Free Or Nearly Free Advertising Is Available Get Yours

Writen by Fred Koss

Free advertising opportunities are limited only by your imagination and willingness to do a little work. There are many ways to promote your products with very little cost, it will literally blow your mind just to think of them.

Writing an article relating to your particular product or skill and submitting it to publications and media that distribute information is one very powerful tool you can use. This is simply a matter of becoming your own sales and publicity writer. Getting the word out and establishing yourself as an expert in your field is "news worthy". Of course listing contact information with everything you write and offering more information is the key to getting free advertising.

Another great method is becoming a guest on radio and television interview programs. Some think this is difficult but it is really much easier to bring about than you may realize. Writing a letter to the producer of these programs and then following up with an in-person visit or phone call will open the door. Simply emphasize that your product or service is of interest to the commnuity, perhaps even saving them time and money.

Posting advertising circulars on all free bulletin boards in your area, especially the coin-operated laundries, grocery stores, and beauty and barber shops will garner great results. Handing out circulars to all the shoppers in a busy shopping mall, especially on a busy weekend will also bring in the customers. Hire some school students to hand out circulars for you or even send them door-to-door.

Here's an idea that will cost you very little but work very well too. Have a promotional ad relative to your product or service printed on the front or back of your envelopes at the time you have them printed with your return address. Everyone who handles those envelopes will be impacted by your add.

Check all the publications that carry the kind of advertising you need. Some mail order publications just getting started may offer low rates to first-time advertisers or a free insertion of your ad when you pay for an order to run in three issues or more. Special seasonal ad space at greatly reduced rates will get your message out to. There are a number of publications that will give you a Per Inquiry (PI) deal where, as orders come in to the publication, they take a commission from each order, and then forward the orders on to you.

Many publications will give you a contract for space. This arrangement allows you to send them your ad, and they hold it until they have unsold space, then at a price that's always lower than the regular price for the space, insert your ad. Don't forget to check in with the neighborhood newspapers.

If you publish a catalog or ad sheet, get in touch with other publishers and inquire about the possibilities of exchange advertising. On the Internet this is called "exchanging links". They run your ad in their publication in exchange for you running an ad for them.

Finally, get great exposure when you advertise a free offer. Run an ad offering a free report of interest to most people, invite the readers to send you a handling fee for more information. Asking for a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) is normal, and depending on the appeal for your report and circulation of the publication in which your ad appears, you could easily be inundated with responses, each with money in it and an SASE! Can it get any easier? The trick here, of course, is to convert all these responses into sales. This is done via the "more information" you send back to them.

Unleashing your imagination gives you a powerful advantage, that can help you reach your advertising goals.

Fred specializes in thinking "outside the box". A number of years ago he was deeply affected by a sales manager who challenged him to think "past the pages" of the "how to" sales manual. The result was astonishing and his sales soared to top levels. He has created a Work at Home resource web site that offers simple but great opportunities for people who are willing to change the way they think about work. Check it out at http://workathomeop.com/.

Marketing Messages With Add Zest Amp Appeal

Writen by Alicia Smith

Boring is one thing you can't afford to be when it comes to marketing your business. With more than 3000+ marketing messages pummeling consumers on a daily basis, you need to be more, and do more, if you want to be heard above the racket.

Your marketing message is how you communicate with the public; it needs to be appealing and memorable. In order to do that, consider the concept of the meme. A meme is a thought, idea or belief that replicates over time. What that means in terms of your marketing is creating a marketing message that is strong, bold, and exciting so that it stays with the customer and becomes a part of their thinking.

A good example of this is Nike's "Just Do It". This phrase is used in a lot of different contexts outside of talking about Nike's products. People get what it means because it has permeated our culture. Below are some ways that you can avoid being boring by adding extra marketing appeal to your message.

1. Add visuals. There are so many ways to bring attention to your marketing message. One of the best ways is to add something visual. As a picture speaks a thousand words, so too can it communicate all sorts of things about you and your business. What types of pictures or graphics would you use to convey who you are? Adding a picture of yourself on your website or in other marketing materials will help form a stronger connection between you and potential clients.

2. The meaning of colors. Colors hold great meaning when it comes to your marketing message. Yellow elicits high levels of attention. Orange and red indicate quickness. The concepts of money, health, and nurturing are symbolized by green. Black can mean power and strength, but it can also indicate hiding or blending into the background. Purple is the color of royalty and wealth. What types of colors are you drawn to? What meaning do you want to convey to people by the colors you use on your business cards, brochures and even on your website. Too many colors are distracting and look chaotic. Certain colors on colored backgrounds can cause the same reaction. Make sure to work with a professional when selecting colors so you can communicate your business in the best light.

