Advertising has become almost a must for any business or an entrepreneur, but the modern e-age has opened up the scope and availability of easy to use techniques to such unimaginable levels, that many find it extremely complicated to plan and run their advertising successfully. Simultaneously the plethora of advertising modes/options has complicated the scene even further, that many advertisers are pushed to the wall to keep their ad budgets under control and also achieve optimal results, – which is what successful advertising is meant to do.

The advertising scenario is full with a number of magic-like words such as fragmented advertising, consumer-centric ad campaigns, involving a wide range of options covering the audio, visual and electronic media, in addition to the traditional routes such as radio, television, newspaper, magazines and of course the flashy and steady billboards. The new-age electronic gadgetry has further enabled such an influx of advertising techniques, from popups, to audio messages, flashes, animation, and various levels of interactive campaigning, that it is inherently difficult to decide which is the optimum mix to run a successful ad campaign.

There is still a lot of debate on whether the traditional advertising routes could survive and sustain their roles in these modern times, but knowledgeable sources from within seem to be confident of their roles as they undoubtedly serve their purpose and well. Now comes the big question of how to find the right mix for anyone wanting to advertise using all or some of these advertising methods, as part of their ad campaigns. Some of the effective strategies listed below have shown tangible results, both in the short and long term plans of scores of successful advertisers.

1. Clearly selecting the target group and knowing all about them seems to score the topmost rank, because the criterion for choosing the option, well depends on the target. Campaign money needs to be spent on methods like radio, newspapers, magazines if the target comprised of senior citizens, whereas schemes to attract working parents should get decided based on where or what sources they look in, like which TV, Internet, or which magazines and so on.

2. Collecting all that is possible about the top three competitors, about the what, when, methods, timing, audiences, target messages and where they plan to do their campaigns, first and next.

3. Once the above two data, are available, one has to analyze what is right or not-so-right, and then plan to devise a wee-bit better format or scheme or colour or sound or whatever. One has to be different to get noted/differentiated.

4.Choosing one/two proven working strategies from the top performers so that there is a time-tested formula that can work in the interim stage of the campaign.

5. A combination of clarity and freshness should present what one has to say to the target, as to why he/she should take from the advertiser and not the competitor.

6. The widespread use of Internet seems to work like a double-edged sword, beneficial and detrimental, to both the target and advertiser. While offering an easy expression and quicker/faster service, many target users could also feel overburdened from excessive/irrelevant information leading to drop in satisfaction levels, – what needs to be done is the proper mix to sustain target interest.

7. Proper balance of seeking what the customers want to know and selling some key ideas about the advertised product/service would ensure that the receiver accepts in a positive mind as against viewing as a nuisance.

8. Realize that the average modern e-age customer is much more technically informed and conversant with information sourcing and accessibility and planning the campaigns accordingly.

The crux of the whole scene is how to balance the traditional with the new and work out a judicious mix of advertising methods to suit each target group and achieve the ultimate goal of successful advertising.

Need Leads? Need Sales? Who Doesn’t?

Our movies convert visitors into leads,

and leads into sales for ANY program! www.business-success-movies.com

Strategy #1 — Use Affirmations

Affirmations, a form of self-talk, are the single most powerful tool you have to condition yourself for prospecting. Self-talk is what you say when you talk to and about yourself. It includes the things you say aloud as well as the things you say internally. Self-talk dictates a person’s behavior by molding his innermost beliefs. Affirmations are things you say that induce positive self-talk.

Self-talk works because the subconscious mind will focus on the most dominant message; when we hear the same message repeatedly, it becomes the dominant message. The subconscious mind, which does not distinguish between fact and fiction, is the gateway to our beliefs. Our beliefs determine our actions, and, in turn, our actions determine our results.

When we first get involved in network marketing, most of us have at least some beliefs – or hang-ups – that inhibit our prospecting efforts. For example, a hang-up might be a belief that when someone tells you no, it diminishes your own ability to succeed. That belief is false, but it can severely limit you. By applying affirmations, you can override unproductive beliefs with productive ones.

Strategy #2 — Sharpen Your People Skills

Your ability to relate to different people has a direct bearing on the success of your prospecting efforts. When it comes to approaching strangers, quick connections are invaluable. By developing your people skills, you will be able to relate quickly to a wide range of prospects. 

