Denver Search Engine Optimization | Advertising Information | links | site map
Advertising Information

Books, Bibles and Fast-Talkers


Every community has 'em. Fast talkers who roll into town with a clever idea to sell to people in business.

Many times the ideas are clever and cute but you should weigh the ups and downs of every offer before you dig out the checkbook. Most of these in-town-for-a-day people want their cash up front.

Some of the common flim-flams are:

Coupon Books

They offer to put you in a giant coupon book to be sold for the needy charity or Lions Club. Books are sold on the phone for $29 and delivered by the Boy Scouts. Watch out for errors and missing expirations once the operation has moved to another town.

Telephone Book Covers

They wrap around the book and the callers see your ad every time they reach for the book. Might be OK if you own the wrecker service, locksmith or funeral home, but run the other way if you have a grocery, Mickey Dees, or bank.

City Maps

Your ad goes somewhere around the edge of the map. You might get pitched by several companies. Some look better than others, most are very pricey. Pick up maps like these when you see them and decide if you'd do business with anyone on the map because of the ad. Distribution is the selling point. Placement is the bug-a-boo. What if your ad is on the back and the reader only looks at the front? Don't be fooled by the promise of radio ads proclaiming free maps and mentioning your name.

Bibles for Newlyweds

I wish I had thought of this one 30 years ago. I would be clipping coupons instead of writing about it.

The fast talker promises to send a Bible to all newlyweds in the county (the names and addresses of the happy couples are public record at the courthouse). Four to six sales at about $500 each and they mail a one dollar Bible 4th class, a peel and stick label stuck inside with the name of the "sponsors" in inkjet color.

They can easily sell a town a day at 3 large and make one trip a quarter to visit the courthouse for names. Work it for two months on a route and eat cake the other 10. A great moneymaker for the Bible people, a dud for advertising effectiveness. But like kids in school and American Flags, this emotion sells well in every community.

There are hundreds of advertising "opportunities" out there. Your job as a business owner is to separate the effective from the cute and clever.

For more about advertising, get my article "Your Billboard is Showing" MailTo:Billboards@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


MORE RESOURCES:

SAMAA TV

2Q Newspaper Advertising Falls 5.6%, Decrease Narrows On Year
Wall Street Journal
"Despite a highly competitive environment, online-advertising growth rebounded back into double digits, while declines in traditional revenue categories ...
Newspaper Ad Spending Drops Least in 4 Years Amid Web's StrengthBusinessWeek
US newspaper ad revenue falls again, but pace slowsAFP
Newspapers: Print advertising drops, online soarsSacramento Business Journal
Radio Ink -Editor & Publisher -Mediapost.com
all 32 news articles »


Austin Chronicle (blog)

Texas' White calls for tourism advertising cuts
BusinessWeek
The Democrat recently said he would ax money for such advertising as one way to save the state money. "There are certain things we ought to take a machete ...
Tourism budget cuts in Texas' future?KGBT-TV

all 84 news articles »


Radio World

US ad spending improves, but not for newspapers
BusinessWeek
Spending on advertising in the US is rebounding and should rise this year after two straight years of declines, but the uptick isn't likely to help print ...
Newspapers Will Be Left Behind As US Ad Spending RecoversDailyFinance
SNL Kagan Study Indicates U.S. Advertising Market on the Mend in 2010PR Web (press release)
US TV advertising drives market back in blackRapid tv news
Reuters -Broadcasting & Cable -Radio World
all 20 news articles »


9/11 Exploitation Advertising: Still A Bad Idea
Huffington Post (blog)
I'm not sure that the 9/11 attacks should ever be used as an advertising hook for anything, but this advertisement for a French newspaper, ...

and more »


Millions of advertising dollars being poured into Las Vegas, Reno
CNN Political Ticker (blog)
... to be one of the highest profile races in the country,” said Evan Tracey, CMAG's president and CNN's consultant on political television advertising. ...

and more »


CNET

Leaked Google documents show ad word spending
V3.co.uk
A set of leaked documents have revealed some fascinating details about who is buying advertising around Google's search results. ...
Report: BP was a top Google advertiser in JuneThe Hill (blog)
BP Games GoogleMother Jones
BP Was Among Top Google Advertisers In JuneBenzinga
Auctionbytes -The Business Insider -Fast Company
all 63 news articles »


SVnetwork Launches Performance Brand Advertising Site Reaching Over 80 Million ...
MarketWatch (press release)
SVnetwork's unique brand advertising platform charges advertisers only when a consumer has engaged with their brand, as opposed to per impression. ...
SVnetwork Launches Brand Advertising NetworksocalTech.com

all 12 news articles »


Atlantis Technology Group Subsidiary TellyTube, Inc. Will Begin Testing ...
MarketWatch (press release)
... Inc. will begin testing Television advertising with Comcast in the Fort Lauderdale area starting on September 13th, 2010 for the TellyTube.Tv web site. ...

and more »


A Pitched Battle Over Bedbugs in Online Search Advertising
New York Times
In the battlefield of search advertising, finding success is not easy. “The competition is fierce,” said Bill Carlson, 44, whose Web site, Bed-Bug.net, ...

and more »


Facebook Sued by Calif. Teens for Illegal Advertising Endorsements
Justice News Flash
Los Angeles, CA—Two teenagers have filed a lawsuit against the social media networking giant, Facebook, for allegedly selling their names and images to ...

and more »

Google News

home | site map
© 2006