2. Promote your products within content of your web site. If you write and offer free articles tie in a mention of product or service you're selling.

3. Avoid using scrolling marquees on your web site. They take attention away from your ad copy and make your web page load slower.

4. Make your web site writing exciting to read. You can use emotional words, descriptive adjectives, highlight keywords with color, etc.

But what happens when marketing fails to do its job? You shuck out hundreds, even thousands of dollars for advertising. The ad runs, then nothing. The phone doesn't ring, Nobody comes in your store. Your web site gets no hits.

Do-nothing marketing gives you a sinking feeling. You didn't just waste your ad budget, you're also flying without any good way to bring new customers to your business. You have spent money without any assurance you will be making more down road.

Fortunately, most marketing problems have fairly easy answers. Listen closely to what your marketing is telling you and you will discover surprisingly simple ways to fix lackluster advertising.

Problem1. Your ad runs,but nothing happens. Most ads that fall short do so because customers didn't notice or didn't understand what your ad was trying to tell them. It's that simple. The ad doesn't communicate so people don't respond.

Give your ad the"mother" test. Ask yourself if your mother would completely understand it. Customers are a lot like Mom. They are smart people but may not know much about your industry. What makes perfect sense to folks in your business may sound like Greek to customers.

Watch for insider jargon, long complicated sentences that mix up your meaning, or ad copy so clever it hides your main message.

Problem 2. You get response, but it is from wrong kind of people. The folks who come in your store or email you aren't same people who will become good customers.

For example, you advertise car covers, but everyone who contacts you is looking for bumpers. This problem is usually caused by poor targeting. Your ad might have reached a lot of people, but most weren't individuals who would buy from you. This is a common problem for businesses advertising in big newspapers or on TV. They reach a big massive audience, but not many are interested in what business sells.

Solve this problem by putting your ad in magazines, ezines, and on radio stations and cable shows that have a narrow, specific audience that closely matches your best customers.

Problem 3. You get response from a few good prospects, but not as much as you anticipated. Instead of a flood, you get a trickle. This often happens when your headline or offer doesn't grab attention. It may not be juicy enough or loud or obvious enough.