The Conventional Wisdom About Advertising Is Almost Always Wrong
Before you read the following ‘blog entry’, I would like to pass on some information that I ‘conclude’ from some of the emails I get coming in … and this info is relevent to everyone at some stage in their business life. Sometimes these emails and calls that I get from business card display operators around the world have one very common theme…you know what it is? Most people are just not aggressive enough in their approach!!! I don’t mean that in a negative context of the word (agressive) …i’m just saying that make sure you PUSH FORWARD no matter what happens along the way…get tough and realise that not everyone along the way is going to like you! The moment you try to satisfy everyone is the moment you’ll loose momentum. Imagine if Coca Cola tried to satisfy people of all ages…they would be dead in the water!
I’ve had about 4 people in the last two weeks email/call me and say…your young and aggressive…you bet I am! (By the way 3 out of 4 of these people passed a compliment in the same email). So what do I do about the other person who said it in a negative context? Well…nothing! The moment I get caught up in wondering how to make this person happy, is the moment my energy gets drained…and that is exactly what I want to avoid! This isn’t easy to do…but at the same time, I don’t care because I know my customer service to the people who have dealt with me on a business level is second to non. I’m certain within myself, i’m certain about business card display advertising and I’m here for the long haul! Now don’t get me wrong, I do try to sort about the situation where possible, but there is a point where you are just wasting your time and you need to move on…rather then hope (Just like a date that doesn’t go right 
If you personally are struggling with this ‘I want everyone to like me’ concept, you can call me anytime and i’m happy to listen to what you have to say…who knows, maybe i’ll be able to help you out. My numbers are on the home page of this blog. I don’t mind if your not a client of mine, I don’t mind what displays you use.
Back to business…
So. I’ve touched on my thoughts in this blog about having ‘credible’ and ‘informative’ information on your website so that when advertisers go to your site, they can get some value…rather then a straight sales pitch and pricing. Below is an article that I came across from someone I DON’T know…but just thought that this is an example of something you could put on your website. If you are going to use this, make sure you leave the link to the person who wrote it. I’ve actually put it here as an example of how you can turn your potential clients off traditional advertiisng and steer them towards advertising in your displays.
Take a read, it takes a couple of minutes but it’s got some good ‘bits’ throughout.
“If you have ever tried to buy display ads in the newspaper, yellow pages, magazines, even online in some places, then you have run into the racket known as general advertising, or image advertising.
Here’s the gist of it. “You have to run your ad for at least three months so the readers get used to seeing your ad and you build up name recognition. Once you get some name recognition people will start calling you.”
If you’ve been in business more than a month you will have heard this line of reasoning.
If you buy into it, you will start doing all kinds of goofy things. Like, buying huge, expensive display ads with a mugshot of your face, smiling ear to ear. Maybe there is some copy in the ad about how much you care, that you like playing piano and you love to ski. Oh, and you have a cute little daschund named Buffy. And in huge bold letters at the bottom of the ad is your name, and your phone number.
This is image advertising, and good luck with it, because image advertising and a dollar will buy you a hot dog. Maybe the hot dog vendor will give you some chili sauce if he takes pity on you.
The thing is, even if people do recognize you in the street from your ad, you can’t deposit that recognition in the bank.
This is the fundamental flaw of general (image) advertising. Image ads draw attention to themselves. They are focused on you, and unless someone is already using your product or service, people are not thinking about you. They are thinking about themselves.
As far as selling effectiveness goes, image ads are virtually useless.
The proof of this is you can have a hot target market, a compelling offer, great copy, a good product or service, and you can sell as much as you want, make as much money as you want, and have no image whatsoever.
That’s the beauty of direct response marketing. You can get people to buy stuff when they have never heard of you, never seen you, haven’t spoken to you, have never seen the product or service, can’t touch it, can’t feel it. Yet they still buy and give you money.
So the whole big fuss about image and getting your name out there is overrated. It doesn’t hurt you to have an image, but it definitely doesn’t help you. It’s a big myth that advertising agencies and media outlets try to sell you.
The best way to build up name recognition is through direct marketing to a hot target market with a really hot product. You can build up as much name recognition as you want when your name is attached to the benefits of a compelling offer for a great product to a hot target market. In a hot target market, every eyeball that reads your offer is intensely interested in that topic. You make money as you
go along, but the image you build from doing this is a “by-product”.
