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In any online business the bottom line is always profit. Regardless of your ultimate vision for your business, if you don't focus on your bottom line you simply won't survive – unless you don't mind ‘paying’ to run a business. So many people who own an online business are actually running it at a loss, mainly because their focus is not on it being a business. There are some very basic and very simple things you can apply and implement almost immediately to increase your profit online.
I am a big believer in not being completely profit driven. Businesses, regardless of the 'size' who are focused on serving their customers and the quality of their products tend to prosper much more than those who are only fixed on the bottom line. Being fixated on your bottom line gives you tunnel vision and robs your online business of it’s longevity.
The importance of turning out a profit every month is not only essential to survive, but it is one of the basics that many people seem to miss when their business is their passion. It is absolutely essential that you keep a business sense about your passion. This is not about becoming all business minded, but it's about being smart. If you are going to invest your time and effort into something, you want to make sure that it lasts and to increase your profit online is not that hard – if you know what you are doing.
Advertising is the lifeline of any business and this is no different online. In fact, advertising is the sole form of income for many highly successful businesses online. Google’s Adwords program is probably the easiest and least expensive form of advertising online and the fact that you are in control of your advertising campaigns makes this the perfect platform from which you can increase your profit online. Adwords is probably the easiest way to reach qualified customers very quickly and regardless of what you are selling you can easily target your ideal market.
The real challenge with Adwords, however is in running profitable ad campaigns. If you don't know what you are doing, Adwords can empty your bank account for you. If you know what you are doing Adwords can make you very, very rich. Once you've got a successful ad campaign up and running, it will continue to bring you in huge paychecks month after month. The two main factors where people fail with Adwords is either in their choice of keywords or in the actual ads.
Lets look at the keyword issue first: If you want to increase your profit online, it's quite simple – if you spend $100 on advertising and it generates $150 in profit, then that is a $50 profit. Once this advertising campaign is up and running it can continue to run with very little maintenance. The most profitable keywords tend to be very expensive for the simple reason that they are making money, which is a good indication. High priced keywords send most people packing, but those in the know actually hunt expensive keywords simply because they know that people won't spend $5 on a single click if it doesn't return them a decent profit. Although there are many more factors to consider, it is important to realize that if you are trying to increase your profit online through advertising, you are going to have to spend some money. If you do it right and if you do it properly, it will return your money with a profit and the end result is an 'autopilot' stream of money.
The second aspect to consider in your Adwords campaigns is the actual ads: Now, if you think about it, the tolerances are so small in Adwords. Every ad is only a couple of words and a couple of characters and just one word or even one space can multiply your profits by ten. Writing effective Adwords ads is not easy, but it's not hard either. The key lies in testing different options until you get something that really works. Those who make a fortune with their Adwords ads usually learned their 'secrets' through trail and error and not so much through their writhing brilliance. I have seen ads that consist of only three words bring in profits in excess of $2 500 a month! It's important to realize that even if your Adwords campaigns are at a loss, a few very simple tweaks can turn it around completely.
If you really want to increase your profit online, then Adwords is a critical weapon in your arsenal. It's quick, easy, cheap and potentially explosive. To be successful at Adwords it does require a bit of specialist knowledge and finding the right help will proof to be very wise investment. Trying to reinvent the wheel with Adwords is just a waste of time. Learn from those whose been there and done that and who know the little tricks and tweaks that's required to run successful ad campaigns. With Adwords it’s all about the little things and learning it yourself can often be a very long, hard and expensive option. Regardless of how you choose to do it, know that advertsing is a very real and powerful way to increase your profit online.

Business cards are given after meeting a potential client to better know the nature of a business and a note on how to contact you. The usual size for a business card would be 2 x 3.5 and can be printed in gloss, with a softer gloss, UV with ultimate shine and matte with a smooth dull finish.
Maximize the use of your business cards by using it as a promotional tool as well. Besides putting your name and your contact information in it, why don’t you use some of that space to write as well all the products or services you are offering?
Your business card would be the one working for you even after you have met with your potential customer. This is the reason why you should not think twice about investing in business cards printing.
Pay attention on the design for your business card and on the quality of paper you would be using in it. The impression that you have built on the meeting with your potential client might be reversed if you are to give out a home-made customized business card.
Don’t give the impression that your products or services are also second rate by saving on having a professional business cards printing company doing the work for you. You can elevate the impression that you created more by handing out professionally designed and printed business cards.
Try to save yourself the inconvenience of having the business card that you spent money on be thrown into the trash by making it as professional as you can. Determine the kind of color that you want to represent you. Colors can make an impression as well. But too much color can be too distracting.
The design on your business card should match the image that you place there as well. If the image that you placed on your business card looks out of place, you may want to rethink about it.
Don’t cram all the information that you want on your business card. Leave a little that you can share for yourself in person with your potential customer. A white space will make it easier to absorb the message.
First impression is the most important thing that you can have in expanding your business. You only have one chance of making it great. Invest on business cards printing to make good use of the money that you spent

Small firms often make the mistake of thinking matters such as corporate identity and branding are only for large companies," said George Kiely, head of EI's design unit. "But every company must project an identity if it is to succeed."
"How companies see themselves is unimportant, how their market sees them is what matters. That's where design and branding and corporate identity come in.
"When a company is describing itself, whether in a brochure or on a website, it needs to do so in terms not of the givens, which customers take for granted, but the added value. Branding is the company's way of indicating those extras."
"Smaller companies generally value design less than bigger companies," Meehan said. "They don't see it as an investment in the business.
It is discretionary spend, something they will only undertake if they feel they have a layer of fat."
The reason is simple. "With large firms, people are spending from a dedicated marketing budget. With small firms the person is spending their own money. It's personal," he said.
This means that, not only are they spending their own cash, but they are also acutely aware of where else that money could be spent.
Small firms tend to think design is all about big fees and they don't see where the value will come from, according to Marie McGrath, co-founder of Huguenot Design and a member of the GDBA.
"Developing a new corporate identity or brand for your business is about sitting down and identifying objectives," she said. "It's about delivering a solution that works for your business. It's not about pretty pictures."
Small firms "can feel intimidated by the design process," she acknowledges. To this end, the GDBA has drawn up guidelines aimed at helping the owner-manager.
The first step is to have somebody within the firm prepare a detailed brief, including market information, research data and historical background, together with details of special requirements, budget and timescale.
Take the success of Boru Vodka as a case in point. "Here is a small Irish company that cut through in a crowded vodka market, in an even more crowded drinks market," he said.
It offers a slightly unorthodox proposition, in that Ireland has no vodka heritage, but "it took on that challenge and in large part met it through its distinctive name and packaging," he said.
Far too many logos are "amorphous messes with no distinguishing features", he said. "Corporate identity is looked on as a completing item of no great importance. But any company interfacing with the public - and that means the people it wants to buy from them, work for them, and, maybe, ultimately, buy them out - needs to have a distinctive positioning in order to succeed."

The Internet brings many opportunities and advantages to small businesses but these firms are not grasping the concept of how and why to use the Internet to increase sales. Many small businesses use word-of-mouth advertising from satisfied customers, which generally reaps local revenue. In most cases, due to limited revenue generation, prices of products and services from small businesses are higher compared to larger competition. This in turn can further decrease sales due to customers looking for products that fit within their budgets. Small businesses such as consignment shops, shoe stores, and consumer product firms are failing to see the potential in using the Web for advertising their existence and selling their products and services.
There is a large consumer base that prefers receiving information via the Internet and will most likely be exposed to a firm due to a website or affiliate link than a phone book. Such customers most likely does not even own a phone book or yellow pages because the Internet in an online directory itself that provides much more than just a phone number and an address for a business but detailed information that leads to more company awareness. When individuals are too busy to travel to malls and other shopping centers for products, they turn to the Internet for advertisement information and to potential buy products as to less the constraints on their free time that can be garnered from traveling to stores, physically searching for products, and waiting in longs lines. Small businesses that do not have store websites are missing out on potential sales because they are not factoring in the manner in which many consumer purchases products and services or at least become familiar with local business through information presented on websites that can satisfy their needs.
Most small business owners tend to stay away from advertising and selling online to keep the mom and pop feel and their uniqueness but these owners are not understanding the demographics and purchasing trends of their existing and potential customers. Today’s society warrants more time to accomplish multiple tasks and the Internet provides such a luxury for very busy individuals. Small business owners not exercising the advantages of their own online presence will continuously be upstaged by the larger competition that are accessible 24 hours 7 days a week for information sharing or purchasing. Many of these small business owners that are not using the Internet are older and do not feel the need to learn such technology or find it frustrating but there are ways around this such as hiring someone to create the website and manage its functionality. The biggest advantage of using the Internet is to increase awareness of one’s business so that sales can increase as well and if there is the option to buy online, these firms will see revenue generation from two models of business: the traditional and e-Commerce structures.
The following are some strategies for small business owners to examine to determine if a web presence is the correct tactic for them:
1. Research statistics of a website’s influence on increased purchases due to additional advertising that reaches numerous individuals
2. Determine who their customers are from those that buy within the store or who they want their customers to be based on their products or services to indicate if these individuals use the Internet for information gathering and purchasing
3. Ascertain the cost effectiveness of owning a website by conducing a cost/benefit analysis between how much the website and its maintenance will cost compared to the potential increase in revenue generation
4. Evaluate the competition’s web site to evaluate their strategies for delivering information and selling techniques and examine how to benchmark themselves against these firms
As small businesses determine the best methods to increase their operations, the Internet should not be discounted. This vehicle can translate into higher traffic for physical stores if websites are information based and into higher sales if the website has a purchasing function. When businesses are first established, there is the notion that the owner would want to be prosperous and have longevity. Small business owners need to utilize all applicable methods to bring awareness to their stores, especially in a society that is immersed in technological tools to make their purchasing experience much more rewarding. Business owners must stay abreast of the trends in their industries to fully have access to the techniques that will generate prosperity and steady expansion. The Internet is such a tool that will assist in the continued existence and growth of any firm that choose to use its structure for advancement and competitive advantages.
Copyright © 2007 Michelle Hill
Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you do not edit the article in any way and give author name credit and follow all of the EzineArticles terms of service for Publishers

