations. One of the three major networks in our area, sent someone out to interview us, and we were on the 6 and 11 o'clock news.

As for radio advertising, check your local stations for rates. You'll be surprised at how low some of them are. Again, if you send press releases to the stations, sometimes they will call you as an expert in your area, or for an interview. We sent releases to all the stations in our area when we started our support group, and this generated three times the number of people we expected for our first meeting.

Since most major newspapers are expensive to advertise in, check with the smaller local papers. You can advertise in many of these for as little as $25 a month. You could also offer to write a column for these publications, as an expert in the area, if appropriate.

We all need to advertise in one way or another. Which medium you choose will depend on your particular business.

Copyright DeFiore Enterprises 2000

Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business? Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com">http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com</a> for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses. No time to visit the site? Subscribe to our "how to" Home Business Solutions Digest, it's like having your own personal coach: <a href="mailto:subscribeHBS@homebusinesssolutions.com">mailto:subscribeHBS@homebusinesssolutions.com</a>]]></description>
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         <title>Print Your Marketing Postcards For A Penny, Address Them For Free, and Automate the Whole Process</title>
         <description><![CDATA[This article will show you how to cut your printing costs to a penny and have your postcards addressed for free without doing it all yourself, reducing the time you invest in your mailing to almost nothing.

So, you have a list of hot prospects in hand; you need a way to get your marketing message in front of them with the hope that a reasonable percentage will call you. You decide that you want to send a postcard to each prospect.

You open the yellow pages and randomly select a printer.

After explaining what you want, she gives you a quote of eleven cents per postcard. That seems like more than you wanted to spend, so you call a few more printers. Several phone calls later, you finally get a quote that meets your budget--six cents each.

A week later you have the postcards in hand. You sit down with your list on one side and a pile of hundreds of postcards on the other side (if you aren't sending at least hundreds at a time, don't expect much of a response). You pop a couple of your favorite DVDs into the disc changer and settle in for an evening of addressing your postcards.

You finish the first and cross it off your list. After scribbling through the first fifty, you look at the clock and realize this is taking much longer than expected. All the same, you are determined so you continue.

Two movies, two pens, and one band-aid later (for that pesky papercut), you finally reach the end. The smile that cracks on your face is broken by the thought that you still need to stamp them. One movie, one sponge, and hundreds of stamps later, you really reach the end.

Despite the feeling of accomplishment, you can't help feeling dread at the thought of going through the process again in two weeks when you mail to the list again (if you are not following up with your prospects multiple times, again, you are wasting your time). There must be a better way.

Does this scenario sound familiar? If so, then keep reading. I am about to show you how you can change that. You will be able to quickly setup multiple mailings in advance, sit back, and just wait for them to go out on the specified date.

For those who haven't yet experienced preparing your mailings by hand, feel free to try it for yourself once and then we'll see you back here in a couple weeks when you are ready to appreciate what I am about to share.

Leveraging Your Time Effectively

Time is as precious as your cash flow and it should be leveraged just as carefully. Developing efficient systems and automating repetitive tasks is essential to your success as a business. When it comes to postcards and other similar mailings, the United States Postal Service has taken care of this for you. The postcard mailing system I am about to share with you is based on a service available online at:

<a href="http://www.usps.com/mailingonline" target="_new">http://www.usps.com/mailingonline</a>

The first time you visit the Mailing Online web page, you will need to click on the Sign-Up button. Signing up for a personal account allows you to save postcards and mailing lists so that you can easily reuse them in the future. Now let's talk about some of the benefits that this service has to offer.

A Penny per Postcard for Printing

Normal postage for a postcard is twenty-three cents. The cost of mailing out a postcard through Mailing Online is twenty-four cents. This is like getting your postcards printed for a penny each and addressed for free.

Avoid Numerous Steps and Saves Hours of Your Time

Avoid picking up your cards from the printer, addressing and stamping them by hand, and delivering them to the post office for mailing. The money saved is significant and the time saved is huge.

Use Ready-Made Templates to Create Your Mailing Pieces

Mailing Online provides templates for you download and open in several popular applications such as Microsoft Word. This makes designing you postcard easy. Then you upload the postcard to Mailing Online to use in your mailing campaign.

