Radio Advertising Is It For Your Business More Small Business Power Tools

Writen by Douglas Hanna

If you're a typical small business, you've probably been approached by at least several different radio station sales representatives. In most cases, he or she comes armed with all the latest rating information demonstrating, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that his or her station is number one among just the kind of people who would buy your products or services. She or he will also probably stress how inexpensive radio advertising is vs. TV or even newspaper ads.

Yes, radio spots are cheaper that TV ads and often even cheaper than newspaper ads. But there area few things you need to think about before you sign that radio advertising contract. First, is yours the kind of business that can really profit from radio advertising? Radio commercials are very ethereal. Once the 30 or 60 second spot is over, there is nothing physical for your customers to hang on to. You have to depend on their ability to remember your message long enough to take some action, i.e., either call you or come to your place of business. This means you have to have a very strong and compelling advertising message. This could be a special, and I do mean special, sales event, or some other special promotion.

Second, how many of your prospects will the advertising actually reach? Radio ads are much harder to target than some other forms of advertising because they can be purchased only by demographics such as age. You can pick a station that scores well with people age 18-35, but how many of these 18 to 35-year olds are really prospects for your products or services?

Third, when will your spots actually run? The most expensive radio advertising is called "drive time," which in most cities is 7:00 to 9:00 AM, and 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Drive time gets higher radio ratings because there are so many people in cars listening to their radios as they drive to and from work. The smart radio station sales person probably won't even try to sell you drive time spots because either they've already been sold or because she or he knows you're most likely to choke at their cost. Instead, they will most likely try to sell you some other combination of times and days. The important thing to know is when your spots will run and how many people will hear your message.

Because radio advertising is so ethereal (see #1, above), you need to do a lot of it to get your message across. This is especially true if you cannot feature a special sales event or some other special promotion.

One of our local jewelers is a good example of what to do when you do not have a special event to promote. The main thrust of his advertising is for engagement rings. Just think about this market. A guy buys only one of these during his entire lifetime (theoretically), and could decide to make his purchase on just about any day of the year. So how do you reach this market? He buys so many commercials, I don't think a day goes by that I do not hear one of his spots. Sure, it's expensive, but it's the only way he can guarantee he will reach a prospect just before he purchases a ring. Plus, he has advertised so heavily and for so long, I don't think a man in this city could buy an engagement ring without least thinking about this particular jeweler.

I don't think it makes much sense to run a commercial that requires your prospect to remember a phone number. In most cases, he or she will not be in a position to drop everything, grab a pencil and write down your number. What would be more effective, in my mind, is to use a web address, especially if your web address matches your company's name. For example, if the name of your store is Great Memories, your web site should be www.greatmemories.com. Repeat this at least a couple of times in your commercial to help prospects remember the name of your business and drive them to your web site. You can then use your web site to provide more your business's address and phone number, and well as other important information.

The radio station will most likely offer to do your commercial for you free or at a reduced cost. This can be a good deal for you but you must provide the station with a list of "talking points," or those sales points that must be included in your commercial. For example, your list might include:

Store name = Great Memories (at least twice)|

Store description: Everything for the avid scrapbooker

Web address – www.greatmemories.com (at least twice)

Special sale = all items reduced 30% this week only. Once a year sale. Stock up on your scrapbooking supplies now

Store address: 5600 Brookhaven

Finally, make sure you get to approve the script for your commercial before the station records it. As you review the script, think about your customer and make sure it includes everything necessary to get them to contact you or stop by your store.

Have you heard about HD radio technology? It makes AM sound as good as FM and FM sound almost like you were listening to a CD ... and its free! To learn more about this amazing new technology, just go my Web site, http://www.hd-radio-home.com, to get all the buzz. Douglas Hanna is a retired marketing executive and the author of numerous articles on HD radio and family finances.

