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Advertising Your Business by Word of MouthTip! Forgetting the call-for-action is the biggest mistake I see in small business advertising. A call-for-action is a short sentence telling the customer how to get the product or service, such as “call us for a free sample,” “order online at www.yourwebsite.com." To begin with, we need to get something straight. Word-of-mouth advertising is a misnomer. The dictionary definition of “advertising,” according to Webster is: “The action of drawing something to the public’s attention with a paid announcement, often through a printed notice or a broadcast.” Therefore, WOM is NOT advertising. It is neither bought nor controllable, to any large extent. Spreading WOM advertising is more akin to allowing the wind to control a kite. Sometimes it goes up and often times eventually, comes down. When a consumer uses your product or service, your job is done. Then the person has a variety of choices. They can (a) tell a friend or relative how great the experience was, (b) tell them how awful it was, or (c) tell nobody at all. It depends on the result. More often than not, if your business has simply met their expectations, they will likely do nothing. If you produced a superior product or service, they may tell a few people. Ah, but if you have done a lousy job, watch out. They’ll tell the world about the awful item or event. Therefore, WOM has a 66% chance of not working in your favor. It works exactly like the news. A terrible situation with a tragic outcome has a far better chance of making the news than a warm and fuzzy, feel-good piece. It’s human nature. People are fascinated by horrible traffic accidents and will gawk for minutes or hours. They still discuss Princess Di, John F. Kennedy, Jr, and John Lennon’s death, even decades later. But, do they celebrate the living with the same enthusiasm?
Knowing all that, why would any business continue to ignore traditional advertising channels and rely solely on WOM? At least with the media, they can structure their own program, target their market, and track the results. It’s not just a matter of money. Sure, advertising costs money, but it’s an investment in the company. WOM is free promotion, but is it positive? From what I’ve just written, you tell me. I sold Yellow Page advertising for almost 25 years, and during that time, I rarely had an advertiser call me up when the directory delivered to thank me for the wonderful ad. But, if there was even the tiniest mistake with the ad, guess how long it took for them to make that call? Can you say “nanosecond?” So become proactive and get that marketing program underway and control your destiny. It’s foolish to think that all your customers will take it upon themselves to do your promotion for you, unless you enjoy negative publicity. I know if I had a disastrous experience in your store, you and all my other readers, would be seeing it here in my next article. Oops! Tip! Online internet advertising is all about reach and can turn any idea into a profitable online business idea or a profitable home business if it reaches out right. Free business advertising adds wing to an idea at no extra cost and success stories abound on the Internet. Jeffrey Hauser's latest book is, "Inside the Yellow Pages," which can be viewed at http://www.poweradbook.com He was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for nearly 25 years. He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising and has a Master's Degree in teaching. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design firm, ABC Advertising. Currently, he is the Marketing Director for thenurseschoice.com, a Health Information and Doctor Referral site. |
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