Easily Upload Your Mailing List

Mailing Online allows you to easily upload your mailing list from several different file formats including Excel and MS Word.

Verify Your Addresses against Official Post Office Records

Mailing Online will automatically check you mailing list against official post office records. You will be told if any of your addresses do not match. Then you can decide whether to eliminate these addresses so that you don't waste money on invalid addresses.

Choose from Several Mailing Formats

You can also choose to mail a variety of other mailing pieces including brochures, letters, and self-mailer flyers. Mailing Online provides the templates you need to create these mailers. However, I suggest using this service primarily for postcards. I have not tried their flyers, I think brochures are pointless, and I imagine their letters are label-addressed which is puts your mailer in the junk pile as soon as is seen by your prospect.

Saving Mailing Lists, Postcards, and Mailing Campaigns for Future Use

You can save your lists and postcards to be easily reused for future campaigns without uploading them again.

Schedule Mailing Campaigns to Go Out at a Future Date

You can pick a date in the future for you mailer to go out. You could even set up an entire sequence to go out on autopilot. For example, you could schedule a postcard to go out right away, another one in 10 days, and another in a month. This allows you easily follow-up with your prospects.

Your Postcard is Only as Good as the Marketing Message it Delivers

Without getting into a discussion on copywriting, I want to make the following points about your postcard design:

1. Your postcard will only be as good as your marketing message. You have about two seconds to attract the reader's attention before your postcard ends up in the garbage. The best way to accomplish this is with a well-written headline.

2. Don't waste a lot of space on your logo or other fancy graphics. Don't waste a lot of space on your company's name or your contact info. Focus on telling the reader what you have that can benefit them.

3. Make sure you make it clear what you want the prospect to do next. Most likely this will be to call you or a message hotline.

4. Since postcard space is limited, just share the most important aspects of your marketing message. Tell the reader how they can get more info if they are interested by sending them to a web site or by asking them to call you to receive more information (i.e. the rest of your marketing message). This is called two-step marketing.

About The Author

Jason Van Orden

<a href="http://www.jasonvanorden.com" target="_new">www.jasonvanorden.com</a>

"Discover how to attract more leads and maximize revenue with a minimum investment of your time and money."]]></description>
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         <title>10 Ways To Improve Your Print Ads</title>
         <description><![CDATA[1) Include a coupon in your large ads. This can increase  response from 25 to 100 percent. Your coupon could offer the prospect your brochure or catalog.

2) Use a benefit headline on your coupon that affirms the prospect is getting valuable, needed information. E.g. &quot;Yes, I want to reduce my inventory costs by 50 percent.&quot;

3) Include a picture of your brochure or catalog in your ad.

4) Use a sidebar in your ad packed with tips that your prospect  will find useful. E.g &quot;10 Ways To Reduce Your Phone Bill.&quot;

5) Concentrate your copy on the prospect, not on your company. Tell your prospect how your product or service will solve their problems. Use the words &quot;you&quot; and &quot;your&quot; frequently and &quot;I&quot; and &quot;We&quot; less.

6)  With a smaller ad, you can ask the prospect to tear out the ad, attach their business card and mail it to your company.

7) Consider converting your ad into an advertorial. This format looks more like an article and contains valuable information. It attracts people who normally skip over ads because advertorials look like editorial content. If the publisher will allow it, use the same typeface as the publication the advertorial appears in. To see advertorial samples, visit the &quot;Portfolio&quot; section of my website <a href="http://www.dc-infobiz.com/" target="_new">http://www.dc-infobiz.com/</a>

8) Put quotation marks around the headline. This can draw 28 percent more attention than a headline without quotation marks.

9) Consider running your ad in black and white if you're using mostly text in the ad. Without colour, the ad looks more like an article.

10) The headline is the most important part of an ad. Spend time creating a powerful, benefit packed headline.  If you don't stop the reader in their tracks with a good headline, few will bother to read the rest of the ad.

About The Author

David Coyne is a copywriter and marketing consultant. Need help writing your brochures, ads, web pages and other marketing materials? Contact David at his web site: <a href="http://www.dc-infobiz.com" target="_new">http://www.dc-infobiz.com</a>]]></description>
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         <title>Creating a Winning Logo</title>
         <description><![CDATA[Creating a logo to get you noticed.