Personal development is crucial to all aspects of team building, especially prospecting. Reps with underdeveloped people skills often drive prospects away in the first encounter. Some of the best tools to learn about improving your people skills are through books and audio programs. Simply put, learn to become a better you.

Strategy #3 — Practice, Practice, Practice

It’s true: practice makes perfect. When is comes to prospecting, perfection is optional – practice is not. Proven time and time again, the more you do something, the better you get at it. Importantly, practice will help you overcome the fear. For many, network marketing can be intimidating. The most intimidating aspect of network marketing for most people is the prospecting process.

Some important things to keep in mind: fear comes from a lack of knowledge, knowledge comes from experience, and experience comes from practice. The more you do, the more you learn. As you gain experience in prospecting, you will come to the earth-shattering revelation that all prospects basically share the same responses. The fact is that the list of prospect objections is actually quite short. With experience, you will learn how to deal with the most common responses so that you can prospect effectively.

I call the process of practicing through the fear stretching the comfort bubble. Think of your comfort zone as a bubble. Everything within the bubble is comfortable, because things inside the bubble are familiar. The bubble is a safe place of refuge. Unfortunately, the prospect exists outside the bubble. A conversation with a prospect is likely to be uncomfortable. The idea is to stretch your comfort bubble to the point that it is large enough to include the prospect.

How do you stretch your comfort bubble? Believe it or not, your comfort bubble is surprisingly easy to stretch. Just follow these three easy steps: prospect, prospect, and then prospect some more. When you use every opportunity to practice prospecting, you are applying a constant pressure on the walls of your bubble. After practice and more stretching, you will become comfortable creating the prospecting moment and enjoy great success.

1. Invest in Tax Liens

Buy liens placed on properties by municipalities because owners have fallen behind in paying their property taxes. Then, when the property owners pay what they owe to the municipalities, receive not only a return of your principal but also a penalty interest rate set by the municipality, typically in the range of 8% to 25%. If the property owner defaults altogether, take possession of the property for a fraction of its real value: the sum of the back taxes you’ve already advanced. You can then sell the property, even a bit below its market value, for a huge profit.

2. Buy Real Estate Below Market Value

Identify real estate sellers who are willing to accept less than their property’s full market value for a variety of reasons. Then resell the property immediately at a profit, rehab it, rent it out, or even live in it yourself, all with the built-in financial cushion of having purchased the property for far less than it is truly worth.

3. Invest in Income Trusts and Master Limited Partnerships

Earn high yields of 8% to 13% by investing in trusts that extract or transport natural resources such as oil, gas, coal, or timber. Such trusts pass a large amount of their earnings directly to investors through monthly dividends. Depending on the trust or MLP, some of the distributions may be considered a tax-free return of capital, boosting your after-tax return even more.

4. Invest in High-Yield Stocks

Invest in stocks with stable businesses that pay dividend yields of 5% to 15% or more. Some industries offering such high yields include electric utilities, oil tankers, and real estate investment trusts, and several broad-based closed-end mutual funds. This is a way to make your capital compound with very little risk when you reinvest the dividends or to boost the income you live on if you take the dividends in cash.

5. Enroll in Dividend Reinvestment Plans

Invest in companies that offer Dividend Reinvestment Plans, known as DRIPS, which allow you to use dividends to purchase shares directly and thus bypass brokerage fees. Automatically reinvest dividends back into further stock purchases, thereby compounding your portfolio’s assets over time. Several companies offer discount DRIPS, meaning that you get an additional 2% to 5% bonus every time you reinvest dividends, compounding your return even more at no additional cost to you. So if you get $100 in dividends, you receive $105 worth of stock when you enroll in a 5% discount DRIP.

6. Buy High-Yielding Bonds

Buy bonds of companies, municipalities, or foreign governments, either individually or through open and closed-end funds, which pay yields of 5% to 12%. In addition to the high rate of interest, you will receive the return of your principal when the bond matures. There are many types of hybrid bonds available in today’s market with catchy names like STRIDES, ELKS, MITTS and HITS which offer guaranteed return of principal, high yields and potential bonuses based on how the underlying instruments perform.

