Dream Merchant • 2309 Torrance Blvd. #104, Torrance, CA 90501 (310) 328-1925 email: Jkm316@aol.com MONEY OR SWEAT: YOU GOTTA ADVERTISE
Business is More Than Establishing a Storefront or Website. You Also Have to Let Customers Know You Exist.
c2004 By Dennis Hessler
The simple fact of life is you've got to advertise to be successful. Don't believe the phony Internet gurus who say all you need to do is establish a site on the Web or run a classified ad and millions of Internet citizens will rush to buy your product.
Bull hockey.
You gotta work at it. Or you gotta pay for it. One or the other.
I don't like spending money. I prefer to use sweat equity in the form of posting to newsgroups, writing articles, publishing an ezine, preparing a free downloadable program, communicating in discussion boards and studying the latest and best ways to get good placement on Internet search engines. It's inexpensive in terms of money spent, but it still takes time and it's not always the most fascinating work.
Paid advertising works, no doubt about it. The trick is to make sure you get your money's worth. The problem is -- that's easier said than done. And even thought 95 percent of your advertising may fall on deaf ears or blind eyes, when it does connect, it can result in a real windfall of profits.
When I started out selling information some 12 years ago, I spent lots of money on advertising. At that time, there was no Internet and while there were a few ways other than conventional advertising to get the word out about your product, even they cost money. Like sending out press releases (which can be a great way to advertise your product if done correctly). The point is, even this free advertising will cost you bucks for a media list, production, photos and mailing.
Oh, yes, I've gone the "spend big bucks on advertising" route. The only thing you can be sure of is how much money you'll be shelling out each month to magazines, ezines, mailing lists, printers, the U.S. Postal Service and assorted helpers. There's no way you can be sure how much money you'll be bringing in. I wish there were a direct correlation between outgo and income. But there ain't.
Every time you spend money on advertising--especially the first time--you're taking a gamble. Will the magazine/ezine/mailing list pull for me? The only way to know for sure is to shell out the long greens. And in the case of advertising in magazines, you have to do that for about three months before you'll know for sure if people are reading and buying. And then sit back and hope.
Sure you've developed the best ad or sales material. Heck, it's worked in other magazines, so why shouldn't it work in this one? I don't know, but sometimes--too often, actually--it doesn't. But right or wrong, it's costing you cash. And cash is how we keep score in business.
My personal preference (and the most gain for the advertising dollar in my experience) is to use the Internet. That means paying for a website, pay-for search engines such as Overture, opt-in email lists, press release services and information that will show you how best to use these devices.
I've enjoyed success with conventional direct mail, but it can be risky. You drop the equivalent of 50 cents a letter for 5,000 names or so and stay awake nights hoping you can recoup your costs. When it works, it's very nice. When it doesn't, it's more than annoying.
I don't advertise in magazines any more, although lots of people do and are quite successful. You've got to test to be sure, but you don't want to blow all your profits on one test. At the same time, you've got to advertise long enough to make sure you're giving your campaign enough time to work.
A curious thing about advertising is this: many people won't buy your product until they see it advertised or at least mentioned in two, three or four places. It's that reinforcement that eventually pulls in the sale (and, alas, empties your bank account). You can spend a lot of money building up name recognition, which is why I like to use sweat equity rather than the cash in my wallet to do it.
But one way or the other, it's got to be done. You're either forking over money or forking over your time.
It's your choice.
Dennis Hessler is an international trade consultant and publisher who runs his own home-based trade and information company, Spyglass Point Productions. You can learn more about Dennis' international trade information products, including books, videos, software, newsletter and consulting services by contacting him directly or visiting his website. Contact Dennis at:
Spyglass Point Productions PO Box 13141 Pensacola, FL 32591 USA Phone: 850-438-5527 Email: Dennis@spyglasspoint.com http://www.spyglasspoint.com
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