You could go door to door. You might call all your past customers for tips on who to call next. But more than likely, you will simply place an ad.

Print, broadcast, and online advertising are fast way to get word out to thousands, even millions, of interested prospects.

Here are five simple way to improve your ad to get great response fast.

1. The most important way to improve an ad really has nothing to do with ad itself. Ads work ten times better when they are tightly targeted. Targeting means putting your ad in a place where most of people who see it are same folks who are most likely to buy from you.

For most businesses, a good example is your morning newspaper. No doubt it reaches hundreds of thousands of readers, but they come from all walks of life and professions. While you are paying to get your ad in front of those massive minions, you have to know that few are intensely interested in what you sell.

You often do far better to place ad in a trade paper or magazine that covers your industry. Their readership may be just a few thousand, but almost every one of those readers is working in your industry and knows and needs what you sell. You ad will get far better response.

2. Make your ad an attention-getter. All of us are bombarded by thousands of advertising messages each day, from radio spots, to TV audio that plays in background while we're making dinner, to newspaper ad you see blowing past you as you get out of your car.

Advertising is a process, not an event. Basically this means four things.

(1) Your copy has to be fabulous. (2) Your placement has to be right on target. (3) Your timing has to be impeccable. (4) You must repeat your ads regularly.

The one thing that most people don't consider that dooms their ads to failure is that all four elements in process must be in place.

Let's go through them individually to get some clarification and ensure your ads get response they should.

-->> Your Copy Has To Be Fabulous <<--

Copy, especially with online advertising, is a primary concern. It has to grab. It has to push those emotional triggers. It has to stand out from crowd in order to be seen. This normally means using a benefits-oriented approach.

When you speak to your customers through your advertising, your primary goal should be to answer two questions. "So what?" and "What's in it for me?"

-->> Your Placement Has To Be Right On Target <<--

Just because ezines, newsletters or Web sites you chose to place your ad with are popular doesn't mean your target audience frequents them. For example, let's say Worldwide Marketing Ezine has over 100,000 subscribers and everybody you know reads it like Bible. You may be tempted to place an ad with them thinking you'll get a huge response. But if your product is an ebook that deals with gardening, you are most likely wasting your time and money.

When people read Worldwide Marketing Ezine, their focus is on business and promotions, not gardening. Yes, some of these people may be avid gardeners, but throwing a gardening ad at them while they are in "marketing mode" won't get you response you want. A better idea is to seek out ezines that cater to gardening enthusiasts. That way, your ad will be placed in front of people who have an interest in gardening - while they are in "gardening mode".

-->> Your Timing Has To Be Impeccable <<--

There are some general "timing" rules that apply in advertising.