3. Try technology. Adding audio or video to your web site is a great way to allow someone to get to know you better. Adding real audio recordings of your classes, an interview, or even a welcome message gives someone an opportunity to hear your voice. Because technology is so low priced and easy to use nowadays, you might even consider adding a short video as well. Again, it will help to develop a rapport with your audience. One thing to keep in mind is that while technology is great and exciting and can do wonderful things for us, not everyone has the bandwidth to enjoy it fully. Over 50% of consumers are still using dial-up computer access which limits their ability to enjoy both real audio and video to its fullest.

4. Creative business cards. One great way to stand out from the crowd is to develop a creative business card. Add your picture to it or a professionally designed graphic. Use a brochure type card, which allows you 4 different surfaces to print contact information as well as information about what you do. You can include quotations, a mini-brochure about your company, or even some helpful tips or a short quiz. Think about the use of colors and type of fonts, which also can add excitement and pizzazz.

5. Action. When people see or read about action, they often feel empowered to take action themselves. Employing motion on your website is another way to add appeal to your marketing message. You can have text that changes colors on its own, or graphics that move. You might even have a marquee. One thing to keep in mind is that motion can also quickly drive people away from your site as it can be considered obnoxious and childish. Talk to a web professional before using these techniques. You can also imply action by the types of words you use in your web copy.

6. Target your audience. A quality-marketing message speaks directly to its target audience. Who is your target audience? Is it moms, singles, seniors, solo-professionals? The words you use to communicate with a mom are quite different from the words you would use to communicate to a corporate human resources manager or to a medical doctor. The words you use must fit your audience. If they don't, you'll have an immediate disconnect with people who read your message.

7. What's in it for me? Fundamental to all marketing messages must be the mantra…"What's in it for me"? The only reason anyone is even looking at your brochure, viewing your website or reading your business card is to see what they can possibly gain for themselves. People are busy and are inundated with thousands of marketing messages each day. The only ones they will pay attention to are the ones that really speak to their needs. They have problems or issues they want solved and they are looking for solutions. An appealing marketing message is one that speaks to the typical problems faced by your target audience. Communicating how you can solve those problems quickly and cost effectively is critical to attracting new clients.

8. Ask "yes" questions. If you want to capture someone's attention, ask them questions that they can answer "yes" to. Whether you are asking questions on a website, in a brochure, or during a sales presentation, make sure they are worded in such a way that the respondent will answer "yes" consistently. The word "yes" opens people up to accept more feedback, whereas the word "no" will quickly close them down. Also, create questions that can help the reader or viewer identify with what you're saying, giving them the sense that you truly do understand their problems or issues.

9. Features and benefits. Don't just tell people what you do. Instead, relate the features and benefits of what they can experience as a result of doing business with you. A feature is some aspect of the product whereas a benefit is the feeling or result that someone will experience as a result of that feature. For example, a hospital unit might feature some of the latest innovations in new baby care and services. The benefit to the new mother will be the confidence, security, and peace of mind that she and her baby will be cared for in the best ways possible.

10. Be unique. Show how you, your product, or services are unique. Not only will that help people to remember you, it will make you remarkable. The sense of being remarkable is that people will comment about you to others. Word of mouth advertising is some of the best advertising because it costs you nothing and it comes with a testimonial from the person who is telling others about you. Can you relate what you do to someone in history? Or are you the first at doing something or introducing something? Do you use unique ingredients in your products or employ specialized knowledge in the work you do? This type of information will make your marketing message not only interesting and memorable, but remarkable.

© Copyright 2004 by Alicia Smith

Alicia Smith is a Coach and Trainer whose specialty is helping coaches to Make Money Now. This article is derived from just one of the 90 lessons contained in her e-course, 90-Day Marketing Marathon. To learn more about that course and her other products and services, please visit the following sites. (You also can email her at alicia@aliciasmith.com.) http://www.90DayMarketingMarathon.com http://www.discninja.com http://www.InternetAssessments.com

Create Yellow Page Ads That Hypnotize Customers Into Giving You What Ever You Want

Writen by Charles Masterson

Exactly how do you create an advertisement that stops a potential customer right in their tracks? One that gets them locked in a hypnotic trance from the moment they lay eyes on your ad until they grab the phone and feverishly dial in your number?

Would you like a specific answer? I'll lay out the exact process for you right here on this page.

OK, ...Lets suppose for a minute that you are a behind the steering wheel of your car driving toward your home right now. Its been a very long day at work and you have had one or two (or three) of your normal challenges with the people who can make your day a hassle.

You have been doing your job for years now but there are just some people who seem to set you back every time you have contact with them. So, your pretty frustrated today.

