Basic Common Sence Rules of
Advertising Online.
Use One Message:
A high response rate ad usually conveys a single message.
NordicTrack's message of the "World's Best Aerobic
Exerciser" was simple and compelling. Your small business
advertising needs to quickly communicate its core message in
3 seconds or less. If you are fearful and overwhelmed by
technology, which computer book do you buy? "DOS for
Dummies" began a best-selling phenomena because its message
was easily understood and to the point.
Advertisement Strategy Planning is very important!
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What is the goal of your advertisement?
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Do you want the customer to phone you?
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Do you want the customer to join your
email list?
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Do you want your customer to Walk in to
your front Door?
Tracking
the success or failure of your advertisement is very
important. If this add works you will want to do more of
these adds. If this Add fails, put it on the back shelve for
now!
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The best way to track phone calls is by
advertising a number that no one else has. So everyone
who phones you on that phone came from your add.
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The easiest way to track people who walk
into your front door is to ask them how they found you.
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Another good way is the use of coupons,
it they have a coupon then the advertisement worked.
Add Credibility:
It has become human nature to distrust advertising. Claims
need to be real and credible. Roy H. Williams, best-selling
author of the "Wizard of Ads" says, "Any claim made in your
advertising which your customer does not perceive as the
truth is a horrible waste of ad dollars."
NordicTrack added enormous credibility from a University of
Wisconsin-LaCrosse research study, ranking the cross-country
ski exerciser first in the areas of weight loss, body fat
reduction, and cardiovascular fitness. Ivory soap's
advertising success was attributed to its credible statement
that ivory soap is the 99-44/100% pure.
Test Everything:
Large businesses have a greater margin to waste capital and
resources without testing advertising. Small businesses do
not have the luxury. Use coupons, codes, and specials to
measure the headline, timing, and placement of your ad. Test
only one item at a time and one medium. Testing can be as
simple as asking every customer for several weeks how they
heard of your business.
Be Easy to Contact:
Every single brochure, box, email and all company literature
should have full contact information including: website and
email address, phone and fax numbers, and company address.
It seems simple but is forgotten by most companies. At
NordicTrack, every box a ski machine went into had full
contact information and the "World's Best Aerobic Exerciser"
tagline. Be everywhere.
Match Ads to Target:
Successful business advertising speaks to one target market
only. At NordicTrack, the ads were tailored to each market.
An ad in a medical publication preached the cardio-vascular
benefits of cross-country skiing to heart patients. Ads in
women's magazines discussed the weight-loss and calorie burn
from cross-country skiing. Focus the message to the target
group.
Create Curiosity:
Successful business advertising does not sell a product or
service. NordicTrack's ads sold the free video. Once a
potential customer watched the video, they contacted the
company for more information. The end result, millions of
dollars of sales. Create ads that generate interest and make
the customer want more information.
Having a poor response is not the medium's fault. Often the
problem is the message. Small business advertising is not a
quick fix solution to marketing your company. It takes
planning, testing and constant exposure to have an impact on
your small business. Done correctly, small business
advertising can be a winning strategy.
I will be happy to answer any questions you may have
about advertising your business online.
Lee Noring - (530) 668-1132 -
(916) 672-1132
