It’s Not Where Your Ad Appears; It’s What You Say

Did you ever notice that when advertising sales reps approach most businesspeople, they all suggest the same solution for your “problems”?  Their answer to bringing you more business: “Advertise with us!”

Your marketing and advertising isn’t terribly effective and all they can suggest is you change where your ads appear?  “We reach your target demographic”, they spout.  Talk about your self-absorbed one-trick ponies.

As a veteran copywriter and marketing consultant, I am here to give you a critical Advertising Fact Of Life.  Ready?  Here it is.

It’s not who you reach, but what you say that counts!

If you don’t have a consistent, compelling, unique message, your marketing will not work nearly as effectively.  So do yourself a favor and get your message right before you start committing money to an advertising program.

More Marketing Strategy And Copywriting Advice

I am a marketing and advertising consultant located in the Phoenix, Arizona area.  I give my clients advice and assistance based around messaging.  My business is writing and I love sharing my marketing tips, insights and secrets with you.  Interested in learning more valuable stuff that could help improve your marketing life?  Go to http://www.moneywordsmarketing.com/alans-blog/.

Read more »

It’s Not Where Your Ad Appears; It’s What You Say

Did you ever notice that when advertising sales reps approach most businesspeople, they all suggest the same solution for your “problems”?  Their answer to bringing you more business: “Advertise with us!”

Your marketing and advertising isn’t terribly effective and all they can suggest is you change where your ads appear?  “We reach your target demographic”, they spout.  Talk about your self-absorbed one-trick ponies.

As a veteran copywriter and marketing consultant, I am here to give you a critical Advertising Fact Of Life.  Ready?  Here it is.

        It’s not who you reach, but what you say that counts!
 
If you don’t have a consistent, compelling, unique message, your marketing will not work nearly as effectively.  So do yourself a favor and get your message right before you start committing money to an advertising program.

More Marketing Strategy And Copywriting Advice
 
 I am a marketing and advertising consultant located in the Phoenix, Arizona area.  I give my clients advice and assistance based around messaging.  My business is writing and I love sharing my marketing tips, insights and secrets with you.  Interested in learning more valuable stuff that could help improve your marketing life?  Go to http://www.moneywordsmarketing.com/alans-blog/.

Read more »

Don’t Be Fickle! - Your Message Takes Time to Penetrate the Minds of your Prospects

You created a powerful and compelling branding statement (Unique Selling Proposition) for your product.  Wonderful.

Next, you integrated that message into your website, radio ads and other marketing material.  Super.  You were jazzed!  You couldn’t wait for the first returns to come in so you could see the increase in web visitors, opt-in list subscribers and sales.

BUT…after six weeks the anticipated results never materialized.  The sales curve was pretty much flat and you were the epitome of self-doubt.  You started thinking about developing an entirely different message.  STOP!  Chill.  Take a deep breath.

Six weeks is simply an insufficient test.  It’s just not enough time for your new message to worm its way into the minds of your prospects.  So what do I – a unique messaging specialist who has faced this situation many times over thirty years – suggest you do?  Well, sometimes the best thing you can do is…nothing.  Wait until you have at least enough results to construct a graph, for goodness sakes.  Don’t be fickle.   Going from message to message, tagline to tagline will confuse and alienate your prospects. You created what you believed was a great message, so stick with it.

Alternately you could get a second opinion from a professional copywriter/ brand strategist (like me).

More Marketing Consultant Advice

As a long-time marketing strategist and copywriter, I believe 100% in the power of a well-articulated unique message.  I love sharing my marketing tips, insights and secrets with you.  Interested in learning more valuable stuff that could help improve your marketing life?  Go to http://www.moneywordsmarketing.com/alans-blog/.

 

Read more »

Are You An Entrepreneur Or A Copywriter?

When small businesses enter into the world of marketing, advertising and websites, they do so with the expectation that their efforts and expenditures will generate sales and thus revenues for their business.  Why then do so many SBO’s (Small Business Owners) decide to add “Master Copywriter” to their titles of Owner and CEO and try to do it themselves?

I have been formulating brand strategy and copy for over thirty years and, truthfully, in that time I have met but a handful of owner/CEOs that had the time, talent and experience to develop and craft their own marketing pieces.  For a business to be successful in today’s marketing universe, you need to have a strong copywriter and an equally strong graphic artist and to create your message and present it in a pleasing and effective way.

If you have a website (and you almost certainly should) you need a web developer.  Again, this is a specialized skill.  I wrote a blog post once entitled “Techies Can’t Write; Writers Can’t Tech!”  Even my web-developer friends agreed with the premise.

Like in all other aspects of business – do it right or do it over!