There are hundreds of people on payrolls who crank out Yellow Page ads for a living. But assembly-lining ads simply turns a designer into a seasoned hack. Being held accountable for results is the experience that counts.
You see, Yellow Page ads are a form of direct response advertising. Meaning people either respond to the ad by picking up the phone, or the ad is a failure - there’s no chalking up poor response to “creating awareness” or “building the brand.” And in direct response ads, small subtleties often create vastly different response rates. Changing two or so words or replacing a graphic element can often double – or, if you do it wrong, halve – your response rate!
This is why the design of your Yellow Page ad is more important than its size or the use of color. And why design-by-numbers, or by template, can be fatal. What works depends on context: your market, your competitors’ ads, your business itself, etc. And if the subtleties of your Yellow Page ad are wrong, you’ll be stuck with a year’s worth of wasted advertising dollars.
Has your ad design “professional” been held accountable for making telephones ring? For how long? Without five year’s experience, you might as well write the guy a check for design school. ‘Cause your ad dollars will only be financing his education in what doesn’t work.
And the same thing goes for his “help.” A lot of so called Yellow Page advertising professionals routinely outsource the design of your Yellow Page ad to "general" freelancers. But expertise in manipulating the subtleties can’t be outsourced. Without an in depth knowledge of your specific situation, any one element in this kind of “assembly line” production could contribute to producing a low-response ad. If your next Yellow Page ad isn't going to be developed from "start-to-finish" by a true Yellow Page ad design professional, look elsewhere.

The Family is a very important thing in a childs life. They need to be showed love and affection . If we spend time with our children maybe we can keep them from doing so many things wrong like drinking and doing drugs. You can get involved in their school functions and do extra things with them like joining cub scouts,playing baseball, soccer,going to the lake, going to kentucky kingdom, or just doing things around the house together.
Try to have supper around the same time every night and have them sit at the table with you as a family and that will give you quality time together also. We joined cub scouts with our boys and we were in it for five years and let me tell you that was the best five years of our lives because their dad spent alot of time with them because he was a leader and that gave them quality time to spend together. We went camping, fishing, had car races, went to the caves ,went to the museaums,we had meetings and done all kinds of things when we were at the meetings.
You can take them to Kentucky kingdom and have a really fun time there because you can swim, ride rides, play games and have a picinic together and they will love that. We take our boys boating and fishing and they enjoy it . We try to go at least four times a week when they are off for the summer time. If they want to take a friend we let them because that way then the other child is not at home by their self either. There is another thing that is big with the kids now days that is paint ball guns. We all have paint ball guns and we have a field to build a fort and we all go up there and play we have a ball.
Paint ball guns gives the kids a chance to get even with the parents because they can hit them with paint balls and it be alright and the kids love that. They also have indoor paint ball fields in Kentucky that you can take the kids to when it is cold or rainy out and you want to go paint balling. I guess the whole ideal is to spend as much time with our children as we can because once we are gone all they will have is memories and we want them to be good ones right

Digital signage is a relatively new form of advertising that allows companies to use electronic screens to broadcast information, commercials, or anything else of their choosing to large amounts of people. This kind of advertisement is spreading to different venues like wild fire. From malls to restaurants to airports to post offices, digital signage is sweeping the advertising market. But where did it all start? Digital signage was used in the 1970’s in stores with VCRs and televisions to attract customers but it was always on a closed circuit and everything was pre-recorded. It wasn’t until recent years that companies were able to display high quality content that was supported by a broadband internet connection.
Digital billboards and interactive screens are relatively new. People and companies are just starting to realize the potential digital signage has. This kind of advertising could revolutionize the consumer market in the span of a few years. We have all seen the huge screens in places like Times Square and Las Vegas, but now, they are everywhere, directing you in places that you may or may not want to go. Even five years ago, this kind of advertising would have been too expensive considering LCD and Plasma screens were either experimental technology or too costly to be worth the investment.
Now, thanks to the availability of high speed internet, a large digital signage network has emerged on and around the internet. Many companies are now linked together because they use this kind of signage. These networks are now developing new strategies along with better digital signage software in order to maximize effectiveness and, ultimately, profit. Now that LCD and Plasma screens have decreased in price, they are more affordable now and the investment for businesses is more reasonable. Right now, Microsoft, Cisco, and Google are all trying to chase the market because of the potential this market has to offer.
At the moment, Cisco has gotten a steady foot-hold on the digital signage market. They are the ones who have created the device which allows for images and videos from the internet to be directly imported into a large LCD or plasma screen. They have now eliminated the need for costly computers and a lot of the security risks of using digital signage in airports and retail stores.
Digital signage has come a long way from pre-recorded closed circuit advertising. It has become an advertising monster and could end up influencing people more than they want it to

One thing that I’ve learned after 35 years in advertising is that no business wants to pay more than they have to for promotional expenses. It’s understandable considering all the various marketing options and the associated costs. A business has so many fixed overhead expenses from insurance to rent to employees that advertising is often left to the very end. The sad truth is that without proper promotion, the business can’t survive. I sold Yellow Page ads for 25 years and was invariably told that the ads were just too expensive. I used to ask, compared to what? It was then that I realized that I needed to educate my clients.
What I ended up doing was justifying the investment through the use of the ROI or the “return on investment” technique. In basic layman’s terms, it works like this. Suppose you have purchased a newspaper ad for $100. Say you’re a florist and profit $10 on average per order. So you now need 10 orders to offset the cost of the ad. That’s the simplified version and it can be applied to almost any other media: TV, radio, Yellow Pages, direct mail, and so forth. It requires that you know the exact costs and your own profits. If the marketing program takes place over several days, weeks or months, the plan is the same.
First, decide which media is most appropriate for your kind of product or service. Then figure your average profit. For instance, if you’re a plumber and the average job is $150, what is the profit after you have paid for the parts, truck and employee? Let’s assume it’s $50 left. So, if you are looking at a $500 per month Yellow Page ad, the first 10 jobs per month would break you even. But it’s a bit more complex than that. If that YP book reaches 100,000 people for $500, but another directory covers 500,000 people and the ad is $1500, which is the better deal? Sure, now you have to get 30 jobs to offset the charge, but you are seen by 400,000 more potential customers. Therefore, the ROI is far more optimist with so many more people seeing your ad.
As a result, the ROI is important when considering an overall budget of a media mix. Also look at other potential profit areas, The local home remodeler might consider spending more in a pricier, high-end magazine that reaches fewer home-owners, but those living in expensive homes. Why? Because his profit might be greater, per job. For example, his Yellow Page ad reaches everyone and he figures he makes $10,000 profit on an average home and therefore uses a 5 to 1 ROI for his YP program. So, he spends $50,000 on an annual YP ad distributed to 500,000 and needs 5 jobs to cover that YP cost. But, in the glossy magazine that goes to only 10,000 upper-level consumers, he might reap a $30,000 profit per job. He still spent $50,000 on a quarterly distribution for a year, but only needs 3 jobs or a 3 to 1 ROI. Have you got that? The type of media dictated the ROI based on a reconfigured profit margin. The media determines the average customer and the market.
Your radio, TV, magazine or YP rep can give you the demographic numbers and the reach for each media. They can show you the spending habits of the typical listener or reader, which will allow you to design an ad around the person you are trying to attract. Then the ROI should be used to establish the amount you are willing to invest in the short or long run. Each media can be used for different time frames. Some have fixed dates of delivery and longevity such as Yellow Pages, magazines and newspapers. Others, like direct mail, and TV can be purchased with relatively short notice, depending on availability.
What ever route you take, the ROI is the most important rule of thumb, followed closely by a tracking method to monitor your results. Without that, you have no way of knowing how well the ad worked and whether or not you covered your ROI. If you’re interested in learning more, I wrote a book on how I worked with my Yellow Page clients for 25 years on developing this type of strategy. Even if you use other media, it may be of interest to you as well. Visit poweradbook.com to learn more and remember that the advertising cost is something that is an investment in your business and not just an overhead expense. The ROI will become your ally in deciding where to allocate you funds and can ultimately save you a small fortune