The sun is low near the horizon and ends up shining right in your face as you drive. But up ahead you can see that a school is letting out. Off to the right of the car, on the sidewalk, there is a kid yelling at another kid and teasing him about something.

One time, I was just getting out of grade school and this bully was taunting me. I was wearing a bright orange fluorescent crossing guard belt and this kid was giving me grief about how stupid I looked wearing it. I remember his face and the cruel way he was making fun of something I was somewhat proud of.

Oh.......by the way......a car has come to a DEAD stop right in front of you.

Did you hit it?

Or do you think you might have hit it? And what would you say to the nice police man? You might say you were distracted....but really, you were off on another planet.

So, what is the exact method for a captivating headline and directory ad? Let me pause for a moment, and cover a bit of background first.

Hypnotic trances aren't what many people think they are. Most feel they are a power or force that is imposed on a person that will cause them to do things they would never do otherwise. That's not an accurate way to look at what happens.

Its more that a person allows themselves to become involved in a train of thought that ends up capturing their complete attention. In this state, they will do things they would choose to do anyway. The only difference being that they are so captivated by a particular train of thought that they become unaware of their surroundings or that there is anybody else watching.

The result is behavior you'd not expect. People in a hypnotic state are open to outside input without many of the barriers we might normally use during the day to keep our defenses up.

Chances are good that you are reading this. ( That was a no-brainer statement.) One of the reasons you kept reading was that I proposed an intriguing idea - that I would lay down a clear and easy formula for getting the attention of a customer.

An unanswered question or statement is a big part of the hypnotic formula. Once the curosity is aroused then a person will stay glued until the mind has satisfied the missing element.

Another part of the formula is a story that people can relate to. The story should have specific details to guide the reader but the details should be universally familiar. Very specific, as if the event was taking place, but general enough that most everyone can relate to the details.

Can this be boiled down to a Yellow Page Ad? Yes. "The Story" in your ad might be "That old dusty water heater that needs replacing fast." Or maybe "Your life has been shattered by a Drunken Driver and you need legal help." Those are hypnotic statements to the potential customer. They tell a quick story that includes emotional elements that draw the desired reader to the first line of text.

The opposite of those two statements would be "We sell De-Grande Brand Water heaters for less." and "We legally represent you. Since 1814." These kind of "Ego" statements often represent the mind of the seller, but NOT the state of mind of the buyer.

The business owner might look at those statements and really relate to what it says. The customer will sail right past those ads because they have an entirely different thought train at that moment.

Writing a Hypnotic Yellow Page ad takes time and thought. By now your beginning to see that putting together together a winning and powerful yellow page ad takes a number of skills that go well beyond a thorough study of the Graphic Arts.

About the Author Chuck Masterson is the Director of R&D for Yellow Pages Into Profits and has assembled a team of the Nations top Yellow Page Ad Design Specialists.

Wednesday Your Daily Yellow Page Ad Review

Writen by Jeffrey Hauser

It's mid-week and we've been going over your directory marketing. Okay, so you have a pretty good Yellow Page ad, but is "pretty good" enough? You have so many parts of the ad to work well, where do you begin to make it better? Assuming that you have a solid headline and sub-head, the next place the reader will turn is to the picture or photograph. If you are an emergency service firm like a plumber or electrician, do you have a picture of your truck in the ad? Does it have your logo on the side and is it nice and shiny? It is? Then shame on you! Who cares that you have a truck, van, bus, hummer, or any other vehicle to carry you and your parts. The average customer assumes you have a truck, and you have legs, arms and a head. So don't show yourself either.

So what should you show? It depends on the headline and topic or focus of the ad. If you are a mover, do you begin with "Professional Moving," as the headline? Let's hope you got a bit more creative and came up with something like, "We Safely Relocate Families." Then the sub-head says, "The safe moving of your precious belongings is our number one priority." Great, you say, so NOW do you put a picture of that huge semi with the large logo on the side in the ad?

Of course not. You have to tie into the headline. Rather than waste the space with a moving truck photo, become creative. What is the ad really selling? It's the safe delivery of personal items, furniture, or other valuables and collectibles. So what would show that happy outcome? How about a photo of the result? Might I suggest a small child sitting on the floor of the new house, surrounded by boxes and the parents in the background putting stuff away. Wouldn't that illustrate a perfect ending to a move? Would that trump a picture of a moving truck every time? You bet it would. Therefore, show photographs of happy people with successful outcomes because that's really what you're all about.

Speaking of success, you may want to learn about all the other vital elements to your ad. Right about now, you also might also be asking yourself how I know so much about directory advertising.