When you're branding a company with a name, a colour scheme and a logo the logo is often not given enough care and attention. It should follow the chosen colour scheme and reflect the business that your company is in. Too often, particularly on the WWW logos are seen as a way to show off the design talents of the author. To create a free logo I have created this easy to follow step by step guide.

Planning

Your logo should reflect the company it represents. Create a list of all the services or products the company supplies and try to find some common ground.

Sit down and choose the colours you will be using. This is best achieved by studying the corporate colours and maybe adding a few more shades of these colours. You should aim for a maximum of 12 but ideally you will want only one or two colours. Avoid very dark colours unless it is relevant to your company. If you send out a letter on headed notepaper to a client you will want your logo to jump off the desk at them to remind them who you are.

Remember that your design may have to be very small (a business card) or very large (the side of a van) so whatever you come up with must be scaleable. Try imagining your logo as a tiny image and then as a large image. If your using lettering will it must be readable at a very small size. Will the font appear correctly in a user browser on the internet?

Consider every place your logo might appear and work out what you will need to design for. A company that deals with older people does not to be bright and modern, something a little more sedate would be more appropriate.

Until you know the answers to all the questions above don't move on to the next section.

Creating

Keep it simple. Look at any major company in the world and see how simple their logos are. Nothing fancy for the experts so why should you have a fancy design?

Look at what the competion are doing. DO NOT COPY somebody else's work. Sometimes I get me best inspiration from studying other people ideas and coming up with a really original one based on a concept they have used. As long as it's not a copy of somebody else's work your not infringing copyright.

A tip for doing this is to use Googles Image Search. Type in some key word and select the image search with the word logo. For example if you were selling cars search for &quot;cars + logo&quot;. You will be presented with a selection of rival logos for other sites.

Use this to see what works and what does not. You will be drawn to the good designs and you will recognise what represents a company that sells cars. This search brings up the Alpha Romeo logo in the first few entries. This logo is slightly more complicated than you will want but works perfectly for a company producing cars.

Now start sketching some designs on paper. Keep all of the designs you make to hand as you never know when you might decide that the picture you drew before could be the one. When you have an idea don't over develop it. You should aim to have at least 15 to 20 rough ideas before choosing 2 or 3 to work on further.

Developing

When you have chosen your two or three best ideas ask some friends what they think. Use your friends and family to test your logo. Everybody loves to give their opinion on everything so use that to your own advantage. Listen to what people have to say about your designs and you may learn something. Little things that you have not seen can be very obvious to someone that has never seen it before. Take a note of all the comments and go back to the drawing board. Look over what was said about every design and then, based on your own feelings and the comments you have collected, decide which idea you are going to develop more.

Create a slightly more refined drawing, or if you have some computer skills, make up an approximate design using a graphics program (don't worry if you can't do this as the next step will take care of that anyway.)

Unless you're either a graphic designer or a printer, employ a professional to finish the work to a high standard. Your logo will appear on every bit of literature your company will ever produce and if it does not look professional then you don't look professional. You will have saved a lot of money by developing the logo yourself so it is now time to ask a professional to finish the work.

Well done. You have just created an effective and attractive logo for your company. Be proud of your work and display it everywhere.

About The Author

Philip Gillespie is a proffesional website designer and graphic artist. His works include <a href="http://www.echo-art.com" target="_new">www.echo-art.com</a>, <a href="http://www.thekimberleyinn.com" target="_new">www.thekimberleyinn.com</a>, <a href="http://www.yellowsands.com" target="_new">www.yellowsands.com</a> and www.integratedbodytherapy.com. Please contact for any further information or help.

<a href="mailto:philipgillespie@hotmail.com">philipgillespie@hotmail.com</a>]]></description>
         <link>http://hiroseno.com/blog/advertising-03/2007/05/creating_a_winning_logo.php</link>
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         <title>Promotional Vehicles</title>
         <description><![CDATA[It is difficult to miss a Hummer, but how many companies could afford to run one to promote their business? The answer is, of course, very few and it is doubtful whether GM's overgrown offspring would be the most suitable promotional vehicle for many of them. What then are the alternatives and how could businesses benefit from using a vehicle as an advertising medium?

What is a promotional vehicle?