More Marketing Advice

For over 30 years I have been a marketing consultant advising various businesses on branding strategies and implementation.  I love sharing my marketing tips, insights and secrets.  Interested in learning more valuable stuff that could help improve your marketing life?  Go to http://www.moneywordsmarketing.com/alans-blog/.

Read more »

Virtually Free Market Research

David Ogilvy, CEO of Ogilvy and Mather Advertising and one of the legends of our industry, was a steadfast proponent of researching what your market wants and then giving it to them.  George Gallup, the famous pollster, started his career with the Young and Rubicam agency researching consumer desires and motivations before he ever got into politics.


Both of these legendary figures were convinced businesses need to know their customers’ “hot buttons” - the top reasons consumers buy products within your industry and the top reasons your customers buy from you.  If you can get a handle on what they want, you should be able to build meaningful differentiators that give you a more powerful message and a much greater chance at success.

Marketers have written volumes on the importance of research.  This article was written to give you some suggestions on how you can do reasonably accurate research virtually free.

Valuable Research – Negligible Cost

There is a saying I like to quote.  “If you want to know WHY John Smith buys WHAT John Smith buys, you have to see the world through John Smith’s eyes.

Knowing the answer to the John Smith question will help a small business tremendously in identifying what their message should be.  But just how to do it?  And how to do it on the cheap?  Here are some ideas.

1. Ask Your Customers – Just about every small business has a base of good, loyal customers.  Talk to them and ask them to answer two simple questions.  (Cost:  Some Thank You notes and a few “Special Friend” discount coupons)
a. WHY do you buy from us?
b. How likely is it that you would recommend us to a friend or family member?

2. Ask Your Friends – We all know people who buy in our industry.  Ask a few of your friends, neighbors or fellow church members to a casual get together over coffee.  Ask them what they think about when faced with buying decisions in your industry.  Ask them to tell you the most important reason they shop where they shop.  (Cost:  Even at Starbucks, coffee and cake for five or six people shouldn’t break the bank.)

3. “Ask” Your Competitors – Look at their websites, check out their advertising.  How do they differentiate themselves from you?  Is there something they’re not saying or doing that you can?  Look a their materials in light of the answers you got from your friends.  (Cost: Zero.)

More Marketing Copy writing And Branding Advice


For over 30 years I have been a freelance copywriter, giving branding advice to many businesses.  Thanks to the Internet, I can now offer online copywriting services nationwide.  I love sharing my marketing tips, insights and secrets.  Interested in learning more valuable stuff that could help improve your marketing life?  Go to http://www.moneywordsmarketing.com/alans-blog/.

Read more »

Copywriting Is Critical To Your Success – Don’t Hire Newbies And Wannabes To Do It!

David Ogilvy, one of the legendary figures in advertising and copywriting said this, “Advertising agencies are infested with men and women who cannot write.  They cannot write advertisements and they cannot write plans.  They are as helpless as deaf mutes on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera.”

OK Dave, tell us how you really feel.

Copywriting is both a science and an art.  It takes talent, training and experience.  Sadly, too many small businesses – and some sizable ones – place their unique messaging (a crucial aspect of marketing) in the hands of relatively inexperienced juniors who, like a bland meal, need a lot more seasoning.

I am a long-term professional copywriter who’s worked with international agencies and small businesses alike.  My tip for today is to find a very good marketing copywriter, pay them by the project and get far better work for far fewer dollars.  They’ll even spend time training and mentoring your “juniors”.

More Marketing Consultant Advice

As a veteran marketing consultant offering professional copywriting services, I love sharing my marketing tips, insights and secrets.  Interested in learning more valuable stuff that could help improve your marketing life?  Go to http://www.moneywordsmarketing.com/alans-blog/.

Read more »

Are You Ready To Buy Yet?

You’ve laid the groundwork for a nice sale.  The “suspect” responded to one of your marketing pieces and asked for more information.  You sent the additional information and followed it up with a phone call thanking the prospect and asking if there is anything else you can answer to help them come to the best decision for them.  Wonderful.  Give your self a Gold Star.  You did everything right.

EXCEPT… you’re going to spoil it all in two weeks.

How do I know?  Because so many business owners and sales reps fall into this trap.   You call back two weeks later and, in effect, ask the prospect, “Well, do you want to buy yet?” or something equally as lame.

Here’s a hint.  Always have a valid reason to call.  New information, price changes, new and improved model coming out, great reviews from an industry magazine are all good reasons to call and will keep your prospect interested and thinking well of you as they reach their decision.

More Marketing Consultant Advice

As a long-time marketing strategist and copywriter, I love sharing my marketing tips, insights and secrets.  Interested in learning more valuable stuff that could help improve your marketing life?  Contact me, the marketing consultant in Arizona for valuable tips.

Read more »