Well, I was a YP rep and consultant for nearly 25 years and, prior to that, had my own advertising agency. I also have a degree in marketing. I've been designing Yellow Page ads for the past three decades. So I have experience in creating ads and have advised almost 7000 companies on how to put together the most effective ones. If you have a display or in-column ad, regardless of size, color or position, I can tell you it most probably needs improvement in essentials areas like the headline, artwork, body text, placement, book, or heading. You must also understand the ROI or return on investment and learn how to track the results as well.

So consider getting some expert advice before you place your next ad. If you want to more detailed instruction on all the inside secrets to better YP marketing, then please visit my website listed below.

Jeffrey Hauser's latest book is, "Inside the Yellow Pages," which can be viewed at http://www.poweradbook.com He was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for nearly 25 years. He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising and has a Master's Degree in teaching. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design firm, ABC Advertising. Currently, he is the Marketing Director for thenurseschoice.com, a Health Information and Doctor Referral site.

Rubber Wristbands Wholesale Bulk Customization Bracelets Then Profit Big

Writen by Chris Angeles

Rubber silicone wristbands are a fundraising tool use by most organizations. These rubber silicone wristbands are stylish that is why most people wear them on almost anything. But most of all, what these rubber silicone wristbands have that other promotional materials don't have is its cheap price.

Most people customize these rubber silicone wristbands because the message, logo, or colors signifies something in their lives. These rubber silicone bracelets may signify an event, a fundraiser, or sometimes loss of a loved one. You can put their names in there and you they will remind you of your loved one.

But why use these rubber silicone wristbands? You should use these rubber silicone wristbands because first and foremost is they are cheap, secondly these rubber silicone wristbands are highly customizable. Lastly, these rubber silicone wristbands are very durable. No matter how much you stretch them they won't go out of shape.

These rubber silicone wristbands are made from 100% silicone which means they are very durable. They won't go out of shape or they won't brake under any circumstances. And most people usually say how much they enjoy using them to send their message across the general public.

Now, when I said cheap, I meant really cheap. These rubber silicone wristbands are produced by manufacturers for less than a dollar and retails for a dollar up to $3 at most. So you see how high the profit margin is for most retailers?

Why don't you try customizing your own rubber silicone wristbands? It's just easy as one, two, three.

Chris Angeles is the owner and founder of http://www.kulayful.com, a company that specializes in creating Custom Silicone Bracelets, which are customizable from the Message, to the Logos, to the Color. http://www.kulayful.com offers one of the lowest prices in the market, without lowering the quality of the bracelet. We have seen all those other low-quality bracelets before, and we are fed up with them as they are disgusting. We absolutely guarantee 100% satisfaction to all our customers. Free set-up molds! Free shipping! Also a Free custom artwork sketch even before you even decide to order from us! We can also be reached at sales@kulayful.com.

Design Your Business Card Online With Ease

Writen by Natalie Aranda

Many multi-million dollar deals begin with the exchange of business cards. Effective business cards make a huge difference in your daily interaction with prospects, customers or clients. But not all business cards are created equal. A business card answers the questions of who you are and what your business do. Business cards can be created online through a variety of templates for you to choose from. This not only makes the process a lot easier, but also actually saves you time and money because you do not have to consult a graphic designer face-to-face.

Many websites allow users to design business cards online with easy. Before starting the design online, you need to have a clear idea of the information elements of your business cards - the information about you and the information about your business. It's very common and a great idea to print the URL of your website on the business card.

After drafting the message you want to convey on the cards, the real online design begins. You first choose a template by navigating through various categories and then change the font size, color, layout, or even add additional text or company logo if you want to. Once the design is completed and finalized, you proceed to shopping cart to place the order. Business card templates are often grouped by industry - - real estate business card templates, marketing business card templates or information technology business card templates. For black and white style business card, the focus of design is on font, size and layout. The templates for color business cards or custom business cards often use artistically rendered background image. When it comes to designing your business card, the color is not the only decision you need to make and you also have to look at whether you want a vertical or horizontal business card.

Business cards can be printed on other materials beside paper. You can actually order magnetic or plastic business cards too. A magnetic card is ideal for your customers to keep on their refrigerators so they will not lose your number. Color raised ink will make your company logo or your name stand out on a white background. Metal business cards resist fading and scratching.

Business card printing online is fast and easy. A professional business card projects a image of success. Your business cards are like printed word of mouth that travels from one customer to the next.

Natalie Aranda writes on marketing and advertising. For black and white style business card, the focus of design is on font, size and layout. The templates for color business cards or custom business cards often use artistically rendered background image. When it comes to designing your business card, the color is not the only decision you need to make and you also have to look at whether you want a vertical or horizontal business card. Business cards can be printed on other materials beside paper. You can actually order magnetic or plastic business cards too.