7. Use Put and Call Options

Rather than buying and selling actual stocks or stock indexes, you can, for a fraction of the cost, trade rights to buy and sell those stocks or stock indexes at specific prices within a specified period of time up to two years into the future. This form of leveraged trading allows for far greater gains but also runs the risk of far greater losses than normal stock investing. It is therefore imperative to follow careful strategies that limit risk while optimizing profits.

8. Profit from Foreign Exchange Trading

Trade one currency against another currency, on the expectation that the currency you’ve bought will gain in value relative to the one you sold. This provides a convenient way to profit from the decline of the US dollar against most major foreign currencies.

9. Invest in and Broker Cash Flow Opportunities

Identify people and/or businesses willing to sell future receivables at a significant discount in exchange for ready cash. Then either buy the payments yourself or serve as a broker for a third party, typically a large financial company, which provides the funds. For example, you can broker or buy cash flows from lottery winners, lawsuit winners, mortgage notes or reimbursements due to a doctor’s office from insurance companies or Medicare.

10. Set Up Passive Income Strategies

Set up some kind of system that needs minimal ongoing management but continues to produce significant cash flow far into the future. A few examples include:

placing vending machines in high-traffic locations to collect passive income whenever customers make purchases

placing ATMs or point-of-sale (credit/debit/card swipe) machines in high sales volume locations to earn small fees paid by merchants whenever customers use the machines

Buy high-quality timeshares in desirable locations and seasons and rent them out over the internet to earn substantial rental income

Copyright © 2008 Jordan E. Goodman

The above is an excerpt from the book Fast Profits in Hard Times

by Jordan E. Goodman

Published by Business Plus; January 2008;$23.99US/$27.99CAN; 978-0-446-58156-1

Copyright © 2008 Jordan E. Goodman

Author

Jordan E. Goodman is a former Money magazine journalist and the author of several bestselling books, including Everyone’s Money Book, The Dictionary of Finance and Investment Terms, and Master Your Money Type. He provides financial advice to millions of people each month through regular appearances on radio call-in and TV shows and through his seminars to corporate, association, and university audiences. He has been a regular contributor to NBC News at Sunrise, The Marketplace Morning Report on Public Radio, and many other shows.

Today, the options of adversting have been maximized by the modern technology. The traditional advertising techniques contained the advertising in the newspapers, radios and lately though television commercials. Covert advertising and Celebrity branding were two other tactics that are still being massively used by the big international brands, due to the fact that these prestigious brands need to highlight their products with the best bling available on the planet. Mainly, these two advertising strategies are most costly but in the end the marketer actually catches up with a large fraction of the target market. Advertising through SMS can some times become a real headache for the people but this scheme has shrunk the gap between the interested costumer and marketer. Being a vendor, you never know that may be your client is just an SMS away.

Now coming to the main course, Sequel advertising related in major with Television commercials and newspaper ads. This is basically a psychological technique which has been lately identified by the advertisers; indeed this enables the advertiser to influence the mind of the consumer for the vendor. Sequel advertising starts with a television commercial in the usual promotional style. People begin to respond to the commercial and sale-rate of the concerned product/product line begins to increase. As soon as the sale-rate begins to decline, the company launches a second add with the similar major elements (including similar scenario, same models, actors, colors, statements and taglines). The main aim of making similar ads is to leave a psychological effect on the mind of the interested people, and this is what Sequel advertising is all about. This influence boosts up the brand loyal people as the company offers them better deals in the 2nd add and people who didn’t respond to the first add also get curious about the new offerings. The major mental effect that this Sequel advertising tactic leave on the mind of the people is the commitment of the vendor to give them better and better services every time. In most of such advertisements, the advertiser creates a scenario or may be story that is continued throughout the advertising campaign and these continual scenario imposing techniques creates a psychosomatic effect on the minds of the people that increases the rate of new consumers rapidly. Usually a vendor continues such sequel advertising scenario for a particular time, season or until there is an extent of improvement in the service it has offered at the first place.

As soon as the vendor realizes that the quota of the consumers for the particular product/ service is completed or the scenario/story that has been the foremost ingredient of the sequel has now become old. A new sequel or add is launched. The new sequel can be for the same product/service or may be for a new product that the vendor considers more important than the preceding one. This technique has been used extraordinarily by telecommunication, electricity producing companies, mobile phone operators, food and beverage manufacturers etc.

