The Not-So-Hidden Persuaders: The Power of The Media Upon Us All
In 1957, a perspicacious young journalist from
Pennsylvania named Vance Packard wrote a book called
The Hidden Persuaders. It was meant to explain to the
public at large why they buy the products they do and to warn
them about the psychological aspects of consumer appeal
that lie beneath the levels of consciousness. A red car, for
example, has hidden stimuli, for red is a color that makes
people angry. If you think I’m nuts, (I am, but not about this),
check with some insurance companies. I was
dumbfounded to learn that the collision rate was slightly
higher for a red car! Packard’s premise was mind-boggling
and insightful for its day. Even he, however, under-estimated
the full extent to which modern advertising has penetrated
our psyches.
The next time you need a “kleenex” or “xerox” stop and think
for a moment. Don’t you really mean a tissue or a copy of a
piece of paper? And when someone walking in front of you
“shakes like Jell-O,” do you realize that you have created a
metaphor using a brand name in vain? I myself used Q-tips
for years before I realized they were really cotton swabs
incognito, and that by any other name they cost at least
$1.50 less per box! How and why did these brands become
synonyms for the things that are so much a part of our every
day lives? Sometimes I feel like that little kid in the movie,
Invaders From Mars, who was the only one his block who
didn’t have a strange little mark at the base of his neck
which meant he wasn’t “one of them.” Who is “they”
anyway? And worse, how did “they” get from our necks to
our brains and become a part of us?
Advertising Secret Of A Stinky Old Door-To-Door Salesman Explodes Your Sales - Fast
If you spend even a dime of your budget on “image” advertising, then this article will show you why you’re throwing your money away, and what you can do instead to double — even triple — your sales in the next 30 days or less.
I want you to imagine two door-to-door sales reps starting their first day on the job. They both work for the same company, sell the exact same product and are in virtually identical neighborhoods selling their widgets. The only difference between the two is the way they go about selling their product.
Imprinted Advertising Specialties
An Advertising Specialty imprinted with a promotional message is known as Imprinted Advertising Specialty. The usage of Advertising Specialties is extremely popular in the corporate world as gifts for their clients and employees as well as other high-profile people. These Imprinted Specialties are also regarded as promotional products, giveaways and ad-incentives. These specialties are a popular product even amongst non-profit organizations like schools, clubs etc.
The Imprinted Advertising Specialties also act as a great way to improve your marketing and public relations among consumers, businesses, volunteers, benefactors, employees, communities, etc. The Imprinted Advertising Specialty is used for developing business contacts or thanking existing customers for their patronage. The idea behind giving people an Imprinted Advertising Specialty could be to build brand loyalty or motivate the employees to help the company achieve the goals.
Writing a "Killer" Headline - Your Headlines Have been Killing You!
Ok, you want to outsell others! You want to succeed where others are failing! You want to heap tons of money into your bank accounts after each month’s online business venture!
One major powerful tool which you have been ignoring is the “KILLER” headline.
Did you know-?
That your headline is much more important than the quality of your products?
That your headline will either drive people away fast from your online shop (website) or keep them there longer than they intended?
That your headlines can multiply the quantum of money coming to your bank account every month without any alteration in your product?
That your headline can make you rich or poor?
That you will continue to waste tons of money on ezine ads if your headlines are poor?
That your headlines may eventually make you a failure and close your online shop for ever?
Do Your Adverts Get You More Sales?
Philadelphia retailer and US Postmaster General, John Wanamaker, once said, “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half.”
If you’re spending $10,000 a month on advertising $5,000 is going straight down the tubes. That wastes $60,000 of your hard earned cash every year. Money you could spend on better, more focused marketing.
Fundraising with Pixel Advertising Raises Money and Awareness for Nonprofit Organizations
Pixel advertising is a form of internet advertising that is increasing in popularity. Publicity surrounding a pixel advertising website created by a British college student who needed to raise money to pay for his education has created great interest in this type of advertising.
The website, called the milliondollarhomepage.com, has earned its creator, Alex Tew, hundreds of thousands of dollars since he launched it in August, 2005. Tew’s website homepage is a grid that is divided into one million pixel blocks. The pixels are sold to advertisers in blocks of 100 pixels, each measuring 10 x 10 pixels. Each pixel block becomes part of a colorful mosaic of advertising on the website. At $1.00 a pixel, when the page is sold out,Tew will have raised one million dollars for his education with this creative advertising technique.