A Bad Quotwrapquot For Packaging

Writen by JoAnn Hines

Coming off the holiday season, I feel like packaging is getting a bad "wrap". I have been inundated with stories about how packaging is a bad thing: People getting cut trying to open a package: adults spending the hours wrestling with opening a package, families members hauling bag after bag of non-recyclable packaging materials to the curb and so on.

Interestingly, I did a segment for NBC TV about toy packaging and illustrated why toys are packed in a particular manner. It proved to be quite fascinating. Unfortunately, the producer wrapped up the segment with angry consumers trying to open toy packages. The consumers were hacking, ripping and tearing away at what they deemed were over packaged products. If you had seen this segment or have read some of the articles I have seen since the holiday you would believe that packaging is the scourge of the modern world. Can those who are not involved in the industry begin understand the role of packaging?

Don't get me wrong. I know there are examples of excess and bad packaging in every category, but the searing question is where would we be without the package. The package is essential. Getting product from point A to point B in good condition sounds simple enough. But who thinks about that? More importantly why should you care?

I know I do. Sometimes I get carried away at the store. I have been known to turn over the box and spill the contents to see who made it or open the package at the store to see if I can get into it. I'm an avid reporter of damaged goods to the store manager. I feel it's my civic duty to report when I see that a packaged is damaged at the store. I anxiously walk the store isles hoping I can find a failure. (A package that didn't do its job.) I use these as examples when I speak about the role of packaging. It's much easier to make the point about the package when you can show that something is broken or damaged. Then people understand.

An interview for an upcoming Forbes article about the most important package innovations in the last 30 years got me thinking about all of the packaging innovations we take for granted. Where would we be without the aluminum can, the PET bottle, the toothpaste tube, the pizza box, the milk carton, the juice box, the zip lock bag and so on? The list is endless. These packaging innovations impact the way we shop and eat every day. Packaging drives 10% of every dollar we spend at retail. This is a hidden but necessary cost that we never consider.

Packaging is so commonplace, i.e., the corrugated box, that people think it just exists. Maybe it is the fruit of some exotic tree. Little do they know how complicated the process is to get that product from the tree to the finished result.

This pencil analogy is the best example I can come up with when explaining to people the intricacies of packaging. Simple pencil manufacturing is very complex. Someone shapes the wood, another one extrudes the lead, another one provides the eraser and another one provides the wire thingy that attaches the eraser to the pencil. Finally, someone assembles it all. (Get the point?)

Every day I see new and incredibly innovative new products (many of which couldn't exist without the package). Take the fresh produce category for example. Pre-washed, ready to eat carrots in a bag are not produced by a simple process. People are astounded when I explain to them exactly what makes this product work. Kids especially just take it for granted. Carrots plus bag – for them, it's a fact of life. This entire category didn't exist 10 years ago, now it's one of the most important and profitable supermarket areas. This category works because the package makes it happen.

When speaking at a university recently, I mentioned the Tylenol package incident. Guess what I got. I got blank stares from a generation of students too young to remember pre-tamper evident lids. They did not realize the Tylenol incident spawned a whole new category of tamper evident materials and packaging. Again, something the average consumer misconstrues--products have seals and tabs to make them difficult to get into. Product integrity drove the innovation packaging that makes up this entire category of packaging materials.

As I travel the world, I am reminded that many of the packaging innovations that exist in the U.S. aren't available in other countries. In fact there are many countries where the whole foodservice category simply doesn't exist. Imagine, No Grab and Go, No Ready to Eat, No Ready to Serve, no HMR-Home Meal Replacement.... Where would we be without this category of packaged products? We'd spend much more time in the kitchen for sure, so cooks should take notice.

We expect things packaged to be "PrePared." When you examine the supermarket, this category is exploding. Preseasoned, precooked, premeasured, the list goes on. Pre-something foods have surpassed the plain meat category. Once again, it's the packaging that does all the work to make this category possible and successful.

Next time you visit a supermarket, consider what products couldn't exist without a package. One of my favorite tricks with students is to send around a bag of smashed potato chips or a broken egg. That opens a lot of eyes. A simple egg carton, mull over how that has evolved over the years. The materials, the shape, the number of eggs per carton have all evolved. It's amazing. Even the most common items require a package of some sophistication.

Many of the latest packaging innovations have been developed as a result of a need. Tamper evident and anti-counterfeit are two examples that come to mind. All those holographic seals and packages you can't get into exist for a reason. That's what most people fail to realize. The inherent problems in opening a package exist for protection – the product's or ours. Consider where we would be in any disaster relief effort without packaging, no food no water no medical supplies. All of these items are transported in some type of packaging.

