Business advertising

Setting up a business is always a challenge. And it is a never-ending process. First, you pool your resources together to jump start the business. Then you find clients. And then you keep them to make your business grow.
But sometimes, you need to go out of your existing customers list to fuel up your sales and expand your market. This is where the concept of marketing and promotions comes in. Do you know what's the cheapest and simplest solution to your business marketing and promotion needs? It's business cards, brochures, bookmarkers, flyers, and corporate identity stationery - simple items that can create the impact you really want for your business.
These simple items can go a long way to promote your business. No successful businessman goes out of his office without a few business cards sitting in his wallet. You can always meet a client on the street, at the bar, or any social gathering you happen to be at. And if you don't flash your card to a potential client fast enough, somebody else would.
Your business card should create as good an impact as your business does. Clients always keep well-prepared business cards in the right places. And the others that don't interest them at all easily get lost. It is important that you take time in making your cards. If you have to use a business card template, make sure that select the one that speaks well of the nature of your business.
The same goes true with any type of advertising material you utilize. The brochures and flyers you give away should be eye-catching enough to make people stop and read it over. Bookmarkers are good reminders of your business. Make sure that you give them to group of people who have uses for them.
Every business should invest on their corporate identity stationery, as it serves as the official paper where quotations, clients' correspondence, and business proposals are printed. Don't use plain paper for important documents. You don't want to make your business look too informal. Besides, a lot of customers may think less about your products or services.
Your choice of business cards, corporate identity stationery, and other promotional materials for your business is crucial. You have to go with the best designs, materials, and concepts all the time. The success of your business depends on it.

Promotional Products Conundrum
Ever since the caveman gave away his first embossed commemorative matchbook, business have been looking for ways to build a brand.
Caps, pens, mugs and squeeze balls have literally flooded the market with hopes that you can brand your product, service or company by simply placing your logo or a cute little saying on them. Of course, you would hand these out to your friends, customers...really ANYBODY who you met with the hopes dreams and prayers that eventually they would become a customer out of yours.
Shotgun Marketing
Utilizing this approach to marketing your business is similar to using a shotgun to hunt mice....you know if you aim in the general direction and pull the trigger you're bound to hit something.
Right? You will hit something won't you?
Truth be told, the days of shotgun marketing are over. Welcome to the 21st century. Nowadays, we use lasers.
Laser Guided Marketing
Laser guided marketing is simply the ability to specifically target (really grab) your customers attention. Think those pens of yours really grab their attention?
They would if they linked ink all over them! But...since they probably don't, they most likely sit in the pen holder on their desk.
I know the ones I receive do.
What you really need to do, in order to market your service with maximum effectiveness, is to link your product to something the recipient loves...better yet, craves.
What does everyone crave?
The answer is obvious....it's food. Everybody loves food. Now, how you go about linking your product/service with food is crucial.
Taking food on salescalls really gets everyones attention in the office where they are dropped off, as well as results.
When your sales force drops off donuts, cookies, candy and other treats on their morning, lunch and afternoon visits not only are they leaving treats behind...

Compelling copy moves traffic. Come to think of it, compelling copy STOPS traffic. Have you ever seen a billboard that captivated your attention so intensively that you HAD to stop and read it? Your desire to STOP and read that billboard took precedence over your desire to get where you were going. In fact, your desire to read that billboard took precedence over the urgent matter at hand, your personal safety while behind the wheel of a car!
Whether the billboard copy was spun over the naked body of a resting feline or simply black and white "Gotcha" the results were the same, you were COMPELLED to take action!
If you're new to the Internet (WHERE have you BEEN?) you may not have stumbled across dynamically compelling copy that had you grabbing for your credit cards yet, but I'm betting there will come a moment in time when you can't resist. Get out the plastic, darlin' you're doomed!
These three simple words control every person in your audience (and mine). Learn how to use them and get what you want from the Internet.
Emotion:
People are reactive by nature. When they feel deeply, they respond readily. If you can appeal to their inner child and give them the ability to trust you, feel secure, and cared for you've got half the battle won. Simply grab your readers by the emotions and breath life into their weary bodies. They'll follow you anywhere.
Money:
Spend it, save it, or make it, your readers all NEED money for survival. If not, they're in the wrong place at the wrong time. You NEED to focus on their money needs. Do they desire to spend money on what you have? Save money with what you offer? Or make money on the opportunity you present?
Love:
Admiration, respect, trust, hope, faith, adoration, touch... It's all right there in that four letter word! No wonder your mama washed your mouth out for using those four letter words! But wait!!! This one isn't dirty. Nope, it's refreshing, revealing, and required. EVERYONE needs to feel loved. Give your readers this message and you've got their attention for life. Satisfy their need to be touched and they're yours! You own them.