Custom LED Display
Custom LED Display, as the name specifies, facilitate control anything with any message that you can think of, from hours of operation to daily specials. These are used by almost all industries like factory, banks, airports, universities, libraries, and many others.
Custom LED displays are based on LED technology which gives it a modern sleek and thus the improved performance. This innovative technology enables the production of affordable giant displays.
My Boogers Itch - Good Marketing or Not?
If you’ve driven through Atlanta - or perhaps throughout the South - you’ve seen large, attention-getting signs proclaiming (among other things) that someone has gas. ???
My husband was the first to observe this sign. As he drove along 285, he picked up his cell phone and reported, “I pooted.”
Advertising and the Over All Marketing Plan
Many small time wannabe marketers who write marketing, advertising and sleazy sales books will have you believe that the over all marketing plan is the quintessential reason for success or failure in your business. Indeed business plans and marketing plans are of value but before you start a business you have no idea where it will take you.
As an entrepreneur you may plan to have a certain market mix and then find the customers are leading you a different way, as they want to buy something else and more of it than less.
Your Business Card as a Strategic Marketing Tool
While every business has, or should have a business card, often it is neglected as a part of an overall strategy. If you take the time to devise even a simple marketing, public relations, or sales strategy, your business card should be an integral part of your plan.
Location! Location! Location!
If you sell product, consider including your card with the product when it is delivered to your customer. Same goes for services. For example, if you are an auto mechanic, consider slipping your business card in your customer’s car visor, or create a sticker business card that will adhere to a discrete area of the customer’s car windsheild. If you provide regular on-site services, consider a business card magnet to be prominently placed on a refrigerator, or filing cabinet. Keep in mind, you don’t need to actually sell product, or deliver service to ensure your business card gets and stays in the hands of others. Include your business card with every piece of correspondence: quotes, RFP’s, letters, even photocopy your business card and include it in fax transmissions. When mailing out information, include it in the mailing by stapling your card (if possible) to the bottom or top corner of your letterhead.
Easy Access
The best thing you can do with your business card is not only carry it around with you, but have other people carry it around and pass it around for you. Having other people carry your card allows them to provide it to their friends or associates when they are looking for a product or service. It is a proven and inexpensive marketing technique.
Keep a small stack of business cards everywhere you can store and access them: in your car, your jacket pocket, your briefcase, your purse or wallet, in your day planner, at home, etc. You’ll always want to have some on hand when you meet a prospective customer and you never know who might be your next prospect.
Getting creative with your business card distribution
If you look at your daily routine, don’t overlook the opportunities which lie in front of you to distribute your business card and be pro-active in your business marketing. Nothing is over the top. If you conduct or attend seminars, or trade shows, make sure to drop your card in a “fish bowl” or card collection box. Tack your business card to bulletin boards at supermarkets, restaurants, retail stores, schools, libraries and other public spots that have a well placed bulletin board. With in-person distribution, consider giving out two cards at a time, one for your customer prospect and one for her/him to give away, or at the very least, reduce their chances of losing the only business card you gave them.
Finally, ask businesses in your neighborhood if they will display your business card near their cash register, or checkout (reassure them there is no conflict of interest). If you start to build relationships with business that offer complimentary products or services, even in your immediate neighbourhood, you will realize there is strength in numbers. Many larger organizations will form strategic alliances to further accelerate business development and mutually benefit from each others sales channels. Based on the same methodology, small businesses can adopt a similar, and certainly less political approach. Jointly agree to mail the business cards for other companies in the same position as you. If you agree to include them in your mailings or other promotional activities, they will do the same for you. A small business network, or circle of businesses can quickly grow to become a large and high effective business co-operative.
Doing business is about finding opportunities and capitalizing on those opportunities. The catch is that many opportunities can arise when you least expect them to. You are certain to cover your bases by having your business card as part of a well defined marketing strategy whether you are involved directly in executing the strategy, or a network of people jointly execute the same strategy for mutual gain.
Josh Barkin is the Director of Marketing for Professor Print, a leader in online business printing and design. Professor Print provides thousands of free business card templates so you can create your own business cards online, as well as articles and tutorials on how to get the most out of your business card design. For more information, visit Professor Print at http://www.professorprint.com