So the next time you want to give packaging a bad "wrap" think about how you would shop, eat and just plain exist without packaging.

Got "packaging" problems? Did your products sell at Christmas? The first priority is to get a consumer to pick up your product on the shelf. Packaging makes this happen. It's the first "moment of truth" whether your product will sell or not. So if you haven't revised your packaging to reach the hottest target markets drop me a line at PackagingDiva@aol.com Get your product packaged right, so consumers will buy.

Direct Response Vs Branding

Writen by Mono Ghose

One night stand …or…Dynamic, long lasting and loving relationship?

Which would you choose?

Ok one night stand sounds like fun…but it's a quick fix and does not really match up to the latter. At least I hope not.

Above is a simple analogy to get your attention, something your advertising should be doing…but what it should also do is reveal your company's identity, character and beliefs. That is where the real attraction for your consumer lies, and consolidates a mutual, loyal and profitable relationship.

So what is the core point of this article? Answer: Advertising for SMEs and the advice and rules you are supposed to adhere to concerning Brand Building or Direct Response Advertising. This advice and doctrine usually comes from people not willing or dynamic enough to analyse and challenge ideals whom could be holding your business back from achieving its true potential. The advice and the ideal as it stands is thus:

-SMEs should not build their brand image or position themselves; as these are long-term processes and do not guarantee results. For their smaller marketing budgets, they should concentrate on fast, easy and direct response advertising that diverts their customers to their business in the short-term.

Sounds great, basically they are saying:

'Hello Small to Medium sized Enterprises…you cannot be a brand….you have to stick to what you are…which is a small, medium sized company. The Ferrari, platinum, diamond studded, sexy advertising is for the brand building mega-companies like Nike and Coca-Cola'.

I don't know about you, but I prefer the Platinum option and Ferraris aren't so bad either. But oh, I forgot, if you are an SME you better stick to soulless, cheap diamante and forgettable advertising. But what are you to do? Surely you can't compete with Coca-Cola and Nike just yet, and you can't wait for years to build your brand, so you may as well just hang your head and cower to perfunctory direct response advertising.

Sorry wrong answer.

A dynamic and forward thinking advertising agency or supposed marketing 'genius' should be confident and informed enough to advise your business that you CAN build your brand identity TOGETHER with having a rapid response result from your customers in the short-term. Firstly, the bonus with this effective option is that you are consistently building your brand, so along the line your future Direct Response work will engender familiarity and loyalty from your consumers as your brand grows and succeeds. Who knows you may be getting that Ferrari, sexy, diamond advertising work sooner than you think. Secondly it should not be a ridiculously expensive option. A good agency should offer you the service for a competitive rate, a great agency should work with you for a innovative creative solution that fits your budget and successfully executes both functions: Direct Response Results and effective Brand Building.

Sounds great again, but where's an example? Think EasyJet or Gossard Wonderbra. They had a momentous rapid response to their advertising and at the SAME time crafted a powerful brand identity and effective market position. EasyJet branded to the point where they almost 'own' the colour orange and 'low cost' associations. And the beauty of these examples, they were both executed on tight budgets.

Now for the bolder and dynamic of you, who are thinking of branding and positioning strategy.

Branding states your intentions, it bares all- but only shows the best bits. It means your business goals of competing in your market become transparent, which clearly shows your core customers and competitors your unfaltering commitment to your company and your beliefs in your product and service. It means you are in it, wholeheartedly, for the long haul. As a consumer I want to see that, I would trust and respect a company that is confident and proud of themselves rather than their cowardly, wimpy competitors. This is where the process of AIDCA (Awareness, Interest, Desire, Conviction and Action) really comes alive and consumers really Act, and do so with conviction and a propensity to become lucrative and loyal customers in the long-term.

So now you are aiming high, but you're not Virgin or IKEA just yet, but who says you want to be anyway. You may be happy in your own field and comfort zone. However what your company really wants is to be the best in your field and ultimately brandish the leading competitive edge you may feel you are lacking. But wait, now you do have that edge, in the form of a dynamic engine of innovation that will blast you out of your comfort zone and market position: Branding.

So now you are on the brand map, you really are a bit like Virgin, IKEA and EasyJet and many other great brands.
All of them were told 'not' to brand and expect short-term rapid response by that same old marketing record.
All chose to disregard him.
All got Rapid Results as well as powerful Brand Building success.
All companies were in fiercely competitive markets and could have stayed in their comfort zone.
All have powerful, unforgettable and effective identities and positions.
All companies are now mega brands.

They did it. They started somewhere. So can you. You can also brand successfully and get short-term direct results. Maybe not on their scale straight away but at least on a scale that is far higher and more profitable than the one you are 'told' to stay on.