Business Plan Appeal Five Rules For Writing Attention Grabbing Headlines

Writen by Michael Elia

The success of a business plan stands or falls on its ability to get potential investors to take a moment to read it. Nothing works better for doing this than well-written headlines designed to interrupt and engage investors. Here are five fundamental rules for writing and incorporating headlines into your business plan.

1. More important than anything else, try to get investors' self-interests into every headline you write. Make your headlines suggest to investors that there is something about your business plan or venture they want. This rule seems so obvious. Yet, absent omitting headlines entirely, it is the rule most often violated. Replace overused one word headings like "Company", "Products", "Market", Financials" with headlines that appeal to investors' self-interests like making money, protecting their investment, or building trust.
2. Be sure to get news worthy information like new products, new uses for old products, or technological breakthroughs into your headlines whenever possible.
3. Avoid "curiosity" headlines. Marketing and advertising professionals have proven through testing and experience that the effectiveness of the average curiosity headline is, at best, doubtful. For every curiosity headline that succeeds in getting an investor to read further, a dozen will fail. Instead, combine curiosity with news or self-interest to create a single, more compelling headline capable of drawing investors into your plan.
4. Take a positive angle with your headlines. Avoid headlines that paint gloomy or negative pictures of your business venture or markets. For example, if you are targeting a market with millions of suffers, emphasize in your headlines how the business venture can benefit them.
5. Demonstrate through your headlines that here is a business plan that will generate results and is backed by evidence. Let your headlines educate investors about the opportunity, risks, and the available options.

Of course it goes without saying that in using any of these rules be sure to make your headline believable. In most cases, "too good to be true" headlines will not draw experienced investors into your plan.

Mike Elia is a chief financial officer and an advisor to venture capitalists and leverage buyout specialists. His business plan ebook "Business Plan Secrets Revealed" shows how to make your business the most appealing investment choice to venture capitalist, bankers, and other business investors. For his free business plan guide visit http://www.business-plan-secrets-revealed.com/free-business-plan-guide.html

Quick Survey Of Surveys

Writen by Kurt Mortensen

Surveys can be conducted in numerous ways: directly, by mail, by fax or by phone. Generally, you will have a better response if you ask customers to complete surveys while on your premises. Follow the guidelines below and, above all, let your customers know how you have implemented their suggestions. Eight out of ten will come back to see if you have followed their advice.

Keep surveys simple and easy to read. Do not get too technical or make the survey long and boring.

Ask close-ended or direct questions as much as possible. Instead of asking, for example, "What products would you like to see us add to our product line?" ask, "Of the following list, which products would you like to see in the store?"

1. Get a large sample before you tabulate results. Ten surveys won't give you an accurate representation. Depending on your business, 500 or more respondents may be necessary.

2. Put yourself in the place of the customer. Can the customer furnish all the information you are asking for?

3. Leave plenty of room if you ask open-ended questions or if one of your answers is "other."

4. Give respondents some kind of reward or incentive for filling out your survey. Examples include a coupon redeemable on their next visit, a grand prize or a drawing from amongst the finished surveys. (Be wary, however, of those who fill out more than one survey to increase their chances of winning.)

5. Construct the survey so that the results can be utilized in as many ways as possible. For example, names and addresses can be used to develop mailing lists. (Note: Surveys that ask questions about income or general demographics should not request the respondent's name and address.)

Kurt Mortensen's trademark is Magnetic Persuasion; rather than convincing others, he teaches that you should attract them, just like a magnet attracts metal filings. He teaches that sales have changed and the consumer has become exponentially more skeptical and cynical within the last five years. Most persuaders are using only 2 or 3 persuasion techniques when there are actually 120 available! His message and program has helped thousands and will help you achieve unprecedented success in both your business and personal life. If you are ready to claim your success and learn what only the ultra-prosperous know, begin by going to http://www.PreWealth.com and getting my free report "10 Mistakes That Continue Costing You Thousands." After reading my free report, go to http://www.PreWealth.com/IQ and take the free Persuasion IQ analysis to determine where you rank and what area of the sales cycle you need to improve in order to close every sale!

