Advertising Basics for Beginners

So many of us who have decided to do business online have no background in marketing or advertising. It can be so frustrating without any kind of guide.

Here is a list of some textbook rules regarding marketing and advertising in general. These are important points that we should all keep in mind when promoting our offers:

1. People don't like ads until they see something they want or need.

2. Headlines should always illustrate the best, specific benefits of one's offer. Cryptic headlines might be fun, but they simply can't compare (in terms of results) to an honest headline that spells out your offer.

3. Tell your prospects exactly what you want them to do. Don't assume that they know what the next step is. Whether you want them to click through to your web site or send you an email for more information, be sure to let them know and don't forget to provide the link or address.

4. Every ad you place is an opportunity to rate your copy. A mediocre ad won't get many responses, but a great ad can clicks almost anywhere. Don't waste your time placing ineffective ads, always check your results.

5. Networking with others is a good way to make sales, but nothing beats good ad copy.

6. Networking is not about making lots of instant sales. It's about getting to know people and letting them know what you have to offer. When they have a need for your product, they will look you up.

Writing effective ad copy takes practice. Don't get discouraged if your first attempts don't yield a lot of results. Continue to work with it and test it until you find that words that speak to your perfect customers and make them click.

Cathy Wagner, online business expert and owner of http://www.onestopinternetbusiness.com, will help you reach your online business goals faster with hands-on marketing guidance and support, personalized for you own unique business. You can save hundreds of dollars and countless hours of frustration by avoiding common mistakes and pitfalls.

In The News:

AdAge.com
Does GM Have a Point About Facebook? Yes, Rivals Concede
Forbes
Executives with other automotive brands say they wouldn't have completely departed Facebook advertising as General Motors did this week. But some also concede that GM had a point in its decision to stop buying ads on the ubiquitous social-networking ...
Facebook is tough to quit, and investors like thatKansas City Star
What Social Media Ad Agencies Say About FacebookBloomberg
Facebook Advertising Shows 'A Lot Of Potential But It's Not A Slam-Dunk'Huffington Post
BusinessWeek -VentureBeat -AdAge.com
all 1,057 news articles »

TIME
Are Advertisers Disembarking the Facebook IPO Hype Train?
Datamation
While still blinding, the spotlight surrounding Facebook's IPO dims slightly as advertising and mobile monetization concerns surface. That deafening buzz? It's the anticipation building in Silicon Valley and on Wall Street on the eve of what promises ...
Is Advertising on Facebook Worth the Expense?TIME
Companies ask: Does advertising on Facebook pay?Seattle Post Intelligencer

all 8,614 news articles »

The Future of Advertising Sales -- It's all About Integration
Huffington Post (blog)
Advertisers have a story to tell, and the media is there to help tell it. Today, however, media and marketing go beyond mere storytelling; now it's about storytelling and dialogue. That's why social media's so popular. It's not about the word "media"; ...

and more »

NPR sees sharp downturn in advertising revenue, leading to talk of cuts
Washington Post
Halfway through its fiscal year — and six months into Gary Knell's tenure as chief executive — Washington-based NPR has seen a sharp downturn in corporate “underwriting,” or advertising revenue. The falloff has led to projections of an annual ...

and more »

Sweeney: Facebook Advertising Money Is In the Movies
CNBC.com
Traditional advertising in that context can be both annoying and ineffective. Imagine someone interrupting your conversation by waving a big billboard between you and your friend. Yuk! Social media advertisers are just realizing how influential the ...


Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog)
Skechers agrees to pay $45 million to settle charges of sketchy advertising of ...
Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog)
By Rita R. Robison Kim Kardashian, fresh from a sweaty workout and pictured in a variety of steamy, suggestive poses, decides in a TV advertisement to dump her personal trainer. “It's not someone else, it's something else” Kardashian, a reality TV-show ...
Sketchy ads? Skechers agrees to pay $50M to settle false-advertising allegationsThe Star-Ledger - NJ.com
Oklahoma joins the fight against Skechers for deceptive advertisingKRMG
Sketchers settles charges of deceptive advertisingvtdigger.org
MarketWatch (press release) -Aljazeera.com (blog) -Wall Street Journal
all 277 news articles »

Access Washington
Skechers settles with WA over false advertising
BusinessWeek
Attorney General Rob McKenna's office says the shoe company will allocate $40 million for refunds and pay $5 million to the 44 states that sued the shoemaker for false advertising. The attorneys general say the commercials for the Skechers line of ...
Shoe-maker accused of sketchy advertising settles lawsuitAccess Washington
Skechers to pay $40M over deceptive advertisingCherry Hill Courier Post
Skechers Gets its Butt Kicked for False AdvertisingMedical Daily
USA TODAY -kwwl.com -NASDAQ
all 1,220 news articles »

New York Daily News
Sitcoms new favourite for TV advertisers
TODAYonline
NEW YORK - The big winner of this year's upfront TV advertising sales season was an old favourite: The sitcom. By the time the curtain came down on the network previews yesterday, 16 of the 36 new scripted shows added to the programming lineups of the ...
And the winner is? The sitcom, TV networks hopeReuters

all 336 news articles »

Viewers Want Choice, Control and Relevance from Online Video Advertising ...
San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
New York, New York (PRWEB) May 17, 2012 Vibrant Media, the global leader in premium contextual advertising, has released key research findings that determine what viewers want in their video advertising: choice, control and relevance.

and more »

75% of Advertisers Say Rest-of-Web More Important Than Facebook
MarketWatch (press release)
Methodology This multiple-choice online survey was distributed to 2177 brand marketers and advertising agency representatives. It was conducted in March 2012, and results were analyzed and validated for statistical significance in April 2012.

and more »
Google News


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