A promotional vehicle is a car, truck or SUV with purpose-designed adhesive vinyl graphics applied to its exterior, promoting a business or one of its products or services.

The graphics may be a full wrap (the whole vehicle is covered), a decal wrap (decals are applied to body panels) or a window wrap (decals are applied to the side and rear windows).

The types of business that operate promotional vehicles include radio stations, beer companies, car dealers and up-market pubs, clubs and restaurants to name but a few.

The benefits of a promotional vehicle

A vehicle is mobile so you can take your advertising places. Both drivers and pedestrians will notice your advertising when your vehicle is parked as well as when it is on the move.

Your advertising stays in position until you remove it or sell the vehicle. There is no need to book media space or pay regular subscriptions.

The cost is not as much as you might expect. In fact, vehicle graphics cost less to create and apply than many other types of advertising. If you apply graphics to an existing vehicle then there are no additional costs.

You can potentially make a big impression. Cleverly designed and eye-catching vehicle graphics can be used for PR purposes.

Is a promotional vehicle for me?

It depends on your business, as promotional vehicles are not suitable for every company.

Brand image is a key deciding factor. You need to consider how the vehicle will be used (will it be on the move much of the time or parked), what will it be used for and who will drive it and how will it be driven. Do not forget that the vehicle will influence people's perceptions of your company and your product/service.

Budgetary considerations will play a part too, more so if you are purchasing a new vehicle specifically for use as a promotional vehicle.

Which are the best promotional vehicles?

For sheer size and physical presence, nothing beats the Hummer, H2 and other large SUV's.

At the opposite end of the scale is the 2.5-metre long Mercedes Smart car - one of the most popular promotional vehicles in Europe. This goes on sale in Canada in the fall of 2004 and is sure to have great novelty value and attract a lot of attention.

In between these extremes, you have vehicles such as the PT Cruiser and the forthcoming Chevrolet SSR. Molson promoted their A Marca Bavaria beer at last year's Vancouver Indy using a Honda Element. Other possibilities include the VW Beetle or an unusual, classic or sports car.

The MINI might seem an obvious choice but bear in mind that the model already includes a range of graphic treatments in its option list and this may reduce its usefulness as a promotional vehicle because your advertising will stand out less.

Whatever vehicle you choose it should attract attention in its own right and the less common it is the better.

If you are buying a new vehicle, your choice will be determined by your promotional requirements and your budget. A cheaper solution is to use an existing company vehicle. However, consider the impression you want to make on your target audience and avoid the temptation to apply a wrap to your rusting, dented 1992 Safari.

What about the vehicle graphics?

The first step is to commission a design for your vehicle. Your design is printed in full colour on weather-resistant high-quality adhesive vinyl. This is then applied to the vehicle.

A complete vehicle wrap will take 8 hours or more; a decal or window wrap will take less time. The vinyl is durable and washable. It can be removed when the time comes to update the design (for example if you change your logo) or when you sell the vehicle.

So, if you are looking for an alternative way to promote your business and you want to take your message onto the street or to events then you should consider a promotional vehicle.It may not be suitable for every company but if it is right for you then it is a great way to get people to notice and talk about your business.

Copyright © 2004, Christopher Smith, Mano Design

About The Author

Chris Smith is a partner in Mano Design ( <a href="http://www.mano-design.com" target="_new">http://www.mano-design.com</a> ) - a Vancouver Design and Marketing agency.]]></description>
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         <title>Avoid The Big Advertising Mistakes</title>
         <description><![CDATA[Is your advertising copy getting the results you want? If not, look at your current marketing to see if you're making one of the major copywriting mistakes:

Selling features instead of benefits. Telling your customer that your "fabulous new ALF-400 comes complete with AeroScan and BandControl technologies!" doesn't actually tell them anything. Will your services save your customers money or help them sleep better at night? If so, tell them. People buy solutions to problems and means to ends. Sell the benefits and watch your profits climb.

Not educating the reader. Most people are reasonably intelligent and sincerely want to learn about the world around them. Does your copy contain solid information, or is it mostly emotional appeal and little substance? Ease back the fireworks and give the reader something real to chew on.

