photo by Spacepotato

There are  a lot of things you can learn about advertising and marketing – there are hundreds of books, online courses, blog posts and ideas floating out there.

Some of them even make sense and don’t contradict each other…!

But there are a few things that seem to be fairly common – simple in concept, but not easy to pull off consistently.  Especially when it’s just you hanging out by yourself trying to pull together a flyer, a mailer, an ad – whatever it might be.

The first thing that’s important is to know who  you’re talking to – who’s your primary target audience.  I won’t go into details here, but this isn’t as easy as it sounds.

The second thing you have to do…absolutely have to do is catch their attention!

SHOUT AT THEM!!!!  Make NOISE!!!!  Turn their head!!!

Write a headline that grabs them – post a picture that makes them think or look.

The last couple of things you have to do to really seal the deal.  You have to paint a picture of what’s meaningful as a benefit to that target audience (what’s in it for them?).  And finally, you have to get them to take some action.  If you get everything else right but they don’t take any action, then no sale for you.

Below are a couple of examples that might help you pick up some ideas of what I mean.

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photo by today is a good day 

Are you sick of the word ‘bail out’ yet?

How about all the negative ads on the election?

Has the media convinced you yet that the world has ended?  Now all we’re waiting for is the coup de grace, pigs to fly, hell to freeze over, etc.

With all of the doom and gloom talk going on everywhere you look, I thought it might be worthwhile to revisit why business owners strike out on their own.  I brought this up in one of my advisory board groups last week and asked the question to the group.

“What was the driver for you to strike out on your own?” (start your own business).

I don’t know that the answers were surprising, but revisiting the topic helps put things in perspective (at least for me) and it might be helpful for you.  See if these resonate for you.

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