Since the health care industry is considered to be people-oriented, health care professionals should try to look very friendly and approachable. If you belong to this industry, you would understand the need for such behavior. Most of the people who need health assistance are in some degree of discomfort and would require you to be very understanding and supportive. Health care professionals should also try to communicate in a soothing voice and at the same time behave accordingly.
Aside from these, you must give importance to your accessibility especially in emergency situations. If you are a doctor, a business card would provide your patients information about how to reach you. Because of the importance of this information, you should consider getting a business card with an effective design. A business card design for people in the health care industry can only be effective if you seriously consider two things: content and presentation.
An effective business card design can accommodate all your information such as address, clinic or office hours, mobile phone number, office number and home number. All these information should be presented in a clear manner, with font style and font size that makes the business card readable. When it comes to presentation, you can put some personality in your business card by adding some personal touch. For example, if you are a pediatrician, you could put a small image of a baby or cartoon character. Obstetricians can place images of mothers and babies as well. There are so many creative ideas that would be perfect for your business card.
A patient who relies on your services would appreciate a business card that is made of durable cardboard material. You can have your business card custom-made at the nearest store which offers such services.
For more convenience, you can create your own design using your computer and even view samples over the internet. There are free downloadable software that could make it even easier for you. As soon as you have created a template for your business card, you can now take it to a printing shop. Some shops offer bigger discounts if you order in bulk. You should avail of such discounts since it would save you money and time as well. Or you could always arrange for a standing order so that everytime your supply runs low, you could call and have them print another butch of business cards

The number of web designers have increased in the past years mainly because more and more people have discovered the benefits of doing business online. If you look around, you will notice that the most successful web designers in the business are those who are very creative and original. The different software available in the market could never duplicate natural talent and skills. Many web designers today have chosen to be self-employed. It could be quite difficult at the beginning. But as soon as they have established themselves, customers would be pouring in.
If you are considering establishing yourself as a freelancer, you should have both the talent and the equipment to be successful. Another important and basic tool you should get is a business card that reflects your positive qualities. Business cards are the most cost-effective tool you can utilize especially if you have no client base yet.
An effective business card design for web designers will be something that would make an impression with potential clients. If you want a design that accents your creativity, then you could have a colored business card that simply contain basic information such as your name and contact details. However, if you want the potential clients to focus on your skills and experience, you can put some additional information at the back of the business card. Information like the different software you are familiar with and also whether you are both proficient in using both PC and Mac applications. Different styles can range from classic to contemporary. If you can not decide, you can always mix and match.
As a web designer, you have the advantage of creating a business card design that is unique. You can always browse the internet for ideas and resources. There are plenty of downloadable software programs offered for free. With your creative skills and latest software, your business card would be very effective in advertising your services.
Just make sure you that the design does not distract form the most important elements in your business card – your name and contact details. Also choose a font size and style that is perfectly readable. Avoid using fonts that are cursive. If you must, make sure that it compliments your chosen color and style. Most importantly, try to use a material that is durable and doesn’t make the ink look blotchy or faded

One thing that I’ve learned after 35 years in advertising is that no business wants to pay more than they have to for promotional expenses. It’s understandable considering all the various marketing options and the associated costs. A business has so many fixed overhead expenses from insurance to rent to employees that advertising is often left to the very end. The sad truth is that without proper promotion, the business can’t survive. I sold Yellow Page ads for 25 years and was invariably told that the ads were just too expensive. I used to ask, compared to what? It was then that I realized that I needed to educate my clients.
What I ended up doing was justifying the investment through the use of the ROI or the “return on investment” technique. In basic layman’s terms, it works like this. Suppose you have purchased a newspaper ad for $100. Say you’re a florist and profit $10 on average per order. So you now need 10 orders to offset the cost of the ad. That’s the simplified version and it can be applied to almost any other media: TV, radio, Yellow Pages, direct mail, and so forth. It requires that you know the exact costs and your own profits. If the marketing program takes place over several days, weeks or months, the plan is the same.
First, decide which media is most appropriate for your kind of product or service. Then figure your average profit. For instance, if you’re a plumber and the average job is $150, what is the profit after you have paid for the parts, truck and employee? Let’s assume it’s $50 left. So, if you are looking at a $500 per month Yellow Page ad, the first 10 jobs per month would break you even. But it’s a bit more complex than that. If that YP book reaches 100,000 people for $500, but another directory covers 500,000 people and the ad is $1500, which is the better deal? Sure, now you have to get 30 jobs to offset the charge, but you are seen by 400,000 more potential customers. Therefore, the ROI is far more optimist with so many more people seeing your ad.
As a result, the ROI is important when considering an overall budget of a media mix. Also look at other potential profit areas, The local home remodeler might consider spending more in a pricier, high-end magazine that reaches fewer home-owners, but those living in expensive homes. Why? Because his profit might be greater, per job. For example, his Yellow Page ad reaches everyone and he figures he makes $10,000 profit on an average home and therefore uses a 5 to 1 ROI for his YP program. So, he spends $50,000 on an annual YP ad distributed to 500,000 and needs 5 jobs to cover that YP cost. But, in the glossy magazine that goes to only 10,000 upper-level consumers, he might reap a $30,000 profit per job. He still spent $50,000 on a quarterly distribution for a year, but only needs 3 jobs or a 3 to 1 ROI. Have you got that? The type of media dictated the ROI based on a reconfigured profit margin. The media determines the average customer and the market.
Your radio, TV, magazine or YP rep can give you the demographic numbers and the reach for each media. They can show you the spending habits of the typical listener or reader, which will allow you to design an ad around the person you are trying to attract. Then the ROI should be used to establish the amount you are willing to invest in the short or long run. Each media can be used for different time frames. Some have fixed dates of delivery and longevity such as Yellow Pages, magazines and newspapers. Others, like direct mail, and TV can be purchased with relatively short notice, depending on availability.
What ever route you take, the ROI is the most important rule of thumb, followed closely by a tracking method to monitor your results. Without that, you have no way of knowing how well the ad worked and whether or not you covered your ROI. If you’re interested in learning more, I wrote a book on how I worked with my Yellow Page clients for 25 years on developing this type of strategy. Even if you use other media, it may be of interest to you as well. Visit poweradbook.com to learn more and remember that the advertising cost is something that is an investment in your business and not just an overhead expense. The ROI will become your ally in deciding where to allocate you funds and can ultimately save you a small fortune

Digital signage is a relatively new form of advertising that allows companies to use electronic screens to broadcast information, commercials, or anything else of their choosing to large amounts of people. This kind of advertisement is spreading to different venues like wild fire. From malls to restaurants to airports to post offices, digital signage is sweeping the advertising market. But where did it all start? Digital signage was used in the 1970’s in stores with VCRs and televisions to attract customers but it was always on a closed circuit and everything was pre-recorded. It wasn’t until recent years that companies were able to display high quality content that was supported by a broadband internet connection.
Digital billboards and interactive screens are relatively new. People and companies are just starting to realize the potential digital signage has. This kind of advertising could revolutionize the consumer market in the span of a few years. We have all seen the huge screens in places like Times Square and Las Vegas, but now, they are everywhere, directing you in places that you may or may not want to go. Even five years ago, this kind of advertising would have been too expensive considering LCD and Plasma screens were either experimental technology or too costly to be worth the investment.
Now, thanks to the availability of high speed internet, a large digital signage network has emerged on and around the internet. Many companies are now linked together because they use this kind of signage. These networks are now developing new strategies along with better digital signage software in order to maximize effectiveness and, ultimately, profit. Now that LCD and Plasma screens have decreased in price, they are more affordable now and the investment for businesses is more reasonable. Right now, Microsoft, Cisco, and Google are all trying to chase the market because of the potential this market has to offer.
At the moment, Cisco has gotten a steady foot-hold on the digital signage market. They are the ones who have created the device which allows for images and videos from the internet to be directly imported into a large LCD or plasma screen. They have now eliminated the need for costly computers and a lot of the security risks of using digital signage in airports and retail stores.
Digital signage has come a long way from pre-recorded closed circuit advertising. It has become an advertising monster and could end up influencing people more than they want it to