Being boring. Easing back the fireworks doesn't mean getting rid of them completely. Use just enough drama and emotional appeal to keep your reader interested. This is where a solid understanding of your customers fits in - what are their hopes and fears? Where do your services fit between them?

Exaggerating. Most people expect advertising to be overblown and inflated, so surprise your readers and be honest. Put your best foot forward and shamelessly emphasize your strengths, but don't do more than that. Keep it real and get real attention.

Saying too much. Excessive wordiness puts a burden on the reader that can be lethal for marketing. Read through your copy again: could you say the same thing with fewer words? Try rewriting with a 25% cut in word count to inject new life into your pitch.

Not getting the reader moving. The entire point of advertising is to motivate your customer to do something, so are you telling them what that is? End your pitch with a direct appeal. Tell your customers to call, visit or look at your website. If you're not giving them orders, you can't expect them to start marching.

About The Author

Robert Warren (<a href="http://www.rswarren.com" target="_new">www.rswarren.com</a>) is a Florida-based freelance copywriter specializing in the unique marketing needs of independent professionals.

<a href="mailto:writer@rswarren.com">writer@rswarren.com</a>]]></description>
         <link>http://hiroseno.com/blog/advertising-03/2007/05/avoid_the_big_advertising_mist.php</link>
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         <title>Why Your Ad Failed</title>
         <description><![CDATA[So you spent good money on an ad, put it in a magazine or newspaper, and waited patiently for phone calls that didn't materialize. You're upset: you feel that you've wasted money and time, and now you're convinced that advertising doesn't work.

Advertising does work. Every day. So before you kick away advertising (or websites, or brochures, or any other marketing medium), first consider which of these four basic reasons applies to your effort:

Your ad wasn't created to appeal sympathetically to the correct customer need.

You can't force a sale, as much as you might want to. Your best, most reliable, most profitable customers come to your business because you meet particular needs that your competitors don't. Simple as that. These needs may be material, psychological or emotional, but when they present themselves, their owners come to you.

The goal of advertising is not to pitch a sale, but to establish name and brand recognition for your company by associating your name with your ability to meet special customer needs. This helps promote that "good gut feeling" that your best customers have about you but can't really explain.

If your ad isn't built around the right specific customer needs - not wants, not desires, not self-image, but needs - then it's almost doomed to fail.

Your ad doesn't establish your own credibility for meeting customer needs.

Etch this on your forehead: Credibility begins with evidence of understanding.

It's not enough to hit on the right need. You have to demonstrate in some way that you truly understand and can meet it. This step doesn't have to be fancy, and is often very subtle, sometimes involving no more than certain writing, visual design or layout decisions.

If your customers need a strong, professional company, your ad should reflect that. If they need to know that you come highly recommended, or that you have a certain degree of experience, or that your services are unique to your area, that should somehow be a part of your advertising.

Just don't overdo it, turning your ad into a sales pitch. Provide just enough credibility to satisfy those customers looking for it. Save the rest for your other marketing efforts.

Your ad wasn't placed in an appropriate medium that offered regular exposure to the specific customers you serve.

If your business sells luxury cars, the most carefully designed ad in the world won't accomplish a thing printed in a free newspaper that specializes in thrift classified ads. That's not an appropriate medium for your service, and your best customers aren't looking for you there.

If your ad properly recognized and appreciated your customers' needs, consider the possibility that the ad appeared where it wasn't appropriate. Why were your best customers looking for you there? How does your choice of medium speak to your credibility for meeting your customers' needs?

Consider time as well as position: a swimwear ad would face an uphill climb if it ran in a Michigan newspaper in December. Remember that customer needs often change as the seasons change.

You expected too much from your ad.

If the ad is solid, and the medium is appropriate, then the problem is you.

Advertising alone doesn't revolutionize profits. Like all marketing tools, advertising is a precision instrument, an individual tool designed to perform a specific task. Relying on only advertising - or only networking, or only cold calling, or only a website - to promote your business makes as much sense as an auto mechanic who uses only a hammer to fix your car.

Since human beings are complicated, so are sales problems. Complicated problems require the skilled collaboration of multiple tools, of which traditional print advertising is only one.

The role of advertising in a modern marketing campaign is to establish name and brand recognition for your company, not to pitch a sale. The idea is to make sure that your prospect has already heard of your company - and has a favorable "feel" about you - by the time customer need presents itself or your salespeople come calling. Advertising helps pave the road for your other marketing efforts.