Negative Shape

Writen by Jonathan Munk

Ever see a logo that doesn't look quite right? The colors and font look good, the icon is just what you were looking for and the shading and overall shape are just perfect, but it still seems like something is out of place? Ever thought the problem might be the negative space around the logo?

Negative space is the space that surrounds a visual object. When you look at a chair, the negative space is the rectangular and triangular shapes between the legs and armrests of the chair. With a logo, the concept is the same. Empty space around the words and icons in a logo can make the image look funny if the spaces are too large or small.

Consider the famous golden arches of McDonald's. Imagine how weird the arches would look if the two bullet shaped spaces under the arches became triangles. Or what if one bullet was larger than the other? Negative shape is an important design element, but you don't have to be a design expert to know how negative shape works.

All you need to know about negative space is that if you're logo is visually appealing, the negative space is probably just fine. However, if a logo's individual elements look right but the whole package doesn't quite fit, perhaps some tweaking of the negative space between letters or shapes will do the trick.

Jonathan Munk writes articles for major http://www.logomaker.com Logo Maker companies such as LogoWorks.com.

Read what The Origin of Brands Blog says about LogoWorks

Advertising Balloons Generate Sales And Traffic

Writen by Johnny Mulder

An advertising balloon is a little known method to promote products, events and services. Advertising balloons are not only inexpensive, but also very efficient in conveying messages. It is just like having your own huge billboards, scattered across the city, but at a very low cost! Due to their lower running costs, advertising balloons are increasingly getting popular, to propagate marketing ideas and concepts. When you hoist a stunningly beautiful balloon on your roof or in the sky, you are also telling other people that your business is ready for the market. Look at sites: www.arizonaballoon.com, www.giantadvertisingblimps.com and www.bonanzaballoons.com for examples and prices.

As an advertising balloon is huge in size and shape, it is made to attract and convince onlookers who are passing by your office. An advertising balloon also lends your business enhanced visibility and assured sales. You can also consider using an advertising balloon for gala events, promotions, fairs and festivals, just to broadcast your messages to thousands of people at the same time.

Using an advertising balloon is very economical and easy to use, compared to any most advertising methods, like a big billboard or TV commercials. Unlike other costlier methods like radio and TV advertisements, you own the product and can re-use it, when you purchase advertising balloons. You can even set up an advertising balloon at your own convenience. No other methods target people as efficiently as an advertising balloon.

An advertising balloon can also add sheen and a touch of class to your business and products. People passing through your office are instantly attracted by a striking visual message sent out by an advertising balloon. Advertising balloons have that magical ability to cajole people to take a look at them. An impressive advertising balloon can fetch you assured sales and soaring profits.

Johnny Mulder is president and owner of Arizona Balloon Company. Arizona Balloon Company is responsible for generating millions of dollars of new business each year for a diverse group of companies and organizations.

Yellow Page Ad Design Blunders The 8 Deadly Sins You Must Avoid

Writen by John Morana

Ok, you realize that print Yellow Page advertising is STILL a very powerful way to reach your local prospects. You've also learned that you can't rely on the publishers' overworked Yellow Page ad designers. Those poor souls have to crank out 20 or so Yellow Page ads a day! How much time can they spend on your Yellow Page ad design? More importantly, how much could they possibly know about your business other than its category? YOU must take charge! Prospects don't call categories; they don't even call businesses; they call solutions. Successful Yellow Page ads are ones that uniquely and believably speak to prospects' needs. Avoiding the following 8 crucial DONT'S will help ensure that your Yellow Page ad is the one readers' call.