Offline Advertising for Online Business
If you have an online business and you’re trying to get traffic to your site, you want to advertise. Many people think this means that you have to advertise on the web or via some electronic medium. But advertising is advertising whether it’s on the web, in an email, on a sign, on TV, at a trade show, or in a magazine.
Your choice of advertising – online or offline – should not be driven by which media it is on. Rather, where you advertise should be driven by what audience you seek. The media that can you get you closest to the audience you need at the best price, is the media you should use.
How can you tell the audience of a given media? Believe it or not, there’s numbers available for everything. A few examples include the following:
Magazine’s: Get a media kit for the publisher – they’ll generally offer extensive detail about their readership.
Online newsletters: Likewise. Get the demographics of their opt-in list.
Billboards: Drive-by traffic data is available from most billboard providers.
Rented lists: Demographics and characteristics including “selects” (filters that can be applied) are generally available.
Radio/TV: Viewership & “Reach” demographics are almost always available.
The point is that your choice of advertising needs to be driven by the numbers. To make an intelligent choice, get the numbers and examine them to see if they describe characteristics of your audience. Then do a test. Run a trial offer through the media and see what happens. If it’s good, do more of it. If not, try the next venue

Are your advertisements “creative”? By the term “creative”, I mean do they really stand out on the page or in the listener’s ear? Are they noticeable, memorable, and impression-making? In order for your ads to be productive for your business, they have to be first noticed, then understood, then accepted as valid or valuable, then acted upon. They eventually should result in making sales of your product or service. Do you remember all those dot.com television ads on the Super Bowl a few years ago? Each of those thirty second spots cost more than $ 2 million to air. Granted, this was the largest audience in the world, so the advertisers’ reach was the farthest possible. But who were they reaching? How much of that money was wasted because only 40% of their target group was watching or couldn’t buy? Our focus here today, though, is with the creative aspect of the ad. On the day after the telecast, who remembered the ads? I only remembered the “dog puppet” driving in a truck. It might have been the most creative spot; but who was the sponsor? [I know that it was Pets.com, but most people tested after the telecast, couldn’t recall what the sock puppet was about. Where is Pets.com today? Go ahead, click on it and check it out.] It’s not enough to have an ad that is noticed and even remembered, if you don’t link it up with the company paying for the ad. This sock puppet ad wanted us to remember this funny, creative ad in direct connection with Pets.com…a place to buy everything for your pet. They probably succeeded better than all the other dotcoms who spent huge sums to get some attention.
When you are planning your ads either with the media representative or your own advisors (such as an ad agency or creative house), give them explicit marching orders and directions as to what you want to accomplish with your ad. Be precise in terms of how many and what goals you want to reach. Remember that most ads are not capable of accomplishing all your goals in one ad. Some ads may be designed just to get attention and link you as the sponsor. Others may be part of an ongoing “campaign” building on each other to continue actions on the part of the prospective consumer. Still others are produced to elicit a very specific response: immediate sales. Some call this “retail” advertising. This is supposed to stimulate immediate action on the part of the customer to buy something...now. An example would be a special sale that has a definite beginning and end. “One day only. Derf’s is offering all shoes in their Main Street store at 70% off regular prices. This is truly a gate-crasher’s special. Remember, the sale ends precisely at 6 p.m. tomorrow!” This is obviously designed to produce the immediate sales of shoes.
Sometimes it’s wise to have a brand-building ad in front of your audience every week, so they know you are still a pillar of the community; how to reach you; what you stand for; where you’re located. This type of advertising is usually only suggested when you have a long-established brand name that you’ve developed over years. You can then afford to simply “announce” your continued presence. Don’t try brand image advertising if you’re a start-up, or you have not yet built a strong reputation in the marketplace. Use announcement and informational ads to establish your identity and advantages. This can be where a great web site comes in handy. Use your print, radio or television ad to direct visitors to your web site. It should go without saying, that in every ad you produce from now on, always include your web site address

When you consider all the many types of animation that are being used for advertising these days clay animation is the one that people seem to enjoy the most. It is the kind of creative stuff that people remember long after they have seen it. In the world of advertising where the general idea is to get people to remember the product you are advertising, clay animation can be a goldmine.
We all remember the California Raisins advertising campaign in the eighties where a lovable bunch of clay animated raisins danced their way into the hearts of Americans nationwide. The California raisin industry had been in a slump for some time until they decided to use clay animation with an aggressive advertising campaign that included a series of television commercials featuring a group of raisins dancing to the Marvin Gay hit I Heard it Through the Grapevine. These commercials just had a certain look to them that can only be classified as eye candy. The colorful, three dimensional clay figures and the way they moved on the television screen created a unique look that had people glued to their seats during these spots. They were an instant hit and they brought the California Raisin industry back in the money so to speak.
There have been a lot of technological advances made in the animation industry over the past few decades. Computers have made the process of creating animation much simpler these days. During the 20th Century all animation was done completely by hand, by human beings one frame at a time. Now there are computer programs that you can buy for about a hundred dollars that will literally animate for you. This has created a dramatic increase in people who are creating animation. This animation is showing up more and more these days in television commercials and promos.
While computer generated animation is showing up in television commercials and promos like never before, only a few clay animation spots are being seen. This is due mainly to the fact that clay animation is an extremely labor intensive form of animation. There is a huge amount of pre-production and production work involved with this type of project. There are many miniature sets and sculptures that must be made and every frame of animation must be planned out thoroughly before it is shot. Each figure must be manipulated into different positions and filmed one frame at a time using a hands on technique that involves moving the clay figures and replacing them with different ones. This effort creates the illusion that the sculptures are alive, and this is what gives it the unique attraction. These figures are three dimensional, made of clay and look as though they could almost exist in the real world.
With any advertising project that is undertaken more labor means higher production costs. With that in mind most advertisers opt for the cheaper and faster computer animation. The down side of these other types of animation that are fast and affordable is that repetition leads to a disinterested audience. This is the last thing any advertiser wants when they spend a bunch of time and money on a television commercial.
Clay animation may cost a little more to produce but the effect is well worth the money. Any product that is advertised with a commercial or promo of this type can often see great results from their efforts. In recent years Fox Sports used a clay animation promo campaign to advertise their NFL shows. They had Terry Bradshaw and the gang in clay running around doing crazy stuff and the results were magnificent. Today their NFL shows are some of the top rated sports shows on television.
There are many impressive computer programs available these days that will allow animators to produce top quality animation for television commercials and promos. But there is one inherent drawback to this wonderful technological revolution and that is the fact that animation created using these techniques all begins to blend together after a while. Too much of a good thing is never a good thing. Also, there are a lot of behind the scenes television shows these days that explain exactly how computer animation is produced and this can have a dulling affect when the viewer sees the animation later on. It is like someone is pulling back the curtain and exposing the mystery for all to understand. There is some loss of the suspension of disbelief from the viewers when they realize that computers are the wizards that produce the spectacular effects they see with most of the animation on television today.
When a clay animation promo or commercial comes along it usually captures the attention of television viewers. There is a certain mysterious attraction that keeps people watching whenever one comes on the screen. The California Raisins, Chicken Run, Wallace and Grommet and The Nightmare Before Christmas are all examples of eye candy clay animation that have garnered great critical and financial rewards. While these projects may have cost a little more than the average animation project to produce they proved to be well worth the effort. They are all animated classics that are household names.
The next time you see some clay animation on television record it and then play it back one frame at a time. As you are watching each frame you should realize that an actual human being had their hands on the figures moving them meticulously between each frame. There is a lot of effort involved in this process, and it really shows in the final product. Viewers take notice when they see it, and they remember it long afterwards. In the world of television advertising where most of the animation looks the same, clay animation is a breath of fresh air that stands out from the rest of them.

