Advertising

Advertising has always been a bit of a trial for me, because I don't really write copy very well. To be honest, my ads don't work very well.

However you choose to advertise, there are some things that I believe are important.

First, it is imperative that you see advertising as a conceptual process - one that begins with the question "What do my customers want, and how can I give it to them?" and ends with sales.

When you prepare an ad, you need to see it as the beginning of a learning experience. If you are methodical and persistent about evaluating your effort, you will eventually produce effective copy.

You can do this by tracking your response rates on an ad per ad basis. That's one of the reasons I recommend ROIbot frequently - you can use it to count the number of responses to specific ads. ROIbot isn't the only system that does this, but in my opinion, it's one of the best, because it offers so many other features. (LinkScout offers a redirection service at no charge.)

I recommend that you maintain a database for your ads (Your word processor will do). When you produce an ad, create a unique redirection code that will only be used for that ad and no other. Once the ad has been posted, keep track of how many responses it generated, and include the number in the same file where you keep the ad.

Pay careful attention to what your competition is doing - you can learn a lot by watching the pros.

Do not delete the ad when you decide to change it. Make a copy, and change the copy. You will want to be able to compare each ad and response as you continue to develop your campaign.

When you change the ad, change the redirection code. That will tell you how their response rates compare.

Keep doing this until your ads produce the response rate you need to produce sales. When they do, you will know why, and the next ad you produce will be even better.

The Newbie Guide offers the most efficient, uncomplicated method for tracking advertising response and working your way up to that "monster ad" marketing folks all dream about.

The problem with most Internet advertising is obvious. Even if it works, it stops the minute you stop doing it. Digital ad copy does not lie around in a doctor's office or in the nation's bathrooms, selling for you months after publication. When it's gone, hey, it's gone!

The most effective advertising is self-replicating! That is why viral marketing will soon be a household word.

Viral Marketing: When you give away a product or service of such inherent value that it markets itself. In other words, it's easy to get and easy to give.