1) Your Business Name Is Still Your Yellow Page Ad Headline. Stop it Already!
After 100 years, you'd think Yellow Page advertisers would've gotten it by now. But take a gander in your directory and sure 'nuff, the majority of advertisers STILL use their business name as their Yellow Page ad headline. Look, your prospect has a problem. The solution to their problem is nowhere to be found in your name, your logo or even your photo. Prospects really don't care about who you are! They only want to know who can best solve their problem. Place your name and logo near the bottom of your Yellow Page ad design, along with your other contact information. That's where they belong, so place them there!

2) Hey, I've Got a Hole at the Top of My Yellow Page Ad Design!
You've moved your business name down below, EXCELLENT! In its place, you must now develop and insert the most powerful headline you can muster. Run it at the very top of your Yellow Page ad design. Run it BIG and run it BOLD. If your headline is pretty good, your prospect may want to continue reading. If it's REALLY good, they won't have much choice. That's the mark of a truly great headline. It promises a unique benefit that sets you apart from all the rest in a meaningful way. It tells prospects... this business cares about me, they understand my dilemma... THIS is the company I should call!

To create your headline, block out the entire world and imagine that YOU are the prospect facing the problem. What are your feelings? What's most important to you at this moment in need? Only when you're able to tap into your prospects' inner thoughts and feelings, will you be able to craft an effective headline that truly resonates with your target audience. If you spend 10 hours on your Yellow Page ad design, devote 6 hours to your headline. Trust me, it will be well worth your time.

3) You've Got Such A Colorful Yellow Page Ad, It's Going To Just Fly Off The Page!
It's true that a colorful ad MAY attract more attention than a single color ad BUT that doesn't necessarily mean it will get "more phone calls". The only thing a brightly colored Yellow Page ad will do for sure is create an incredibly loud sucking sound near your wallet. Color doesn't persuade prospects to call you; the MESSAGE in your Yellow Page ad persuades prospects to call. If you're determined to maximize your ROI, forget about color! Instead, concentrate on your MESSAGE and the overall effectiveness of your Yellow Page ad design.

4) Your Yellow Page Ad Design Talks To Everyone, Now EVERYONE Will Call You... Right?
Are you speaking to everyone, trying to sell everything? Your competitors have fallen into the same trap... they're shouting the same words and images to EVERYONE. And in trying to sell to everyone, they end up persuading no one. Don't compete with everyone else in your category! Instead, carve a "unique place" in the market and reap massive market share.

Here's an example: Mr. Everybody is a plumber who, like everyone, wants to attract as many customers as possible. He proudly lists 35 different services in his Yellow Pages ad design. You name it, he does it... from plugged sinks to total bathroom remodels. Now along comes Mr. Waterheater. This wise plumber decided that he wanted to attract "EVERY water heater replacement" prospect in his town, so he designed a very compelling ad that does just that. It speaks ONLY to the person whose water heater has just sprung a major leak. How did these two plumbers fare? Unfortunately, Mr. Everybody's Yellow Page ad didn't attract everybody because his ad (like all the others) spoke to NO ONE powerfully. No one paid attention. On the other hand, Mr. Waterheater's tightly targeted Yellow Page ad connected powerfully with his single target audience. Mr. Waterheater's prospects felt the same way. In fact, he attracted so many water heater projects that he can now afford to take out a second ad in the Plumbing heading. This time around, he's decided to target "EVERY sewer replacement" prospect in his town! Savvy Mr. Waterheater understands the awesome power of prospect targeting.

When you tightly focus your Yellow Page ad on your most desired customers, it will attract and persuade that audience more successfully than ANY other ad in your heading. In other words, you'll have eliminated the competition. Pretty cool, huh?

5) Body Copy? Nah, In The Yellow Pages All I Need Are Easy-To-Read Bullet Points!
Wrong! Bullet points do a great job of listing features, but they generally do not speak to clients felt needs and concerns – these aren't easily bulleted items. But most customers are looking for a company that they can 'feel' the best about calling and doing business with. If you want to be that business, you'll need copy that addresses the prime concerns of the prospect and that helps build confidence and trust.

