Why is Advertising a dirty word?
advertising pic

The word “Advertising” or the politically correct word “Marketing” has gotten a bad rap
over the years.  People think they are tired of all the “Marketing” they see every day
and it is rather overwhelming.  We see advertisements everywhere we look, we simply cannot
get away from those pesky ads, Online, offline, TV, Radio and Telephone, what a drag.

But when we want to purchase a new bike or see a new show marketing becomes necessary.
Without the marketing we might never find the right model or the best price.  If there were
no advertisements life as we know it would just shudder and halt.

If we had no marketing we would have no TV, Radio, Newspapers, Magazines, Google, Yahoo,
cell phones, MP3 Players because all of these wonderful things we depend on would not be
financially able to exsist.  They are all paid for through the advertising income from other
businesses that want to showcase their product or service.  So, Advertising or Marketing is
not really a bad deal.

What is bad Online Marketing?

Some people think sending large volumes of email marketing ads to your inbox is a good way to
advertise their product or service.  This simply makes your prospect mad and they will not
do business with you under any circumstance.  They may even report you for spamming them and
believe me that is not good for business.

Marketing online in bad taste always turns your prospect away from your product or service.  Vulgar
language or images may seem cute but they are killers for your business. Never set yourself
up for failure in this way.

Placing your ad on a website or service that uses any of the above tactics will make your prospective
customer assume that you have no objection to the use of bad advertising techniques and you
are by association responsible for those tactics.  Choose your associations wisely.

What is good online Advertising?

If you are going to market your product by email be sure your leads have agreed to receive an
email from you.  This is difficult if you purchase your leads.  Most lead sources that advertise
leads will tell you they are double optin leads.  This simply means that the lead has agreed
twice to allow emails to be sent to their email address, however many of these leads are looking
for something free.  They have agreed to receive emails because that is the only way they will
get the free widget they want.  When your email arrives they will never remember that they gave
their permission for you to send it and you will be hard pressed to turn them into a good prospect.
The best solution is to build a list of your own that you are confident as been built with people
looking for your product or service.  Build a good solid reputation with them.

Place relevant content on your site.  Answer the question as to why your “widget” will solve THEIR
problem, save them money or make their life easier.  Remember that your prospect is not interested
in why you are in business or where you went on vacation.  They want a solution to a problem and
they want it now.

Never ever look down on your prospect.  It is bad business to make your prospect think you do not
respect them.  If they are uneducated about your product or service get down on their level and
do your best to educate them without making them feel stupid.

“Advertising” or “Marketing” is simply telling someone about something in which they are interested.
A prospect that wants to buy a dishwasher is not going to be interested in purchasing a new
car and no matter how much you badger them it is not going to happen.

The moral of good advertising is just like the value we have all been taught at one time or
another “Do unto your prospect as you would like your prospect to do unto you”.  Nothing more,
nothing less will do.

Jerry