4 Steps to Unbeatable Advertising And Still Keep Money
in Your Business
by: Allyn Cutts
Advertising doesn't have to wipe out your bank account to
be effective. When you learn to negotiate, know when smaller ads are as
effective as large ads, ask for discounts, and create an irresistible offer,
you're on your way to skyrocketing profit margins!
1. Negotiate. Have you noticed that some people seem to always get the best
deals? Yeah, you pay full price and think you did OK until they show up with the
same thing, only they paid several hundred dollars less. It really get your
goat! How do they do it? They're not afraid to ask for an extra discount. Yep,
don't sell yourself short because you didn't ASK the next time your advertising
rep makes an appearance! Even if you're already getting a discount, ask for a
bigger one. You have not...because you ask not.
2. Trim. Bigger is always better...or is it? When it comes to advertising, don't
be surprised if some of your short ads meet with more success than larger more
expensive ads. Trimming down on the size and cost of advertising doesn't mean
you'll be trimming the results!
3. Exploit the Freebies. What's the difference between advertising and
publicity? ...who's doing the talking. Yeah, when you sell yourself, it's
advertising. When someone else is selling you, it's publicity...and it generates
credibility and interest that you don't want to miss out on. Think about the
different ways you can get your business in the spotlight. Do you have some
news… write a press release? Write some “how to” articles with a short byline at
the end and release them to ezines, magazines, newspapers, and other publishers.
Why not promote the product of a non-competitor in return for them promoting
yours...think of the totally different market they affect! Yep, there are a lot
of ways out there to get free advertisement that will benefit your business. Of
course you won't be able to rely solely on the freebies, but hey, you can get a
little extra for nothing!
4. Improve Your Offer. Is your deal too good to pass up? If not, you need to
improve it. Hey, I'm not talking about cutting prices even more...you've still
got to make a profit. You can make the deal sweeter just by increasing the
readers knowledge of the value of the product, or adding bonuses that are
perceived as valuable, but cost you little. Motivate buyers with expirations.
Yeah, an open ended offer encourages procrastination...which leads ...yep,
nowhere. When the customer knows he has until Saturday to purchase an item he'll
pay more for on Sunday, he'll make it a priority to head for your shop.
Advertising doesn't have to wipe out your bank account to be effective. When you
learn to negotiate, know when smaller ads are as effective as large ads, ask for
discounts, and create an irresistible offer, you're on your way to skyrocketing
profit margins!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Who is Allyn Cutts, and why should you care? Allyn has spent over 24 years
helping businesses like yours find new customers and increase sales to current
customers. Allyn is a marketing and sales fanatic, providing measurable
marketing solutions that drive huge results for small-to mid-size business
clients. Allyn works personally with clients to design and deliver off-line and
on-line direct marketing strategies that focus on metrics and measurable
results. You can learn more about Allyn Cutts at www.AllynCutts.com and you can
call 610.437.4106 between 10 AM and 4 PM Eastern Time Tuesdays and Thursdays.