Digital signage is new and experimental way to reach people when they are outside of their homes. Usually, this kind of advertisement consists of colorful banners, videos with or without audio and simple text messages that are displayed on electronic screens, displaying different advertisements at different times toward target audiences. Although Digital signage does initially cost more than the traditional television, radio, or old fashioned word of mouth advertising, it has been proven to have a greater return on the original investment. A firm could also choose to use more Dynamic digital signage which includes high definition resolution, 3D environments, and impressive audio tools to heighten the quality of ads. These signs are more effective because they are flashy and can grab people’s attention easily from across a crowded mall.
Many companies are now trying to develop digital signage software to keep up with the changing advertising world. The goal is to create cutting edge software that will attract broader audiences for whatever products or information a firm is trying to promote.
Plasma screens and LCD displays are used right now in order to do a variety of things. They can easily broadcast information, link advertising of third party companies that are affiliated with a certain company, enhance a customer’s experience at a certain store or restaurant. Many restaurants now are using digital signage in order to reduce wait times by displaying menu demonstrations in order to allow people more time to decide before they order. It can also influence the behavior of a customer by displaying commands. The post office has adopted this type of signage because it easily directs a person toward automated stamp and mailing machines which shortens the line for other customers. Nike now uses video advertising in their stores as well in order to provide and build back story for their brand.
But the Digital signage solution still has many issues that are making firms hesitant to switch to it. For one, the initial investment would be staggering for large restaurants like McDonald’s or any other chain restaurant. Since it’s relatively new, it hasn’t been widely accepted by advertisers to be, hands down, better than television or newspaper ads. Plus, the technology required to run these screens are rather complicated, making it more likely for things to break, causing down-time.
Digital signage is a revolutionary technique in advertising that will eventually take over traditional ways after it becomes more readily available at a reasonable cost. Look out consumers

If you’re putting together a display for an upcoming convention or trade show, consider these three rules: keep it simple, keep it colorful, and keep it dramatic.
Conventions and trade shows generally take place in huge rooms, and small, overly busy displays can get dwarfed by the surroundings and by other displays. Your display needs to be sized proportionally to fit well with the other displays, and whatever lettering and photos or other art work incorporated into the display need to be seen and read or understood from across the room. Be sure to add plenty of color; broad areas of solid color are best as background for your informational material. Ideally the display should reflect the color scheme your company has chosen for its logo and other corporate marketing materials. If your media image is rather staid, brighten it up by using rich background display material. Of course, the background has to fit in with your image—rich golds and greens, perhaps, for a solid banking persona, something more high tech for a computer hardware manufacturing firm.

The Family is a very important thing in a childs life. They need to be showed love and affection . If we spend time with our children maybe we can keep them from doing so many things wrong like drinking and doing drugs. You can get involved in their school functions and do extra things with them like joining cub scouts,playing baseball, soccer,going to the lake, going to kentucky kingdom, or just doing things around the house together.
Try to have supper around the same time every night and have them sit at the table with you as a family and that will give you quality time together also. We joined cub scouts with our boys and we were in it for five years and let me tell you that was the best five years of our lives because their dad spent alot of time with them because he was a leader and that gave them quality time to spend together. We went camping, fishing, had car races, went to the caves ,went to the museaums,we had meetings and done all kinds of things when we were at the meetings.
You can take them to Kentucky kingdom and have a really fun time there because you can swim, ride rides, play games and have a picinic together and they will love that. We take our boys boating and fishing and they enjoy it . We try to go at least four times a week when they are off for the summer time. If they want to take a friend we let them because that way then the other child is not at home by their self either. There is another thing that is big with the kids now days that is paint ball guns. We all have paint ball guns and we have a field to build a fort and we all go up there and play we have a ball.
Paint ball guns gives the kids a chance to get even with the parents because they can hit them with paint balls and it be alright and the kids love that. They also have indoor paint ball fields in Kentucky that you can take the kids to when it is cold or rainy out and you want to go paint balling. I guess the whole ideal is to spend as much time with our children as we can because once we are gone all they will have is memories and we want them to be good ones right

Business cards have been used both as a common form of advertising and as a means of exchanging contact information between business people and the public. More recently, with the introduction and increased popularity of plastic business cards, businesses have discovered a newer, durable and longer lasting way to make a memorable impression.
There has been a significant increase in the use of plastic business cards. The once-common business card has now evolved into a visually striking and powerful marketing medium.
Plastic business cards also provide a permanence and durability that effectively brand a company’s identity and message in new and exciting ways. The use of color, combined with a variety of clear and tinted formats, allows for a very creative approach to many different types of messaging, branding and image building.
A business card that looks and feels like a credit card is perceived as having a high value, increasing the chances that the card will be kept by the customer. It is also more unlikely that the card will be discarded.
Value-based offers via plastic cards are especially powerful with this type of marketing. If you receive a professionally designed plastic card by hand or by mail, and the card includes a discount of offer, chances are you will keep it for future use. That is the real power of plastic value cards.
Meanwhile, the applications and practicality of plastic cards extends far beyond the simple business card. Plastic cards have changed significantly over the years. Now, it is difficult to even think about modern life without the availability and convenience of plastic cards.
Today, consumers pay for at least half of their purchases with plastic cards. Most large retailers, online retailers and supermarkets accept plastic cards for purchases.
The early versions of plastic cards were very different than the popular plastic cards in widespread use today. Those early plastic cards have transformed into plastic cards that utilize sophisticated technology on all levels

Why Is It That Only A Handful Do?
The market for copywriters, who can write mega-quick, money making emails, is HUGE.
There are literally thousands of business owners and online entrepreneurs searching for quality writers to provide this service for them.
But, quite frankly, most business owners have a difficult time creating timely, effective, money making emails. And here’s the reason why…
It’s because business owners are hoping, wishing and praying that what they have personally written, will sell. Or, that they’ve hired the wrong person to do it all for them.
It’s a proven fact (and it just makes total commonsense) that that the more NON INTRUSIVE contact a business owner has with their customers, the more the likelihood of greater profits.
So how then, can an online business owner take advantage of the phenomenal opportunity that email provides? And, taking into account that, up to now, sending email, is FREE!
What if I tell you that there are a number of secrets that you need to know? And, once you, or any person you’re looking to hire, can include these secrets into every future email that’s sent out, you can look forward to bumper paydays, again and again and again.
Here then, are…
7 Super Effective Email Copywriting Secrets You Must Use If You Want To Make More Money, More Quickly, More Easily… Starting Today!
1. Write Like You Talk
It’s no big secret that people respond to other people who are ‘just like them’. Or, who give the impression that they’re just like them.
Try getting into a convention room of lawyers and doctors and speaking to them in the ‘Oi mate, what’s yer fees like’… language. Odds are you won’t get a great reception, and… one thing’s for sure – you WON’T be asked back next year!
Same story if you’re trying to communicate to them in print.
However, if you ‘speak’ (write) to your audience in a language and in a tone that’s suitable, appropriate and has them thinking ‘ he’s just like us’ then, the flood gates of receptivity will be kept wide open for you where they’ll be listening to all you have to say, for as long as you want to keep communicating to them.
2. Don’t Bore… Entertain!
The common disease in business, and in life for that matter, is that we’re all turned OFF by anything and anyone that doesn’t hold our attention for long enough. We all detest those who … BORE.
Whether it’s TV, newspapers, books, videos, songs, sales letters and promotional literature, friends, family or relatives… it doesn’t matter. If it bores us, they lose us!
With emails, it’s really easy for our audience to switch us off whenever they like. We can’t allow that to happen, especially if we’re looking for healthy ongoing profits and the love and loyalty of an army of customers and prospects.
And look, when I say ‘entertain’ I don’t mean ‘clown funny ha ha’. I mean that you add zest, energy, a rush of adrenalin to your emails that will not only endear, attract and excite your audience, it’ll have them on the look out for whatever you’ll be sending them next
3. Don’t Ramble, Keep On the Straight and Narrow
We all have a little self-importance. The big problem happens when we feel that everyone wants to hear what we have to say, whether it’s meaningful, important… or not.
Out of courtesy, people do put up with it for a while, but, fairly soon they’ll mentally switch off and… will be tuning out of your communication frequency without you ever coming to know.
Well, there is one sure-fire way of finding out – SALES PLUMMET!
Most of us get turned off by ramblers.
The way to avoid rambling in your emails is to keep with the core thrust of your message and not lead people off into several different tangents. Most people have trouble concentrating on one thing at a time, let alone several.
4. Add Liberal Doses of Your Personality!
The Internet seems to generate online businesses that are generally perceived as nameless, faceless entities. There seems to be looming this ever increasing impersonal barrier.
And, that’s an especially important consideration when using email to communicate.
Saying that, there’s a simple way you can change all that and have your audience begging to hear what you have to say. Doesn’t it excite you that people can be hanging on your every word, wondering what you’re going to say next, what your opinions are, what you’re going to recommend?
If you’re using mainly text based emails rather than the all singing, all dancing multiple bells and whistles HTML format, you’re going to have to fuse your personality into your emails like never before. (With HTML based emails, you can create the illusion of personality, however believable it is)
People identify with a ‘personality’. Now I’m not saying that you have to be a Richard Branson or a Madonna. You be who you are and serve the marketplace you operate in, using your own unique personality.
Given a choice, we’d all love to receive communication and buy products and services from people with spark, energy, with authentic adrenalin… than with those with, weak, uninteresting and lacklustre personalities.
5. Include a Reason for People to Respond to Your Emails
With writing and sending emails, it’s important to give people a reason for responding.
There are times where you’ll send information and education based emails. Though, there are more times when you’ll want to send selling or ‘offer’ based emails.
It’s then when you’ll need to be clear in your communication as to what you want the reader to do next. Whether it’s to pick up the phone and claim their gift, send for a report, go to a webpage, download the latest whitepaper, fax for details, look out for a series of emails, buy the product…
Whatever it is you want your recipient of your email to do, you must be clear and succinct in delivering that instruction for there’s no earthly reason to get people to read your emails without asking for some sort of action, some sort of response.
6. Break Up Your Email into Digestible Blocks
It’s easy to get carried away when communicating by email. I mean, it’s somewhat contagious. We can write for pages on end, and all of it can be highly relevant, extremely targeted, and extraordinarily timely.
But… there’s no joy for the reader when they’re faced with a multiple tower blocks of email copy that goes on forever, where there’s no relevant paragraph breaks, no eye relief, no ease of reading.
I don’t know if you know it but the brain digests information in small, bite sized pieces.
If you look back on your school days, we were told how to remember the spelling of a long word… do you remember how it goes? Well, they tell you to break the word up into small chunks and then remember each chunk.
With email, it’s absolutely the same – break it down into bite sized pieces.
You don’t want people leaving your message to the side, rubbing their sore eyes with no intention of ever responding to your crafted email masterpiece.
7. Go Back and Check What You’ve Written!
It’s easy to be in the zone, typing your email as fast and as furious as your fingers will let you. And, it’s easy to get so pumped that you click the SEND button without ever checking what you’ve written.
In some instances, that could spell DISASTER.
Saying that, there are a handful of copywriters and business owners who simply type their emails in a stream of free flow consciousness…and… without editing, without reviewing, without giving it the once over – they send it… and it still brings in the dough!
It takes a certain amount of expertise to get your email copywriting skills to those levels. However, until you reach that level of expertise, it’s good to give your emails a proofread.
When you do, you can eliminate the howlers, the gremlins, the grammatical bloopers and can smooth it all out so your emails read like your audience is on the top of a greased slide – WHOOSH!... and, they had a great experience also!
Final Thoughts
Staying in constant touch with your prospects and customers is vital. Email is the essential tool to help you do it. Effective copywriting is the skill that’ll make your emails profitable.
Whether you do it yourself, or hire someone to do it for you, you’ll find that having a successful online business is dependent on writing effective emails. And, once you’re in possession of this skill, you’ll own the keys to making today, tomorrow, the future… an extremely profitable one