Mono Ghose MA(Hons) - Mavericks Executive Account Director/Partner Mono@mavericks-agency.com

Humor And Advertising Dont Mix You Just Dont Have A Sense Of Humor

Writen by Heather Loftiss

Humor: One of the Best Advertising Methods

Sex, money, and religion. What do they all have in common? They are the three subjects that are most powerful when getting a person's attention. However, when it comes to developing catchy advertising, I can add another subject to that list: Humor.

Humor works and that's the bottom line. People always say to be wary of humorous advertising because it can work against you. These people believe that when you use humor you could offend some people by being stereotypical, too clever, not clever enough, or flat out insulting. But when advertising works against you, it can still work very much for you.

Before you jump all over me with your arguments, let me first lay out some ground rules for this article. I'm assuming that no business would be dumb enough to run an ad simply to offend people. You pull that kind of a stunt and you're going to get what you deserve – a lawsuit. Additionally, I'm assuming that when you run a humorous ad that has the potential to offend, you take that into account when planning the overall reaction to the advertisement.

Dispelling the "Offensive Humor Only Hurts" Story

Your business has a target market. And your advertisements, if done correctly, are geared towards this target market. This is the general rule companies follow. But other demographics are going to see your ad. You can't possibly stop this from happening.

So when Spike TV advertises some extreme wrestling match or a Sport Illustrated photo shoot, they are most likely going to use scantily clad women and crude jokes in the ads (if you don't believe me, take a look at their website). Some women will naturally be offended by this. But you know what? That woman will sit around with her husband, her sons, her brothers, or male co-workers and talk about how she was offended. These men, who the ad targeted in the first place, most likely enjoyed the ad, but it probably did not make a huge impression upon them. Having this woman bring up negative comments about the ad will actually remind the target demographic of how much they enjoyed it (or at least it acts as another impression).

Let's take into consideration that this offended person does not talk to the target demographic like in the example above. These conversations still act as impressions even when these people did not see the ad. It is the truest type of buzz campaign – a campaign that gets people talking about a company's ads and products.

Don't Worry If You Offend People!

As I said before, no business advertises itself simply wanting to offend people and expects their ads to get published. However, the chance you offend someone with a humorous ad is definitely out there. But, you know what? That's good. Not everyone is going to love you or your sense of humor.

We can take our above example and combine it with the general rule of thumb that a satisfied customer will tell 1-3 people and a dissatisfied customer will tell 10 or more people. If you failed arithmetic in elementary school then please do not read on...

Let's say you're offending 10% of the people with the humor you use in your ad. This one person will have 10 conversations about your advertising. And they're most likely talking about your advertising – not your product! You could still have the greatest product in the world and this person is just criticizing your ads. As mentioned before, these 10 conversations could be with people who loved your ad or simply forgot it right after viewing it. Either way, this one person is getting 10 people thinking more about your ad. Now that's what I call good advertising!

Your Humorous Advertising Should Stir Things Up

If done correctly, your ads will inform your target market about your product and get them talking about it. Now if you are successful in generating a little bit of buzz, you'll reach even more people outside of your target market and your customers will start doing the advertising for you.

Humorous advertising, although risky, can be very beneficial. Your target market will most likely understand your humor. Viewers outside your target may get offended, but this will actually work for you. As long as you're not trying to offend someone, then the buzz that gets generated by your ads will be very positive to your advertising campaign.

Just remember, people that like your ads aren't going to tell you they like them. It's the dissatisfied or offended people that will make a big deal out of it. So take advertising complaints in stride and stick in there. Everyone has a different sense of humor. And if you're stirring some peoples' emotions up, then you're doing your job as an advertiser!

Marketing Tips Provided to You by: Heather Loftiss, President of Water Design Studio (http://www.waterdesignstudio.com), Author of The Customer Connection (http://www.morerepeatsales.com)

Promotion Quotabove The Linequot And Quotbelow The Linequot

Writen by Amarendra Bhushan Dhiraj

Promotion can be loosely classified as "above the line" and "below the line" promotion. The promotional activities carried out through mass media like television, radio, newspaper etc. is above the line promotion.

The terms 'below-the-line' promotion or communications, refers to forms of non-media communication, even non-media advertising. Below-the-line promotions are becoming increasingly important within the communications mix of many companies, not only those involved in fmcg products, but also for industrial goods.

Some of the ways by which companies do BTL (below the line) promotions are by exhibitions, sponsorship activities, public relations and sales promotions like giving freebies with goods, trade discounts given to dealers and customers, reduced price offers on products, giving coupons which can be redeemed later etc.