If you expected sales to double last month because you ran an ad but did little else, you probably expected more than reality could provide. It's in fact possible that your ad did work, but that it provided benefits that your business didn't capitalize on because you expected different results. Next time you run an ad, do it as part of a coordinated marketing effort that includes the ability to follow up with the audience that was exposed to it. Take advantage of the good will that your advertising helps generate.

If your ad is written to appeal sympathetically to the correct customer need, establishes your credibility for meeting that need, and is placed in an appropriate medium that offers regular exposure to your most likely customers, your ad will do that job. Every time.

About The Author

Robert Warren (<a href="http://www.rswarren.com" target="_new">www.rswarren.com</a>) is a Florida-based freelance copywriter specializing in the unique marketing needs of independent professionals.

<a href="mailto:writer@rswarren.com">writer@rswarren.com</a>]]></description>
         <link>http://hiroseno.com/blog/advertising-03/2007/05/why_your_ad_failed.php</link>
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         <title>10 Tips to Use Giveaways Effectively</title>
         <description><![CDATA[Walk around any trade or consumer show and you will be able to collect a bag full of advertising specialties, or giveaway items all designed to promote. But look a little more closely. How many really do an effective job? How clearly do they get a message across? Is the message sufficiently visible? Is the giveaway useful or unique enough that you would want to keep and use it? All these questions, and more, need to be considered before jumping into the giveaway game.

Everyone enjoys receiving a gift, even if it is "just a little something." Gift giving creates a favorable impression. It can build goodwill, be an incentive, communicate a message and create awareness.

When thinking about advertising specialties for your next show, consider the following ten questions:

1. What do you want to achieve by giving away a premium item?

Your giveaway items should be designed to increase your memorability, communicate, motivate, promote or increase recognition. It is important not only that the message have an impact, but also the premium itself.

2. How will you select your premium item?

There is a multitude of different items you could consider as a premium. However, which one will best suit your purpose? To select the right item, you need to decide your objective. Do you want it to enhance a theme; convey a specific message or educate your target audience? A clear purpose should help make your selection process easier. A promotional specialist can also help you make an effective selection. Remember that your company image is reflected in whatever you choose to give away.

3. Whom do you want to receive your premium?

Having a clear objective for your premium item will also help you decide who should receive it. You may consider having different gifts for different types of visitors. You might have different quality gifts for your key customers, prospects and general passers by.

4. How does your giveaway tie into your marketing theme?

Is there an item that naturally complements your marketing message? Have the message imprinted on the item and make sure that your company name, logo and phone number appear clearly. An important aspect of any gift is to remember who it was from long after the fact.

5. What is your budget?

The price range for premium items is enormous. Quality, quantity and special orders, all impact the price. Establish a budget as part of your exhibit marketing plan. Consider ordering the same item for several different shows. The greater the quantity of your order, the lower the individual unit price.

6. What must visitors do to qualify for a gift item?

There are several ways to use your premium effectively. For example, as a reward for visitors participating in a demonstration, presentation or contest; as a token of your appreciation when visitors have given you qualifying information about their specific needs; as a thank you for stopping at the booth. Avoid leaving items out for anyone to take. This diminishes value and has little or no memorability factor.

7. Will your giveaway directly help your future sales?

Consider handing out a discount coupon or a gift certificate that requires future contact with your company for redemption. Consider premiums that will help generate frequent visits to customers and prospects, such as calling you for free refills.

8. How does your premium item complement your exhibiting goals?

Premiums can be used to prequalify your prospects. One company uses playing cards. Prior to the show, they send "kings" to their key customers, "queens" to suppliers, "jacks" to new or hot prospects. They request that the cards are brought to the booth in exchange for a special gift. When the cards are presented, the booth staff already know certain information about the visitor. They can then act on their previous knowledge and use time with the visitor more productively.

9. How will you inform your target audience about you giveaway item?

A sufficiently novel or useful giveaway can actively help to draw prospects to your booth. So make sure your prospects know about it. Send a "tickler" invitation with details of the giveaway, or create a two-piece premium, sending one part out to key prospects prior to the show and telling them to collect the other half at your booth.

