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project 03 :: Internet Marketing :: Advertising and PR 01
Avoid The Big Advertising Mistakes
Reaching your goals with affiliate marketing programs, or marketing on
the web in general, is contingent on so many things; the article you
make a decision to market, the mode of advertising you deploy, the
amount of your advertising budget, etc. One item in particular has
existed since the inception of the net. It has earlier, and still is
amassing untold fortunes for scores of marketing companies. The product
I am talking about is information. Browsing throughout this site you
will come across a great deal of material on associate programs,
marketing, building web sites, advertising and much more. Enjoy!
Is your advertising copy getting the results you want? If not, look at your current marketing to see if you're making one of the major copywriting mistakes:
Selling features instead of benefits. Telling your customer that
your "fabulous new ALF-400 comes complete with AeroScan and BandControl
technologies!" doesn't actually tell them anything. Will your services
save your customers money or help them sleep better at night? If so,
tell them. People buy solutions to problems and means to ends. Sell the
benefits and watch your profits climb.
Not educating the reader. Most people are reasonably intelligent
and sincerely want to learn about the world around them. Does your copy
contain solid information, or is it mostly emotional appeal and little
substance? Ease back the fireworks and give the reader something real
to chew on.
Being boring. Easing back the fireworks doesn't mean
getting rid of them completely. Use just enough drama and emotional
appeal to keep your reader interested. This is where a solid
understanding of your customers fits in - what are their hopes and
fears? Where do your services fit between them?
Exaggerating. Most people expect advertising to be overblown and
inflated, so surprise your readers and be honest. Put your best foot
forward and shamelessly emphasize your strengths, but don't do more
than that. Keep it real and get real attention.
Saying too much. Excessive wordiness puts a burden on the reader that can be lethal for marketing.
Read through your copy again: could you say the same thing with fewer
words? Try rewriting with a 25% cut in word count to inject new life
into your pitch.
Not getting the reader moving. The entire point of advertising is
to motivate your customer to do something, so are you telling them what
that is? End your pitch with a direct appeal. Tell your customers to
call, visit or look at your website. If you're not giving them orders,
you can't expect them to start marching.
About The Author
Robert Warren (www.rswarren.com) is a Florida-based freelance copywriter specializing in the unique marketing needs of independent professionals.
writer@rswarren.com
We hope you found the information on this page useful and will return often to browse
the many articles throughout our site. We will be adding new material on an ongoing
basis in order to keep our visitors up to date on the latest promotion and marketing
information and tools that allow so many marketers to earn a full time living on the
internet.
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