The successful business owner or manager must rethink marketing strategies during times of change. Implement new methods of reaching new markets and watch your sales figures grow.
The truth is that the business that thrives and survives is the one with a creative marketing plan designed to reach larger, untapped audiences. To reach out to newer audiences it is important that a marketing plan is well conceived and consistent.
Outdoor Advertising Helps Sell Cars and Real Estate
Well, what about the people who drive or walk by your business location or a property for sale everyday? In some cases, where businesses are on main thoroughfares, there are thousands of people passing by. Are they even aware you have something to sell? Outdoor advertising ideas are an effective method of tapping into this market.
A brilliant visual element -- such as a brightly colored balloon -- will draw the eye into the business space and tempt the passerby to engage. This causes a stronger focus on the actual product on sale, such as a car.
Over the last 25 years, the quality of balloons has improved greatly. The good news is that now, there are balloons specifically designed to weather the elements and provide outdoor advertising consistently and economically. All the business owner needs is a helium tank and some ribbon or rope to get started.
Searching for Creative Real Estate Advertising Ideas?Real Estate advertising is traditionally an outdoor advertising market because the 'for sale' sign figures prominently in the campaign. Yet, in a real estate market where there's a flood of signs a professional needs to make an extra effort for some attention. Balloons are a great way to distinguish one property from the rest on the market. For the savvy real estate professional that needs to make sure open houses are well attended, balloons with the imprint 'open house' can be placed outside the property and along the route leading up to it for maximum exposure.
Create an Outdoor Real Estate Advertising CampaignIn a competitive real estate market, it is important that open houses are attended and commercial properties are visited and stand out among the rest. First, make a commitment of resources to finance an outdoor real estate advertising campaign. Then, commit funds to a balloon budget to get started. Consider using latex balloons for short-term events, such as an open house for a residence or commercial property. There are a variety of sizes in latex balloon and prices are very affordable, for $10-20 for 72 balloons (or less). Larger latex balloons between 3-6' can be purchased individually ranging from $4-20 each. Logo imprints are pretty cost effective, too, at around .15-.32 for each balloon. For larger balloons the logo imprints may cost $2-$4 each. They are well worth it.
Car Dealer Promotion - Grab the Attention of the PasserbyPolyurethane Balloons are durable, colorful, and larger than the average balloon, with 7 foot spans and bigger. A car dealer looking for effective and economic advertising balloons will select these for their promotion. These eye-catching balloons are reusable. So long as the car dealer takes care in using them in safe weather, they can last a long time. Of course these polyurethane balloons are perfect for other types of promotions and special events too, and can be imprinted with logos.
Benefits of Outdoor Advertising for Car DealerThe positive effects of outdoor advertising for a car dealer are enormous. Gaining the interest of a passerby that may even pass the location each day could be a huge benefit to any car dealer looking to improve their business. The larger polyurethane balloons will help to brand the company name in a less expensive manner than traditional means such as posters, mailers, newspaper advertisements or other methods. The fact that polyurethane balloons are reusable cuts down on the cost factor tremendously, and adds a great deal of value to the purchase of this type of balloon for consistent marketing.