10. How will you measure the effectiveness of your premium?

Establish a tracking mechanism to measure the success of your giveaway. If it is a redemption item, code it so that you know it resulted from the show. Post-show follow-up could include a question about the premium - did visitors remember receiving it and how useful was the item. After the show, critique your giveaway with your exhibit team: Did it draw specific prospects to the booth? Was it eye-catching enough to persuade passers by to stop? Did your customers find it useful? Did it project the right corporate image?

There are plenty of exciting premiums for you to choose from so that you can avoid the usual pens, pencils and keychains. Make your premium work for you and it will be money well invested.

About The Author

Written by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author: &quot;Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies,&quot; working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training.  Go to <a href="http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com" target="_new">http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com</a> to sign up for a free copy of ExhibitSmart Tips of the Week.

<a href="mailto:info@thetradeshowcoach.com">info@thetradeshowcoach.com</a>]]></description>
         <link>http://hiroseno.com/blog/advertising-03/2007/05/10_tips_to_use_giveaways_effec.php</link>
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         <title>The Art Of Fear Free Advertising</title>
         <description><![CDATA[Is fear of failure an issue when you commit valuable money in advertising?

Well how about if I showed you a way to remove this fear and you know that you would be able to spend money advertising KNOWING you would get a return?

Is that a valuable lesson?

Course it is!

So, how do you do it?

The answer is testing!

It's simple really.. Instead of sending out 1000 sales letters for example. Send out 500. In these 500 have 5 different headlines so 5 x 100 = 500

Why?

Well what we are trying to establish here is what headline or sales offer pulls best. Once we know which one works then we do a mass mailing, but not before then!

You see I have seen so many companies waste hundreds even thousands of pounds on non result direct mail... all because they didn't test!

So save yourself time and money by testing EVERTHING you do.

If it's an advert in the local press, sign up for 5 small inserts over 5 weeks rather than 1 big page as a one off. This will be cheaper but will also allow you to test different offers.

About The Author

Mark Vurnum is a leader in small business marketing. Regulary putting on marketing seminars, his 13 proven steps seminar has allowed businesses to grow 50% in a matter of weeks. <a href="http://www.smartmarketingconsultants.co.uk" target="_new">www.smartmarketingconsultants.co.uk</a>

<a href="mailto:mark@smartmarketingconsultants.co.uk">mark@smartmarketingconsultants.co.uk</a>]]></description>
         <link>http://hiroseno.com/blog/advertising-03/2007/05/the_art_of_fear_free_advertisi.php</link>
         <guid>http://hiroseno.com/blog/advertising-03/2007/05/the_art_of_fear_free_advertisi.php</guid>
                  <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category">advertising</category>
        
        
         <pubDate>Sat, 05 May 2007 09:09:58 +0900</pubDate>
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         <title>Developing a Formal Brand Messaging Document</title>
         <description><![CDATA[Ensure everyone in your company sings from the same sheet of music when it comes to communicating a consistent brand message.

Imagine one of your customers calling six different people in your company.  The customer asks why they should consider purchasing your product.  What do you think these six people would say?  Would their explanation be consistent?

That's where brand messaging comes into play.  In the audio book, &quot;Sound Advice on Brand Marketing,&quot; author Tom Miller says brands need to speak with a single unified voice in every communication with customers and prospects.

&quot;Brand messaging is a formalized document that captures the most important points about your brand,&quot; says Miller.  &quot;It is then used to create all of the various brand communications, such as ads, press releases, web sites, literature, and so forth.&quot;

The best place to begin the brand messaging process is with the elevator pitch.  &quot;Think about getting on an elevator with a senior executive from a great prospect company.  He asks you to tell him why your product or service is so special and better than all the others are.  You've got 30-seconds.  Go!&quot;

Distilling your brand message into a short, memorable description or value proposition sets the stage for the rest of the brand messaging to flow in a logical, informative fashion.  &quot;It may take a little hard work now, but it pays big dividends in the future,&quot; says Miller.  &quot;Not only is your message consistent, you should also realize major time savings in developing communications pieces.  The heavy lifting from a messaging perspective has already been done.&quot;

Tom Miller offers brand marketing advice each week in the free audio newsletter from What's Working in Biz ?  <a href="http://www.whatsworking.biz/full_story.asp?ArtID=92" target="_new">http://www.whatsworking.biz/full_story.asp?ArtID=92</a> ? and is president of the branding firm, Miller Brooks.