Make no mistake; bullet points are good for outlining your services. BUT, you also need persuasive copy that enhances and substantiates the unique headline concept you spent so much time developing. Be concise, speak clearly and explain how you're different from the rest. Use descriptive words that have a little shock value, not the generic (boring) copy used by all the others. Speak to your prospects in a positive, friendly tone, as if they're standing right there in front of you. And, toss out all that self-absorbed WE, WE, WE copy. Remember, it's all about THEM! So make it... YOU, YOU, YOU!

6) I Run A Package Shipping Service... See All My Pretty Boxes?
Yeah, your boxes are really nice. But hey, wait a minute! All the OTHER shipping service ads have pretty boxes too. So much for setting yourself apart from your competitors. NEVER use "expected" images in your Yellow Pages ad. Obvious, generic images do not convey your "unique" benefits to prospects. They only put you on the same playing field as all the rest. The sole objective of your Yellow Page ad design is to grab the reader's attention first, and to persuade them with a powerful message so that they call you. You can't succeed by saying and showing the same things as all the others. Don't feel bad, many Yellow Page advertisers (and novice ad designers) make this same mistake! It's no surprise that so many businesses complain of poor response rates with their Yellow Pages advertising.

Think about it from your prospects point of view. How will a pretty box differentiate you from all the others? How will it convey your most unique benefits? How will a box help motivate ANYONE to call you? You must choose "unexpected" images that jar peoples' brain cells, set you apart from your competitors AND convey your unique benefits. Some may disagree and say... "But my pretty boxes tell people EXACTLY what my business is all about!" That's unfortunate. If you own a package shipping service and the most unique BENEFITS you have to offer are shipping boxes, you may want to reconsider self-employment. Remember, your unexpected photograph or artwork MUST A) Be an arresting, eye-grabbing image that... B) Reinforces your unique headline concept (benefit) and... C) Differentiates your business from the others, in a powerful and meaningful way.

7) Call to Action? I Don't Need No Stinkin' Call To Action!
It's a proven fact that more people will take action if you TELL them exactly what to do. Tell them to call and be sure to include a darn good reason. Say "Call right now for your FREE no-obligation analysis!" And don't bury your call to action, place it right above your phone number. Remember, prospects generally search the Yellow Pages because they are looking to give someone their business – by calling them! Make it easy for them to call you and give them a reason to call you , and they'll call you. And isn't that the goal?

8) My Artist Cousin Said He Can Design My Yellow Pages Ad.
Expensive advertising is advertising that doesn't work. An ineffective design will cost you far more in lost business than you'll ever be able to save upfront. The Yellow Pages are a unique advertising medium and few people know how to create effective ads for it. Shop around for a specialist! Ask questions and get testimonials. Seek a genuine Yellow Page ad design expert with a solid track record of results. Warning: If an advertising professional also sells: Web site design, SEO services, logo design, brochures, illustration and marketing manuals, keep looking because they're not Yellow Page direct response specialists. Sample their Yellow Page ads. Do they resemble the impotent concoctions that your Yellow Page publisher provides for FREE? If so, keep looking for a professional who adheres to the strategies you've just read. Then you can sit back and relax... you'll be well on your way to Yellow Pages advertising success.

Does your Yellow Page ad design make your phones ring and competitors weep? Or, has it got you crying the Yellow Pages advertising blues? Let me know...

John Morana is president of MaxEffect Yellow Page Ad Design and has specialized in print advertising design for over 3 decades. He has developed advertising materials for Bausch & Lomb, Kodak, Time Warner Communications, Xerox, USA Today and countless small businesses throughout the world. For more tips and quick answers to your Yellow Page ad design questions OR to request a free, no-obligation Yellow Page ad design evaluation: Call toll-free 800-726-7006 or visit http://www.max-effect.com/

Offline Ways To Promote Your Business

Writen by David Bell

If you are trying to promote your business now, you can move in one of two directions:

You can take the conventional route to promotion and mount an elaborate media campaign, spending a considerable amount of money.

