Ads Dont Sell - People Do !

More about advertising by BIG Mike McDaniel

Advertising is not a substitute for good sales technique and superb customer service. Inserting an ad in a handy newspaper to call attention to a line of goods will not sell those goods unless you can back it up with intelligent, well directed sales efforts in the store. Sales technique and service must follow advertising and unless it does advertising is a failure.

The function of advertising is to bring prospective buyers into the store; nothing more. How you advertise, how much you advertise and where you advertise, can all contribute to advertising's success or failure. Assuming you do an adequate job of promoting your products through advertising, the visitors will come. Your job, then, is to convert them to customers.

When the visitors arrive, everyone in your employ must be ready for the task. Any enthusiasm created by your marketing efforts will cool quickly if greeted by sour faces and dour attitudes within the store, or worse, expecting the customer to crawl under the counter or up a ladder to get what was advertised.

Some merchants believe a "test" of advertising is to hide the item promoted and make the customer ask. If no one inquires, advertising obviously doesn't work. People are basically shy and will not ask, fearing they didn't hear or read the ad correctly, since the item is not prominently displayed. Rather than risk the embarrassment of hearing "no, Stupid, we didn't advertise anything like that", they will leave the store, perhaps never to return. The first step to back up your advertising is to display the advertised products in a conspicuous location with signage supporting the ads. "Ah hah!.. this must be what we read about. Here it is!".

But NOT in the front window. For advertising to work, your visitors must be converted by your salespeople. If the advertised product is in the window, the visitor can make a decision not to explore further based on a quick first impression. At least give your salespeople a fighting chance to "one on one" with a prospective customer.

Don't blame the advertising if you can not convert visitors into customers. Or worse, if you run them off before anyone has a chance to convert them.

Everyone in the store should know the items being advertised and be able to explain or demonstrate them.

Question your advertising if there are no (or few) visitors. Question your sales efforts if there are visitors but no (or few) conversions into customers.

Advertising will pay handsome dividends when the service within the store is directed intelligently. Advertised goods should be displayed prominently and demonstrated easily by willing workers. Unless you can render such service, on a consistent basis, don't advertise. Sell out.

For more about advertising, get my article "Do Your Radio Ads Work?" Mike@BIGIdeasGroup.com http://BIGIdeasGroup.com

©2005 BIG Mike McDaniel All Rights Reserved Mike@BIGIdeasGroup.com BIG Mike is a Professional Speaker and Small Business Consultant with over 30 years experience, http://BIGIdeasGroup.com

Subscribe to "BIG Mike's BIG Ideas" Newsletter MailTo:subscribe-956603364@ezinedirector.net

---

Indoor LED Displays

To promote the audience, staff, customers and other people the... Read More

Mortgage Marketing - Broadcast Advertising vs Direct Advertising

Do you know how to design and deploy a marketing... Read More

Imprinted Promotional Items ? Their Many Marketing Applications

There are many uses for promotional items. This means that... Read More

How to Save Money by Making Your Own Sign

In the sign industry we commonly refer to the material... Read More

What the Newspaper Ad Person Won?t Tell You

Newspapers are considered the PRIMARY advertising medium by 99.4% of... Read More

How To Tame The Buying Beast Inside Your Customer

What if you can understand and control your customer's mind?... Read More

Marketing Tips For Small Business ? Advertising That Works, Part I

Have you ever seen an ad on television that was... Read More

7 Questions to Ask Before You Advertise

Most business owners and managers keep a fairly close eye... Read More

Promotional Vehicles

It is difficult to miss a Hummer, but how many... Read More

The Skinny on Billboards

Several years back the billboard people put a big picture... Read More

Prove It! - Give Your Marketing and Advertising More Credibility

Your marketing and advertising won't be effective if your potential... Read More

The Secrets To Successful Radio Advertising

Ask some businesses about radio advertising and they'll tell you... Read More

8 Low Cost Ways To Advertise, Promote and Market Your Business

We all are looking for ways to market our businesses... Read More

The Not-So-Hidden Persuaders: The Power of The Media Upon Us All

In 1957, a perspicacious young journalist from Pennsylvania named Vance... Read More

Hiring an Amateur Could Mean a Potential Lawsuit for Your Business

These days, everyone's looking to save a buck. But if... Read More

If You Lost 70% of Your New Customers, Would You Notice?

Buyers Don't Rely on the Yellow Pages Like They Used... Read More

Electronic Display Boards

Electronic display boards signify high priority messaging, allowing you to... Read More

Fax Broadcast Services Get Your Message to Millions

If your company is one of those innovative businesses that... Read More

B2B Marketing Health and Elder Care Services

Quality Care Options is an established company advocating for the... Read More

Why I Like The Ads I Hate!

It's been said that the antidote to liking/loving is not... Read More

Tips for Using Paid Advertising

Quite a few business out there can't survive without some... Read More

Advertising, Public Relations, Newsletters, and Newsletters for Your Small Business

If you own a small business you should consider ways... Read More

Cinema Advertising is Big Business, So Mergers are a Natural

Cinema advertising has always been an effective marketing tool for... Read More

3 Elements To A Deal-Sealing Classified Ad

Have you ever wondered why your perfectly fine classified ad... Read More

The Ultimate, ?Must-Have? Home-Based Business for YOU

The Ultimate, "Must-Have" Home-Based Business for YOU a Underemployed, Unemployed,... Read More

Take Advantage of Your Foes

Let's take an example that is easy to check: I... Read More

How To Track Your Advertising Like A Hawk

Tired of pouring endless money into advertising? Do you wonder... Read More

6 Ways To Get More Sales From Your Advertisement

To bring great sales success, a great advertising technique is... Read More

Present Your Product On A TV Show for FREE

Would you like to get your new or existing Internet... Read More

Dont Be a Secret Agent

This tactic of the game was hard for me to... Read More

The Truth in Advertising

Most of us have seen at least a dozen different... Read More

Improve Your Promotional Flyers And Improve Sales

Admittedly, I have not seen your advertising flyer. Then again,... Read More

Media Savvy - How To Lead, Persuade And Influence

The ability to lead, persuade and influence are integral skills... Read More