*I had been using this same ad format for over a year, changing copy here and there.

*It became too stale. Everyone's like "Yeah there's that ad againÉwhatever." Of course you know what I changed ASAP.

Now about way ad looks and sounds. Let's start with copy. The copy should be written as if you were having a conversation with someone. Not full of stiff sentences and things that mean a lot to you, but to no one else. What do they think after they read your ad? Does anything urge them to take action? Maybe they even laughed (in a good way). Good humor is easily remembered.

Spend your money on creative to come up with concept and design ad. A lot and I mean a lot of heads of companies or owners think they know how to do this.

Wrong. You know product you are selling. You don't know art direction or concept. You do know your product, so tell art director or agency about product and what market(s) you are trying to reach. They are professionals, so trust that they know what they're doing.

If you are concerned about cost of such services, then run your ad 8 times instead of 10 you planned. Branding your company and your product is worth extra cash. First impressions do count.

You have to treat advertising like overhead. Just like shipping materials and postage. It's all part of cost of your product, so it must have a respectable position in your overall budget. Not "what's left-over."

Now you are armed with tools so you won't be like "Tom, Dick or Harry."

Move advertising to right place on your balance sheet and don't follow crowd.

Six months from now, you'll be glad you did.

www.downanddirtymarketing.com Copyright 2002. Re-use permission Karen@Hippmarketing.com

Myth 5: Advertising does all work for you. You can't place your ad, then sit back and wait for phones to ring. Advertising is not a passive way to get business. The more active you are in promoting your business through a variety of marketing activities, more effective your advertising will be. Plus, your promotion activities will greatly enhance your advertising efforts. Most ads produce leads from people that are interested. Therefore, you have to have your follow up messages in place. One of key factors in this is to have your entire staff be knowledgeable of every ad that is placed, where, when and what their response should be. If someone calls to get more information about your ad, but person who answers phone knows little to nothing about it, bang. Dead lead. Have your staff be well prepared to answer all questions.

When a small business should advertise: *When your target market is reachable by one or more media.

*When your target market is a decent sized mass-market.

*When this is one of only ways you can reach prospects.

*When you are moving into a new market.

*When your budget permits for frequency.

*When you can reach most people who can and will buy your product or service through cost effective advertising.

*When your competition does.

When your competition doesn't.

When a small business should not advertise:

*When it is not cost effective for return on your investment.

*When your budget will not permit repetition.

*When you expect adverting will bring in customers by hundreds.

*When advertising will be your only method of reaching your market.

*When your advertising will be far less than your competition.

*When you cannot afford to have professional ads done.