You can let your creative juices flow and mount a low-cost promotion effort, using a potpourri of attention-getting strategies to bring your message to the buying public. Now, to be sure, conventional advertising is valuable. If your enterprise is large enough or if you're selling numerous product lines, you may find that a full-fledged media campaign is the most efficient and cost effective way to promote your business.

If money is tight, however, or you're not sure you can amortize the heavy cost of a media campaign over a period of time, the following is a assortment of low-cost techniques you can try. Not all may be appropriate for your particular business, and certainly it would be costly to try them all. But you're sure to find some ideas that will work for you.

PARTIES. Everyone loves a party. Why not celebrate the anniversary of your business or some special holiday by offering baked goods and beverages? If you're running a service business, perhaps you can offer an open house or obtain a small banquet room in your community. Besides refreshments, be sure the place is brightly decorated.

GREETING CARDS. Do you send out greeting cards to major customers or clients? Holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries make nice greeting card occasions. Greeting cards create enormous goodwill and keep your name in front of people.

SEMINARS. In this information hungry age, people love to receive advice, especially about their personal needs and hobbies. If you sell health foods or run fitness classes, perhaps you can offer "wellness" seminars during lunchtime to your area's business community. If you're an interior decorator, perhaps you can offer one-hour decorating workshops to any group of ten people who will gather in someone's home. If you're running a printing business, perhaps you can offer tours and layout seminars at your plant.

MAGAZINES. For free advertising space, many publications will write an article about you or your product if you purchase advertising space with them. One way publications sell advertising space is to agree that if the advertiser purchases the ad, he will also receive a certain amount of free editorial space. This free editorial space essentially doubles the amount of space you get for a given amount of money. This editorial space is devoted to an article about the company or individual or product, and it has the added cachet of seeming to be work of an outside source. The editorial company be written by the publication staff, or the advertiser may provide the copy.

GO WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE. Can you open sales information booths at community fairs, festivals and swap meets? This promotional technique can work for gift retailers, craftspeople, and personal service firms. If you have the people and the time, can you handle regional fairs or even trade shows?

COMMUNITY SERVICE. Nothing brings you to the attention of the people faster-or more favorably-than community service. Ask yourself how your enterprise can be a "good neighbor" to your community. If you're running a lawn care and gardening service, perhaps you can offer one season's services at no charge to a needy charitable organization or nursing home in your area. Hundreds of people will hear about your work in the process. Volunteer for various community causes. If appropriate, you can step in during community emergency, offering products and services to help an organization or individuals in need.

BADGES AND NOVELTIES. You can easily and inexpensively produce badges, bumper stickers, book covers, and other novelty items for distribution in your area. You can imprint your business name and the first names of the customers on many of these products at little cost and distribute them for free. Or you can tie your novelty program into a contest: once a month, you can offer a prize to any individual whose car happens to carry one of your bumper stickers or badges with peel-off coupons, redeemable at your place of business.

CELEBRITY VISITS. With a bit of persistence, you may be able to arrange to have a local media celebrity, public official, or entertainment personally-even a fictitious cartoon character or clown-visit your service. The celebrity can sign autographs, read stories to children, perform cooking demonstrations, or perform any one of a hundred other traffic-building activities.

By all means, advertise in the media if you can. But don't neglect your greatest promotional asset-your mind. Ponder the products, services and events you can offer the community and devise a creative promotional strategy around them. You'll have to invest a bit of time and energy in the project, but the payoff will be worth it. You'll save hundreds-or even thousands-of advertising dollars and better yet, you'll travel a well-worn shortcut to profit.

I hope this helps in your future marketing decisions

David Bell

# 1 Internet Marketing Agency -Online Advertising Agency

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