Are your advertisements “creative”? By the term “creative”, I mean do they really stand out on the page or in the listener’s ear? Are they noticeable, memorable, and impression-making? In order for your ads to be productive for your business, they have to be first noticed, then understood, then accepted as valid or valuable, then acted upon. They eventually should result in making sales of your product or service. Do you remember all those dot.com television ads on the Super Bowl a few years ago? Each of those thirty second spots cost more than $ 2 million to air. Granted, this was the largest audience in the world, so the advertisers’ reach was the farthest possible. But who were they reaching? How much of that money was wasted because only 40% of their target group was watching or couldn’t buy? Our focus here today, though, is with the creative aspect of the ad. On the day after the telecast, who remembered the ads? I only remembered the “dog puppet” driving in a truck. It might have been the most creative spot; but who was the sponsor? [I know that it was Pets.com, but most people tested after the telecast, couldn’t recall what the sock puppet was about. Where is Pets.com today? Go ahead, click on it and check it out.] It’s not enough to have an ad that is noticed and even remembered, if you don’t link it up with the company paying for the ad. This sock puppet ad wanted us to remember this funny, creative ad in direct connection with Pets.com…a place to buy everything for your pet. They probably succeeded better than all the other dotcoms who spent huge sums to get some attention.
When you are planning your ads either with the media representative or your own advisors (such as an ad agency or creative house), give them explicit marching orders and directions as to what you want to accomplish with your ad. Be precise in terms of how many and what goals you want to reach. Remember that most ads are not capable of accomplishing all your goals in one ad. Some ads may be designed just to get attention and link you as the sponsor. Others may be part of an ongoing “campaign” building on each other to continue actions on the part of the prospective consumer. Still others are produced to elicit a very specific response: immediate sales. Some call this “retail” advertising. This is supposed to stimulate immediate action on the part of the customer to buy something...now. An example would be a special sale that has a definite beginning and end. “One day only. Derf’s is offering all shoes in their Main Street store at 70% off regular prices. This is truly a gate-crasher’s special. Remember, the sale ends precisely at 6 p.m. tomorrow!” This is obviously designed to produce the immediate sales of shoes.
Sometimes it’s wise to have a brand-building ad in front of your audience every week, so they know you are still a pillar of the community; how to reach you; what you stand for; where you’re located. This type of advertising is usually only suggested when you have a long-established brand name that you’ve developed over years. You can then afford to simply “announce” your continued presence. Don’t try brand image advertising if you’re a start-up, or you have not yet built a strong reputation in the marketplace. Use announcement and informational ads to establish your identity and advantages. This can be where a great web site comes in handy. Use your print, radio or television ad to direct visitors to your web site. It should go without saying, that in every ad you produce from now on, always include your web site address.
Creativity is an important part of producing ads that work.However, being toocreative can be a trap; being not creative enough relegates you to the garbage can. Finding the best recipe can be tricky; but extremely rewarding. ©Copyright, Roy MacNaughton, 2007

When you consider all the many types of animation that are being used for advertising these days clay animation is the one that people seem to enjoy the most. It is the kind of creative stuff that people remember long after they have seen it. In the world of advertising where the general idea is to get people to remember the product you are advertising, clay animation can be a goldmine.
We all remember the California Raisins advertising campaign in the eighties where a lovable bunch of clay animated raisins danced their way into the hearts of Americans nationwide. The California raisin industry had been in a slump for some time until they decided to use clay animation with an aggressive advertising campaign that included a series of television commercials featuring a group of raisins dancing to the Marvin Gay hit I Heard it Through the Grapevine. These commercials just had a certain look to them that can only be classified as eye candy. The colorful, three dimensional clay figures and the way they moved on the television screen created a unique look that had people glued to their seats during these spots. They were an instant hit and they brought the California Raisin industry back in the money so to speak.
There have been a lot of technological advances made in the animation industry over the past few decades. Computers have made the process of creating animation much simpler these days. During the 20th Century all animation was done completely by hand, by human beings one frame at a time. Now there are computer programs that you can buy for about a hundred dollars that will literally animate for you. This has created a dramatic increase in people who are creating animation. This animation is showing up more and more these days in television commercials and promos.
While computer generated animation is showing up in television commercials and promos like never before, only a few clay animation spots are being seen. This is due mainly to the fact that clay animation is an extremely labor intensive form of animation. There is a huge amount of pre-production and production work involved with this type of project. There are many miniature sets and sculptures that must be made and every frame of animation must be planned out thoroughly before it is shot. Each figure must be manipulated into different positions and filmed one frame at a time using a hands on technique that involves moving the clay figures and replacing them with different ones. This effort creates the illusion that the sculptures are alive, and this is what gives it the unique attraction. These figures are three dimensional, made of clay and look as though they could almost exist in the real world.
With any advertising project that is undertaken more labor means higher production costs. With that in mind most advertisers opt for the cheaper and faster computer animation. The down side of these other types of animation that are fast and affordable is that repetition leads to a disinterested audience. This is the last thing any advertiser wants when they spend a bunch of time and money on a television commercial.
Clay animation may cost a little more to produce but the effect is well worth the money. Any product that is advertised with a commercial or promo of this type can often see great results from their efforts. In recent years Fox Sports used a clay animation promo campaign to advertise their NFL shows. They had Terry Bradshaw and the gang in clay running around doing crazy stuff and the results were magnificent. Today their NFL shows are some of the top rated sports shows on television.
There are many impressive computer programs available these days that will allow animators to produce top quality animation for television commercials and promos. But there is one inherent drawback to this wonderful technological revolution and that is the fact that animation created using these techniques all begins to blend together after a while. Too much of a good thing is never a good thing. Also, there are a lot of behind the scenes television shows these days that explain exactly how computer animation is produced and this can have a dulling affect when the viewer sees the animation later on. It is like someone is pulling back the curtain and exposing the mystery for all to understand. There is some loss of the suspension of disbelief from the viewers when they realize that computers are the wizards that produce the spectacular effects they see with most of the animation on television today.
When a clay animation promo or commercial comes along it usually captures the attention of television viewers. There is a certain mysterious attraction that keeps people watching whenever one comes on the screen. The California Raisins, Chicken Run, Wallace and Grommet and The Nightmare Before Christmas are all examples of eye candy clay animation that have garnered great critical and financial rewards. While these projects may have cost a little more than the average animation project to produce they proved to be well worth the effort. They are all animated classics that are household names.
The next time you see some clay animation on television record it and then play it back one frame at a time. As you are watching each frame you should realize that an actual human being had their hands on the figures moving them meticulously between each frame. There is a lot of effort involved in this process, and it really shows in the final product. Viewers take notice when they see it, and they remember it long afterwards. In the world of television advertising where most of the animation looks the same, clay animation is a breath of fresh air that stands out from the rest of them.