If you own a business, you know the importance of advertising, marketing and promotions. Without doing some type of all three your business will surely never get off the ground unless through some luck and a lot of word of mouth hype.
This is especially true if your business involves selling products. When it comes to selling products, not only do you need to advertise what it is you are selling, but who is selling it. In print advertising, costs can soar with the more space you eat up. If you go by way of TV or radio, the longer your ad airs, the more expensive it will be. So lets touch on how to maximize your advertisement, by focusing in on key components. Lets say for instance, you sell widgets. Write down at least 10 positive points about why you are the best widget dealer in the area, country etc. Do you have the largest supply? Maybe the most options in colors? Maybe you are the only certified reseller of widgets. Whatever your positive points are, you need to write them down.
Now that you have your list, come up with the headline that can incorporate the best positive point and the name of your business. For example, "The largest selection of Widgets in the country, only at Joe`s Widgets". You will obviously modify it for your needs.
Now that you have grabbed your readers or listeners attention, you want to use the remaining advertising space to focus in on the types of widgets that you sell, what you have to offer, maybe some pricing on featured widgets and so on. Don`t forget to add in a disclaimer, such as "while supplies last" or whatever pertains to what you are selling. The last thing you want to do is seem like you are misleading or pulling a "bait & switch" on customers as they walk through your door or call you on the phone.
Never, never, never forget to put into the advertisement a means by which someone reading or listening can contact your company or purchase your products. If you are an online business, use email, web address, blog site, or whatever it is you use to sell your products. If you are a retail store, don`t forget a phone number, address and hours of operation. Too many times I have seen advertisements that forget this basic information and then the advertisement flops because customers can not get a hold of anyone. Do not forget your contact information.
Try to make the body of your advertisement more appealing. If it is within your budget try using some color, maybe add some photos of your widgets and so on. You not only want to make your advertisement stand out above the rest of your competition, but you also want to look more professional than the others. A cheesy ad, well, makes you look cheesy.
Finally, know where you are going to advertise. If you sell carpeting, would you run an advertisement in a video game magazine? No of course not, that is ludicrous. Find out what publication or section of the newspaper is right for your products. If you are an online business, take a wild guess as to where you need to advertise. I`ll let you chew on that one for a second....OK enough time. Online of course. It does your advertising campaign no good, regardless of how well the advertisement is written, if it is in the wrong place.

Although calendars might yet be the most expensive advertising material you will be giving away for the year, rest assured that they are well worth their printing cost. Calendar printing is your means to invest on a design, on an advertising print, on an investment.
Calendars have a very good chance of staying with your customers for a year. If you have your doubts about the potential of your calendars, then wrap your head around these thoughts:
1. Almost everyone who is affected by dates and the changing seasons need a calendar. There are always birthdays, anniversaries, season finale's that need to be noted and remembered. Most of the time, people need more than one calendar, they place one in their bedrooms, the kitchen, the dining room, at their desk, etc.
2. Bookstores sell their full colored calendars at atrocious prices. You can produce the same quality and the same materials at a fraction of what they are selling them for. Remember, bookstores have to have a high mark-up for calendars so they can still make profit even if they fail to sell a portion of their stock. Not to mention, they have high over head costs to pay for.
3. You are printing your calendars for your regular customers. It is likely that they share a common interest you can use. If you are a specialty hobby shop, use different hobbies for each month. If you are a pet shop, you may feature a different pet for every month. Find something about your business that catches human interest. This is a good way to advertise your products without being over eager to sell.
4. And assuming that your customer already has a calendar, or has little use for yours, he or she may be neighborly and give away the calendar to a friend or a neighbor. This gives you an added chance of not only exposing yourself, but winning over a new client.
5. Best of all, printing companies hoping to get a piece of the calendar business usually gives discount during this time around in the spirit of the coming holidays. This may just be the best time to get your calendars printed - so you may give them away as early Christmas and New Year as presents to your best customers.
6. Lastly, it's the thought that counts. The most important part is that customers are made to feel they are important to your business.
The advertising potential of these calendars extend. Everyone who enters into their houses and sees the calendar is exposed to your calendars as well. Moreover, the presence of your calendar, brand or business can serve as testimonial of your friend's use and patronage to the product or service. This is a great and motivating way too to acquire new clients.
It may be a small step to brand building, but it is a step nevertheless, and when you multiply these tiny steps, it should translate to higher sales.