BELOW THE LINE SALES PROMOTION

Below the line sales promotions are short-term incentives, largely aimed at consumers. With the increasing pressure on the marketing team to achieve communication objectives more efficiently in a limited budget, there has been a need to find out more effective and cost efficient ways to communicate with the target markets. This has led to a shift from the regular media based advertising.

A definition of below-the-line sales promotion given by Hugh Davidson:

'An immediate or delayed incentive to purchase, expressed in cash or in kind, and having only a short term or temporary duration'.

Methods of below the line sales promotion

1. Price promotions

Price promotions are also commonly known as" price discounting". These can be done in two ways:

(1) A discount to the normal selling price of a product, or

(2) More of the product at the normal price.

Price promotions however can also have a negative effect by spoiling the brand reputation or just a temporary sales boost (during the discounts) followed by a lull when the discount would be called off.

2. Coupons

Coupons are another, very versatile, way of offering a discount. Consider the following examples of the use of coupons:

- On a pack to encourage repeat purchase
- In coupon books sent out in newspapers allowing customers to redeem the coupon at a retailer
- A cut-out coupon as part of an advert
- On the back of till receipts

The key objective with a coupon promotion is to maximize the redemption rate – this is the proportion of customers actually using the coupon.

It must be ensured when a company uses coupons that the retailers must hold sufficient stock to avoid customer disappointment.

Use of coupon promotions is often best for new products or perhaps to encourage sales of existing products that are slowing down.

3. Gift with purchase

The "gift with purchase" is a very common promotional technique. In this scheme, the customer gets something extra along with the normal good purchased. It works best for

- Subscription-based products (e.g. magazines) - Consumer luxuries (e.g. perfumes)

4. Competitions and prizes

This is an important tool to increase brand awareness amongst the target consumer. It can be used to boost up sales for temporary period and ensure usage amongst first time users.

5. Money refunds

Here, a customer receives a money refund after submitting a proof of purchase to the manufacturer. Customers often view these schemes with some suspicion – particularly if the method of obtaining a refund looks unusual or onerous.

6. Frequent user / loyalty incentives

Repeat purchases may be stimulated by frequent user incentives. Perhaps the best examples of this are the many frequent flyer or user schemes used by airlines, train companies, car hire companies etc.

7. Point-of-sale displays

Shopping habits are changing for the people living in metropolitan cities. People prefer big retail outlets like Big Bazaar to local kirana stores. Most of the decisions of buying are taken by the virtue of point-of-sale displays in these retail outlets.

SOME INTERSTING EXAMPLES OF BTL PROMOTION

Most of the big brands are following the suit of BTL promotion because of rising prices of media based promotion, advertising clutter and increased impulse purchasing.

Some of the interesting examples are:

Most of the educational institutes like career launcher, Time and PT are holding informative workshops and free tests for students which give a direct interaction of these institutes with the target customer and hence a suitable platform to sell themselves.

Ring tones and music videos on cell phones are helping the entertainment industry to promote for a music video or a movie for dirt-cheap rate as compared to media promotion.

Various companies sponsor sport events to promote their brand, but nowadays media companies like Hindustan Times are holding weekly events through out the country in which companies can put up their stalls, display banners and posters and arrange for some fun activities. These events give the companies a platform at very low price to promote their brand and increase visibility among target consumer. These companies also give discount coupons to winners in the games, which in turn boost the sales of the products and ensure that first time users try these products as well.

Pepsi organized an inter school cricket event for 425 schools across 14 cities which did wonders for the company by promoting the brand amongst the right target customer for almost no cost.

Most of the pharmacy companies do BTL promotion by getting shelf space through doctors to display their products or by giving away free calcium tablets again through doctors, knowing that for a patient a personal advise from a doctor would hold more value as compared to a commercial advertisement.

Another interesting BTL promotion was by NIKE, an athlete dressed up in Nike sportswear could be seen jogging on an elevated treadmill for the whole day on National Highway 8, Delhi.

BTL promotions are gaining popularity among all big companies nowadays considering their effectiveness because of the "individual customer promotion" at a price, which is much lesser than the normal media promotions.

About the Author Mr. Amarendra B. Dhiraj is a frequent speaker at internationally renowned global events, CEO/CTO/CIO Roundtables, Technology Conferences and Symposiums. He hosted and organized the Executive Technology Leadership Forum. He specializes in strategy, innovation, and leadership for change. His strategic and practical insights have guided leaders of large and small organizations worldwide. Amarendra Bhushan has been named to lists of the European Management Guru and is named as "Europe's youngest management Guru" and one of the "Top most influential business thinkers in the world". http://www.theerce.com, http://www.indogreek.org The Economic Times, CNBC, moneycontrol