Digital signage is new and experimental way to reach people when they are outside of their homes. Usually, this kind of advertisement consists of colorful banners, videos with or without audio and simple text messages that are displayed on electronic screens, displaying different advertisements at different times toward target audiences. Although Digital signage does initially cost more than the traditional television, radio, or old fashioned word of mouth advertising, it has been proven to have a greater return on the original investment. A firm could also choose to use more Dynamic digital signage which includes high definition resolution, 3D environments, and impressive audio tools to heighten the quality of ads. These signs are more effective because they are flashy and can grab people’s attention easily from across a crowded mall.
Many companies are now trying to develop digital signage software to keep up with the changing advertising world. The goal is to create cutting edge software that will attract broader audiences for whatever products or information a firm is trying to promote.
Plasma screens and LCD displays are used right now in order to do a variety of things. They can easily broadcast information, link advertising of third party companies that are affiliated with a certain company, enhance a customer’s experience at a certain store or restaurant. Many restaurants now are using digital signage in order to reduce wait times by displaying menu demonstrations in order to allow people more time to decide before they order. It can also influence the behavior of a customer by displaying commands. The post office has adopted this type of signage because it easily directs a person toward automated stamp and mailing machines which shortens the line for other customers. Nike now uses video advertising in their stores as well in order to provide and build back story for their brand.
But the Digital signage solution still has many issues that are making firms hesitant to switch to it. For one, the initial investment would be staggering for large restaurants like McDonald’s or any other chain restaurant. Since it’s relatively new, it hasn’t been widely accepted by advertisers to be, hands down, better than television or newspaper ads. Plus, the technology required to run these screens are rather complicated, making it more likely for things to break, causing down-time.
Digital signage is a revolutionary technique in advertising that will eventually take over traditional ways after it becomes more readily available at a reasonable cost. Look out consumers

If you’re putting together a display for an upcoming convention or trade show, consider these three rules: keep it simple, keep it colorful, and keep it dramatic.
Conventions and trade shows generally take place in huge rooms, and small, overly busy displays can get dwarfed by the surroundings and by other displays. Your display needs to be sized proportionally to fit well with the other displays, and whatever lettering and photos or other art work incorporated into the display need to be seen and read or understood from across the room. Be sure to add plenty of color; broad areas of solid color are best as background for your informational material. Ideally the display should reflect the color scheme your company has chosen for its logo and other corporate marketing materials. If your media image is rather staid, brighten it up by using rich background display material. Of course, the background has to fit in with your image—rich golds and greens, perhaps, for a solid banking persona, something more high tech for a computer hardware manufacturing firm.

Have you ever left your business card at home/office while you’re attending some occasion which you knew you would meet some people that have good prospect for your business? Or even worst, you left it while you’re about to see a new client?
If you have, I’m sure it hurts you so bad…
Business Card is like a key to open the gateway for your business. It is a first impression for whatever business you are running. It is very important to have business card that represents your company in anyway.
As a primary tool for starting your business, your business cards must contain all the significant details about your business. The following are the needs that your cards that must have.
DesignPlease consider the type of company you have. If it is a well established company, then you’re going to need design that not too fancy but not too dull either. In this case you have to choose a bit traditional and conservative kind of design. It gives a psychological affect to your client that your company is a reliable. With the reputation of your company, you don’t need to attract client with your business card design. On the other way, if you are just starting your business, you might need to use design that can grab your clients’ attention in order to keep on reminding them of what possible services you can provide.
Some designers would take this opportunity to design business card with uncommon size and shape. Well…, nothing’s wrong with that in term of creativity, but when we’re talking about function, it might have some disadvantages. For example, if the size is bigger than the regular size, then how it would be stored?! Or it wouldn’t be handy anymore, would it?! On the opposite, if it is smaller, it could be lost easily.
ColorPlease consider to use your corporate color as a color scheme on your business card. If the corporate color has very light brown color, you might use broken white paper in order to reduce the production cost by not using too many colors.
PaperUse a good quality paper. Your business cards are distributed by the hand. They reach for people of different places through one hand to the other. In order to keep your cards from being crumpled and torn, the paper must be durable enough. You have to consider the weight of the paper.
ContentPut any information needed on your card such as company name/logo, your name and position, address, phone number and e-mail address (if any). Arrange all those information neatly in order to easy to read by your clients.
Now…, after you have your business card well designed and printed, don’t you dare leaving home without it… Because you never know who you’re going to meet!

The first postcards
The first postcards really weren’t postcards as we know them at all. The idea came from envelopes that featured printed pictures. The first card sent post in the United States was privately printed and copyrighted in 1861. It certainly didn’t have anything to do with postcard marketing. Indeed, many postcards first evolved as sort of greeting cards. It wasn’t until 1870 when the first postcard as we would recognize it, was printed. And it was more of a historical issue for the Franco-German War. But marketing is a powerful force, and it only took three years for postcard marketing to get its start.
The dawn of postcard marketing
Postcard marketing got its official start in 1872, when a postcard advertisement appeared in Great Britain. These first advertisement postcards appeared in black and white, or with only one color. It wasn’t until 1889 that a multi-colored postcard was printed. And even then, because of the expense involved, postcard marketing did not embrace multi-colored postcards.
Early hindrances to postcard marketing
Postcard marketing did not take off immediately in the United States. It took a while to develop because early postal regulations made it difficult to create attractive advertisements on postcards. Happily, nearly all of the obstacles to cost-efficient postcard marketing have been overcome. Some of the hindrances to postcard marketing included:
The expense of quality color printing
Could only print the message on one side of the postcard (the side with the picture or illustration)
An undivided back for addressing only
Cost the same as mailing a letter
Required a long and prohibitive identification phrase on the back
Changes that encouraged postcard marketing
As countries in Europe changed the regulations and design of postcards, the United Stated gradually followed suit. And this is when postcard marketing began truly developing into the inexpensive and effective advertising medium that it is today. A divided back that allowed for a message as well as an address, and no longer requiring the identification phrase helped create more room for a sales message. And, the postal service decided that privately printed postcards could be sent for less postage, making them more cost efficient. And don’t forget about technological advances! The changes to the quality of paper used and the decrease in price for multi-colored postcards combined to make postcard marketing one of the most cost-efficient advertising methods available.
What postcard marketing offers businesses today
Today, postcard marketing has evolved into an efficient form of advertising that allows for inexpensive production and mailing. It is possible to create attractive postcards for very little (http://www.designsnprint.com offers them for as little as $170 for 5,000 postcards), including full color cards that grab attention. Postcards can be strategically included in both offline and online marketing campaigns to boost quality business leads and increase sales. High quality graphics, photos and lettering can be included in postcard marketing, and postcards offer other advantages as well:
Small size makes it easy to carry
Postcards are easy for recipients to pass along to family and friends
Convenient reminders of your business
Perfect for informing customers of your Web address, and encouraging them to visit your business Web site for more information
Postcards look more friendly than more in-your-face advertisements
For the last century postcard marketing has become more cost-efficient. Now anyone can take advantage of one of the most effective advertising mediums around

Since the health care industry is considered to be people-oriented, health care professionals should try to look very friendly and approachable. If you belong to this industry, you would understand the need for such behavior. Most of the people who need health assistance are in some degree of discomfort and would require you to be very understanding and supportive. Health care professionals should also try to communicate in a soothing voice and at the same time behave accordingly.
Aside from these, you must give importance to your accessibility especially in emergency situations. If you are a doctor, a business card would provide your patients information about how to reach you. Because of the importance of this information, you should consider getting a business card with an effective design. A business card design for people in the health care industry can only be effective if you seriously consider two things: content and presentation.
An effective business card design can accommodate all your information such as address, clinic or office hours, mobile phone number, office number and home number. All these information should be presented in a clear manner, with font style and font size that makes the business card readable. When it comes to presentation, you can put some personality in your business card by adding some personal touch. For example, if you are a pediatrician, you could put a small image of a baby or cartoon character. Obstetricians can place images of mothers and babies as well. There are so many creative ideas that would be perfect for your business card.
A patient who relies on your services would appreciate a business card that is made of durable cardboard material. You can have your business card custom-made at the nearest store which offers such services.
For more convenience, you can create your own design using your computer and even view samples over the internet. There are free downloadable software that could make it even easier for you. As soon as you have created a template for your business card, you can now take it to a printing shop. Some shops offer bigger discounts if you order in bulk. You should avail of such discounts since it would save you money and time as well. Or you could always arrange for a standing order so that everytime your supply runs low, you could call and have them print another butch of business cards.

