BUSINESS
Can’t Afford Advertising?
Then
Advertise!
By Shileen Nixon
B
eing in the advertising business myself, I
often hear stories about how and why businesses don’t have money in their budget for
advertising. They say, “We can’t afford it!” The
solution? Simply put…then advertise! To be blunt, you
can’t afford NOT to advertise! It’s like putting together a
jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces.
Whether you have a brick-and-mortar business or an
online business, advertising is a MUST. It just doesn’t
make sense to spend thousands of dollars on inventory,
overhead, payroll, websites, etc. and then not tell anyone
who you are, what you do, and where they can find you!
I heard a story about a landscaper with a very small
advertising budget who placed a $27 ad in his local paper. When he remembered to place the ad, he almost
missed the deadline. He had 20 minutes to get it in and
then ended up having to use his girlfriend’s debit card
because he had left his at home. The ad went out, and
he only received one call from an elderly woman who
hired him for a simple $25 pruning job. Disaster, right?!
Wrong! It turned out that the neighbor across the street
liked what he had done and hired him to do their pruning. Then the son of the elderly woman hired him for a
big job, as did his brothers and sisters. The landscaper
ended up working for the whole family, which became a
very big account, all off of an inexpensive ad that originally only produced one phone call!
Although I don’t recommend haphazard advertising,
the point of this story says that even though he only received one phone call from the ad, it was well worth the
money and aggravation! The advertising did its job!
So many times I have called upon businesses I’ve never
been in, and when I see their services and/or product, I
am sometimes shocked because I had no idea! I always
say that if I don’t know, how many other people don’t
know?! And the same thing can be true for online businesses. If people don’t know who you are and what you
do, consider it lost sales! Every successful business is
built on proven advertising techniques, which can vary
depending upon the type of your business.
What do you do?
First, if you haven’t already, carve out an advertising
budget. It is a MUST even if you have to cut back on
something like inventory for a while. It only makes sense!
Second, know who your target audience is. There are
many reasons to know this piece of information, one of
which is so your advertising dollars go to the right place.
Third, with budget and target audience in hand, do a
little research to determine which advertising venue is
best for you.
Fourth, good business is based on relationship. Therefore, your ads should portray you as a nice person who
cares about your customers and business, NOT as a manipulator like the stereotypical used car salesman type.
Fifth, begin advertising with the understanding that
it’s about branding. Whether you get one customer (like
in our story), lots of customers, or no customers, branding takes time and patience. Don’t expect that a onetime ad is all that you need, but at the same time don’t
think that a one-time ad can’t help in some situations.
However, it’s the long term consistent advertising that
will get you there. Slow and steady!
Advertising can be a very good vehicle if it is used
properly. Your ads should be fun and beautiful, not manipulative. Remember, pictures can speak a thousand
words. Your ads let people know who you are and what
you do. And if you think about it, advertising can be an
extension of who you are. When you are authentic, even
in your advertising campaigns, you will get even more
amazing results!
Shileen Nixon is the founder and publisher of “The Paper” publication who also has a
background in health & wellness with a specialty in emotional wellness.
SUMMER 2016
INSPIRING LIVES
35