The best example of this is the fact that you are reading this right now. You didn’t start reading this article because of my name, my image. I didn’t knock on your door, invite myself in, thrust my card in your hand and start beating on you to read this. You responded to an attention getting headline, you read copy that compelled you to read more because you wanted to receive the benefits this insider knowledge of direct marketing will give you.
And that’s the reality. You, like everyone else on the planet, responds to direct marketing.
You see, I’m not concerned if people like me or don’t like me, I’m just interested in succeeding, helping my customers, and making money.
And if you want to make money your advertising must be accountable.
In fact, all marketing and advertising expenses must be accountable, trackable, profitable.
Everything you do has got to be tracked and has got to be profitable. Tracking allows you to identify the marketing that is producing sales, and also the marketing that is not producing sales. Over time you can virtually eliminate all advertising that is not making you money.
This is why focusing on your image in useless for marketing purposes. An ad rep might say to you, ‘Well, at least you’re getting your name out there. You’re getting your name in front of people.’
The thing I never understood about that is how getting your name in front of people puts money in your bank account.
See, I want to put marketing in front of people who give me their credit card number. That’s what I want to put in front of people.
It’s hard to understand the whole argument for image advertising. The truth is, image advertising is what advertising agencies try to pawn off as reality because it is how they make money.
Avoid image advertising of any kind. Focus on mastering direct response marketing, and your business will always be generating profits.
http://highprofit.1-home-based-business.biz .”
I hope you got some decent info out of that. You should be able to see how this could potentially help if you put this or something simular on your website. There are many sources for solid ‘advertising info’ on the internet, so just hand select info and articles that suit your style and put them on your website! (always credit the author).
Thoughts and feedback welcome.
Dean
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4 Responses to “The Conventional Wisdom About Advertising Is Almost Always Wrong”
I love that term “conventional wisdom”…not really…I am anything but conventional. I am doing more phone work since the temperature is going up and I struggled at first on the phone trying to get that “perfect” opening statement. I am cracking myself up because I am making appointments and people have no idea what they are making an appointment to see. Here is bascially what I am getting across in my opening statement. “I offer unique and unusual advertising opportunities in locations that typically don’t even allow advertising and I need a “realtor/auto repair” person to spotlight”. Of course the next thing out of their mouth is “What’s this about”…I simply tell them…”that’s why I am calling to make an appointment to show you and I promise…I won’t waste your time…in fact…if you don’t like it…I’ll buy you a Chick Fil A sandwich…Fair enough? They laugh and I get an appointment. By the way…I made an arrangement with the local Chick Fil A franchisor to give coupons out…they don’t cost me a thing. I got this idea from Len in VA…it works.
dmiles
dmiles
May 10th, 2007
Dean,
The above suggestion from dmiles is
great!
I have been on a “Mission” to “Pique”
potential clients interest in advertins
in business card display’s, and I don’t
have any displays, yet!
Business Card Displays are a
“Show & Tell” product.
Just last night if I had one in my
hands I would have generated a lot
of leads, I was in the most popular
bar/restaurant in our town. This bar
caters to the older generation (They
have money to spend!).
Dean, this Blog is the best, I can’t
sell but I have the burning desire to
learn, business card displays might
be the product for me.
BillW
May 12th, 2007
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If you’re trying to think of an example of people who are leaders in their feild…but not everyone likes them, then just write a list of EVERY president or prime minister in the world!
All these leaders are in sales…and they have millions of people to sell. Does everyone buy there sales pitch? NO. Does everyone like them NO. Are they still leaders in their feild? YES.
If they waited for everyone to like them before progressing to the next level, do you think they would progress at all? NO WAY!
If what you’re offering is of value to the buyer, and is ethical, then that’s the best you can do. If they don’t like you after that, then it’ll be an uphill battle. Do the numbers and you’ll find the right advertisers.
One of the best parts about getting out there and putting your message out (with strength), is you don’t know who you’ll meet! I’ve met a couple of very successful people just through this blog that I may do future business with. It’s great!
Dean
deanc
May 10th, 2007