The number of web designers have increased in the past years mainly because more and more people have discovered the benefits of doing business online. If you look around, you will notice that the most successful web designers in the business are those who are very creative and original. The different software available in the market could never duplicate natural talent and skills. Many web designers today have chosen to be self-employed. It could be quite difficult at the beginning. But as soon as they have established themselves, customers would be pouring in.
If you are considering establishing yourself as a freelancer, you should have both the talent and the equipment to be successful. Another important and basic tool you should get is a business card that reflects your positive qualities. Business cards are the most cost-effective tool you can utilize especially if you have no client base yet.
An effective business card design for web designers will be something that would make an impression with potential clients. If you want a design that accents your creativity, then you could have a colored business card that simply contain basic information such as your name and contact details. However, if you want the potential clients to focus on your skills and experience, you can put some additional information at the back of the business card. Information like the different software you are familiar with and also whether you are both proficient in using both PC and Mac applications. Different styles can range from classic to contemporary. If you can not decide, you can always mix and match.
As a web designer, you have the advantage of creating a business card design that is unique. You can always browse the internet for ideas and resources. There are plenty of downloadable software programs offered for free. With your creative skills and latest software, your business card would be very effective in advertising your services.
Just make sure you that the design does not distract form the most important elements in your business card – your name and contact details. Also choose a font size and style that is perfectly readable. Avoid using fonts that are cursive. If you must, make sure that it compliments your chosen color and style. Most importantly, try to use a material that is durable and doesn’t make the ink look blotchy or faded

The main function of a business card is to provide your personal information. Being in the entertainment business, it is crucial to have a business card that is distinct and speaks volume about you and your work. Your business card should contain the basic elements like your name, contact numbers and services you provide. You have the option to put other personal details like home address and home phone number.
If you are on the market for a great business card design, you would be surprised at the many options you have. Aside from color and material, the orientation of the business card can also be changed to suit your preferences. Currently there are two options based on orientation: the horizontal and vertical layouts.
As their name implies horizontal and vertical layouts differ in presenting information. Although the vertical layout would appear to be more creative, there is really not much you can do when it comes to choosing a style. The horizontal layout is best for you if you prefer a business card with only the most basic information. For example, just your name and number would be enough.
On the other hand, a vertical business card allows more freedom when it comes to putting details such as a logo or a graphic image. For example, dancers can put an image of a ballerina; musicians can place musical notes, etc.
If you still have difficulties thinking of a great business card design, you should check the available samples on the internet. As long as you are looking, you can also download free software; gather information and tips on how you can choose the best business card design and so much more.
Since business cards are one of the most cost-effective advertising tools you can take advantage of, you can still save money by doing it yourself. All you would need is a reliable printer that could deliver good image quality and that’s it. Just use the most user-friendly software you can find and you will soon find your self with a batch of neatly-printed business cards.
For those of you who don't have the time for this, you can always order from a store that provides these services. You can just provide your personal details, choose a template and your business cards would be available to you in a couple of hours. For added fun, choose a colored business card for drama and style.

So you would like the public to know of your company and services and/or products? A magazine advertisement is an excellent way to get noticed, but it is not so easy. This marketing strategy takes some effort and planning on your part in order to fully take advantage of the medium.
Which Magazine?
Magazines can be an excellent source of advertising, but you have to know which one. Besides choosing a magazine with readers that will be intrigued by your products and/or services, you most likely want to choose a magazine with a large readership. Determining the level of readership for the magazine should be one of the first aspects looked into, but sometimes the reports of readership can be misleading.
A magazine may tell you that over 100,000 people will be exposed to your ad. That sounds great but the magazine only prints about 60,000 copies. You have to consider that a decent proportion of the magazines they produce are going to dealers and newsstands meaning that a good number of magazines may never be opened at all. Also, publishers may conduct surveys to gain a sense of readership that could be misleading to the advertiser. For instance, a publisher may ask an office subscriber how many people work in the office, so the publisher will count all of the people working in that office as readers (though they may not be so). Publishers do the same with single subscriptions delivered to a library.
There is a huge difference between readership figures and distribution figures, and to their own benefit, publishers will do their best to blur the difference to advertisers. An advertiser has to get a sense of how often a potential reader will generate a potential sale. You want to get a number of paid subscribers instead of distribution numbers because paid subscribers are most likely going to be your target market and the ones that are more likely to read the magazine all the way through (looking at the advertiser’s spread).
Newsletters
Advertising in newsletters is another excellent source of advertising. Most people who subscribe to them will read the entire newsletter through and therefore will definitely see the advertisements. Prices vary greatly for running ads in newsletters usually depending on the popularity of the newsletter. Some publishers will charge a very high amount for running an ad, but your ad may be the only one in the newsletter. Other publishers will charge less money because advertisements on the newsletter are in abundance.
Keeping Tabs on Sales
When making a sale in relation to your service or product, it is important to find the reason for the consumer’s interest. If their road to you was paved by ads in a certain magazine, then you know that it is beneficial to your company to continue advertising through that avenue. A company that is experiencing success may not think about ‘where’ the attention is coming from, but keeping track of advertising should be of high importance regardless of success rates. For instance, some companies may find that a great amount of revenue is generated through word-of-mouth. This is great for the business because then they can not spend so many extra dollars on advertising through billboards, newspapers, magazines, etc.
It is always good business to assess how well your conversion rate is doing in relation to dollars spent advertising and sales made. Most likely, you will want to do this at least twice a year (if not more). Figure out how much you are spending on each thoroughfare of advertising and if it is worth it to continue on with the process. For instance, if a lot of revenue is not generated from advertising with a magazine, consider either lowering the frequency of your ads, decreasing the size of the ads, or not advertising in the magazine at all.
Ad Size
Ad sizes differ and the prices differ as well. It is suggested to start small and see how well the ad is attracting consumers. A well worded and graphically intriguing ad will always be better than a dull but big ad. A good idea would be to look at the other advertisements in the magazine and see what the majority is doing. You may want your ads to ‘stand out’ from other ads, so you may choose to go bigger or smaller to mark a sense of differentiation. This is something you will either want to assess for yourself or by getting some advice from a third party. You do not want to seek the consultation of the magazine because they will obviously tell you to go with the bigger size which will mean more money for them.
Ad Placement
Just as size matters, placement matters as well. Your ad’s effectiveness may be contingent on it being in the front, middle, or back of the magazine. This is another reason to get a familiarity with the magazine before placing ads within it. If the magazine is in the habit of putting their most intriguing (cover) articles in the middle of the magazine, then it would be logical to assume that most readers will be perusing through that portion of the magazine and will most likely see the ads placed there as well.
Unfortunately a lot of magazines usually call the shots as far as placement goes; or, if an advertiser wants to have more of a say, it means they will have to pay more money. Regardless of the size of your ad, it may be good to see if you can get it juxtaposed to text. A lot of readers grow anxious when confronted with a block of text and their eyes naturally begin to wander for some other stimulation. A lot of publishers will block advertisements together. This creates a break from text, but most likely readers will not look at every single ad on a page full of ads. Usually, a really enticing headline or out-of-the-ordinary coloring will make an ad standout. This idea will work great in the midst of the magazine, but will not be necessary in other sections. If the magazine usually runs ads in the back and readers know this, they will already go to the back to make a possible purchase anyway. In this scenario a solid advertisement will serve you well, but it doesn’t have to be as overt because the consumer is already looking to make a purchase (they are looking for you instead of vice versa).
Rates
Depending on the popularity of the magazine, rates will vary. The good thing is though most rates may be standard, they are not set in stone and exceptions do apply. For instance, if you are a first time advertiser the publisher may offer you a discount to make a good first impression or to assuage any anxiety in spending money with them to begin with. The frequency of your ads and the size of each will play a part in how much money you will spend with the magazine. If you make a long-term commitment with them (say over the next couple of years) you will most likely get a discounted rate as opposed to an advertiser that is fickle in their nature with working with them.