About The Author

Richard Cunningham is a principal of What's Working in Biz, <a href="http://www.whatsworking.biz" target="_new">http://www.whatsworking.biz</a>, a publisher of business audiobooks and online audio programs on marketing, sales, and small business strategies.]]></description>
         <link>http://hiroseno.com/blog/advertising-03/2007/05/developing_a_formal_brand_mess.php</link>
         <guid>http://hiroseno.com/blog/advertising-03/2007/05/developing_a_formal_brand_mess.php</guid>
                  <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category">advertising</category>
        
        
         <pubDate>Sat, 05 May 2007 09:09:58 +0900</pubDate>
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         <title>Power Headlines for Promotion Success</title>
         <description><![CDATA[Do you send email to your Online audience to let them know about an upcoming teleclass, your service or your book? Do you have a seminar "flyer" on your web site? 

The biggest mistake professionals and entrepreneurs make is to announce, rather than promote themselves.

Each piece you send or put on your web site should begin with the #1 copywriting winner--the headline. You only have a few seconds to capture your potential client's or customer's attention. If your headline doesn't sizzle, your Web site visitor will move on and never return. 

Remember, the headline is far more important than the copy beneath. 

Four Formats to Write Compelling Headlines

1. How to.

Most Online business people want to learn how to do something to increase their joy, money, relationships and fun. If they have already put up their Web site book descriptions, the table of contents, seminar flyers or coaching/consulting information, and not seen financial success, they too can learn how to do something--better.

Sample how to's: 

-"How-to Quadruple your Web Sales in Just Five Months."
-"How-to Put Ecstasy Back into your Love Life"
-"How-to Find the Person of your Dreams"
-"How-to Write your Print and eBook at the Same Time."

2. Pose a Question.

Asking a question puts the attention on "you," your reader. It involves them because we all respond to questions asked. An engaged reader is more likely to keep reading.

Sample questions: 

-"Are you sick and tired of working for someone else?
-"Want to know how to create 5-10 new clients each month?
-"Want to make your book a best-seller?

3. Announcing your new teleclass, service or product.

You want the world to know about your great new book because it will make a difference in their lives, making the world a better place. How can you get your message across to compel your reader to click and buy or contact you? 

Sample announcements:

-"Announcing a Brand New Breakthrough in ePublishing."
-"New eBook Helps Small Business People to Big Profits."

4. Use your Best Testimonials.

People pay attention to testimonials. They trust you more when someone else they respect has bought from you. 

Sample testimonials:

-"Internet Marketing Exclusive is Pure Genius-Our Sales Have Increased by 40%.

-"Stop wasting time and money chasing agents. Read, "Write your Book Fast" for the fastest track to publishing success." Add the name and email below the testimonial to make it real.

Remember to include power words in your headlines that emotionally involve your reader. 

Power word Examples:

Breakthrough, discover, easy, free, guaranteed, hidden, incredible, love, master, money, new, powerful, profits, proven, results, revealed, scientific, secret, shocked, shocking, uncovered, you, and your.

Here's a few more powerful words: money, save, easy, love, health, proven, results, guaranteed, safety.

For every thing you email out, use headlines to reach your clients' and customers basic needs and emotions--another step toward a contact and eventual sale. 

Judy Cullins, 20-year book and Internet Marketing Coach, Author of 10 eBooks including "Write your eBook Fast," and "How to Market your Business on the Internet," she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says...and Business Tip of the Month at <a target="_new" href="http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml">http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml</a> and over 140 free articles. Email her at <a target="_new" href="mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com">mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com</a>]]></description>
         <link>http://hiroseno.com/blog/advertising-03/2007/05/power_headlines_for_promotion.php</link>
         <guid>http://hiroseno.com/blog/advertising-03/2007/05/power_headlines_for_promotion.php</guid>
                  <category domain="http://www.sixapart.com/ns/types#category">advertising</category>
        
        
         <pubDate>Sat, 05 May 2007 09:09:58 +0900</pubDate>
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