Sequel advertising comprises of usual marketing techniques but with the more of the mind capturing ideology. This is a good way of communicating and interacting with the target audience, until and unless the scenario becomes a cliché.

Apart from maximizing profits, an exit strategy can also help a real estate investor in Maryland cut losses if anything falls out of place. An investor can make an exit strategy for all contingencies like slump in the real estate market of Maryland, not finding the right buyer or tenant.

Various factors can affect the selection of the right exit strategy. The first thing that an investor needs to select the right exit strategy for his real estate investment in Maryland is clarity of goal. The investor must decide the nature of income he wants from his property and the time when he wants to cash his real estate investment in Maryland. External factors that affect the selection of an exit strategy include local infrastructural development, market behavior, nature of investment etc. Depending on these factors the investor can consider all options available to exit a real estate investment in Maryland. Some of the exit strategy options could be tax deferred exchanges, creating trusts, joint ownerships, installment sales etc. Let us see using an example how an investor can choose from these options.

Consider an investor who had invested in real estate in Maryland and has sold a property now. The sale has given him huge profits, but after making some calculations he realizes that he might lose a huge chink of this profit in tax. In this case the investor can opt for internal revenue code (IRC) section 1031. This exchange can be used for “property help for productive use in business”. Under this exchange the investor has the advantage of tax deferral on capital gains earned from the sale if he exchanges the property for a “like kind” property. This way the investor is not liable for paying the tax on his profit and can use his money to invest in other properties.

The investor can even plan for his heirs to inherit the property. He can gift it to them in portions don’t exceed the limit of annual gift tax exclusion, i.e. $12000 or even set up a Family Limited Partnership (FLP) and gift limited partnership interests to his heirs.

Let’s study a case where the investor is not looking for immediate liquidation of his real estate investment in Maryland. The investor has the option of opting for ‘tenancy in common’. Usually, investors opt for tenancy in common when they want to own a portion in a fast-developing high-end commercial property. It could be a multiplex, mall or even an office building. This way they also get rid of the liability to maintain the property and are free to sell it whenever they want.

An investor looking to create a regular stream of income from his property in Maryland can opt for installment sale options. This way he also ensures that the tax due on his sale is not payable at once and is divided on a yearly basis.

Another way of avoiding lump sum payment of tax is creation of trusts such as Annuity Trust (PAT) or Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT). These options also ensure a regular stream of income and the investor can also earn interest of the tax deferred over a span of time.

These are just a few examples. A real estate investor in Maryland can opt for various other exit strategies, alone or in combination. But he must take financial advice from an attorney and a tax advisor while selecting a strategy.

So if you want to make the best choice of marketing firms that you can make, you need to keep yourself well informed about how the rules of competition will go around in two very different marketing environments:

A Fresh Market-

This is what most companies only wish they had: a totally new market wherein only they have the goods and the services to sell. In such a condition, when you are marketing something that is fresh and new and you have relatively little competition to deal with, your only concern is to establish market awareness as fast as possible.

Good Marketing firms know this, and will spend as much money as deemed necessary to let the market know that your company is the first on the scene to get the job done. The first step is to aggressively promote your product and make the public aware. So pull no stops and get known as quickly as possible before the competition springs up to try and wrestle your advantage away from you.

A Saturated Market-

When the market is saturated with rivals who offer the same thing that you have, there’s always someone who is going to be bigger and better than you. That’s why a good marketing firm knows how to deal with competitive rivals who have more resources, more market control and generally more presence than your own company.

This is often the case when you are attempting to penetrate a pre-existing market. Going head to head in marketing against rivals in such a marketing environment is a huge waste of resources; you will just end up in a “spending war” that drains your money and makes no return on your investment. Opt for marketing strategies that offer what your competitors do not have: inexpensive options, a different scent, specialized services, a unique taste, anything that makes you stand out from the rest of the crowd.

The Bottom Line is simple: he who is innovative, unique, and can think outside of the box will win in the marketing scene. Though there are a lot of other factors that will determine a company’s success in the long run, originality is still something that brings in the money.

Top marketing firms are aware of this, and they will use their knowledge to help create the right marketing strategy for your company; regardless of the market conditions you will choose to operate in.