Prove It! - Give Your Marketing and Advertising More Credibility


Your marketing and advertising won't be effective if your potential customers don't believe the claims you make. So how can you prove your that you can do what you say you can?

Tone it down. Even if it is possible, your claim that dieters can lose 50 pounds in a month probably won't be believed. Make it more realistic and representative of typical results.

Get customer testimonials. Let them see that others have had great results. Testimonials should be specific and include the customer's real name for the most credibility.

Get endorsements from experts. Respected authorities who say that your product or service is good make you look good.

Positive media coverage will make you a star. Media coverage provides an implied endorsement from a respected source.

Show a track record. Have you been in business for 20 years? Customers are more comfortable doing business with someone they believe will be around if there is a problem after the sale.

Make yourself accessible. Give a phone number or e-mail address where customers can contact you (or support staff) directly with questions. Phone numbers are especially valuable in creating the awareness that you are approachable by clients. Add live chat at your web site to resolve support issues.

Cite statistics from a reputable source to back up your claims. There is a joke that 67.8% of all statistics are made up on the spot. When you use statistics, tell where they came from.

And, never make claims that aren't true. If you are caught in a lie, it can be difficult or impossible to reclaim the trust of your customers.

Copyright Cathy Stucker. As the Idea Lady, Cathy Stucker can help you attract customers and make yourself famous with creative strategies that help your business excel. Get free marketing tips and discover what she can do for you at http://www.IdeaLady.com/.

More Resources

Online vs. Offline Advertising
Let's face it. Email marketing and publishing have becamevery popular tool for promoting your business, especially in theUSA.
Testing Headlines
A correspondent to AdBriefing, my monthly newsletter, has posed a very sticky question. How, she asks, can you tell whether a headline you have written is a good one?or not? What she means by this, I imagine, is whether the headline will actually help to make sales, rather than just act as a passing amusement to its readers.
Driving Customers to You - Your Car as a Marketing Vehicle
You can turn your vehicle into a rolling advertisement. Costs start at just a few dollars, and you can put your business name, slogan, phone number and web site URL in front of thousands of potential customers while you are driving along the freeway, stuck in traffic or even while you are parked.
How To Make Your Resource Box Sell
Ezine Articles - they're everywhere!And little wonder. They're one of the fastestways of building traffic to your website.
Mobile Detailers; Customer Window Displays
Mobile detailers have all types of customers, many of whom are self-employed. We know that these customers love their automobiles as most Americans and therefore love the services we provide.
The Only Bad Advertising Is No Advertising - Or Is It?
Depending on whom you ask, you will get told many "truths" about advertising. The question I have for you today is this - "Is the only bad advertising, no advertising?"Before we begin, it might help us to agree on what advertising is, so here's one definition:"Advertising is the non-personal communication of an individual's paid persuasive information regarding products, and or services via various media.
Media Savvy - Media Skills For Rural Women
The ability to lead, persuade and influence are integral skills for effective leaders. The capability of telling a story that inspires, motivates and informs is an essential part of this process.
The Not-So-Hidden Persuaders: The Power of The Media Upon Us All
In 1957, a perspicacious young journalist from Pennsylvania named Vance Packard wrote a book called The Hidden Persuaders. It was meant to explain to the public at large why they buy the products they do and to warn them about the psychological aspects of consumer appeal that lie beneath the levels of consciousness.
Is Advertising Art?
Oh Grand and Glorious Southern Guru, I am perplexed. What ails thee, my peabrained little grasshopper? My sleep has been short, my walls have been climbed, my hair has been pulled.
10 Reasons Why Your Company Needs Custom Invitations
I am always amazed when I hear about companies who spend tens of thousands of dollars organizing a make-it-or-break-it company event designed to celebrate a company milestone and/or impress prospective customers. Sometimes these events have big contracts or sales at stake! Yet, often planners will fall short on the most critical aspect of planning the event-the invitations! After all, before a client steps foot into your venue, or even confirms attendance, the invitation sets the tone and leaves the first and most important (and lasting!) impression!Have a look at this compelling list of "10 Reasons Why Your Company Needs Custom Invitations".
How To Track Your Advertising Like A Hawk
Tired of pouring endless money into advertising? Do you wonder which ads are "REALLY" working for the business you manage? Would you like a bullet-proof system for capturing the results from your advertising and marketing? Below are three concepts that will enable you to track your advertising and marketing like a hawk! Really, it's that simple!Developing a tracking system: As a business owner/executive/manager, you need an efficient way to record and evaluate the results from your advertising and marketing programs. To get started, you will need a "prospect card" which includes a list of ALL the places you advertise and market your company.
Pros and Cons of Establishing an In-House Ad Agency
There have been several ads promoting books and reports on thissubject, or included as part of the contents in several mailorder books stating: "SAVE UP TO 17% ON ALL YOUR ADVERTISING" It's legitimate, practical and effective, but like so many otherpromises, there are pros and cons involved. The pros are fairlyobvious.
10 Tips For Writing A Profit Producing Ad
1. You can get ad copy ideas by studying similar product's advertising material.
The Ultimate, "Must-Have" Home-Based Business for YOU
The Ultimate, "Must-Have" Home-Based Business for YOU aUnderemployed, Unemployed, or Industrial Age IndividualAllow me to educate you on the issue of job security andpaint you a picture of what the aftermath can be if youremain comfortable at your regular job. Job security is anold-fashioned term that claims the longer an employeeworked for a particular company, the more precious thatperson became.
The Skinny on Billboards
Several years back the billboard people put a bigpicture of "Sharlene Wells, Miss America" onbillboards all over town. She was everywhere.
Forgot The Ad Budget? Dont Panic!
Bob is excited about his new business. He secured funding.
Your Eye Catching Publicity Flyer
Your website is done, your business cards have been delivered, and your brochure has received accolades. In the promoting department you have everything you need, right? Well, there is one item you lack and by having this item in your arsenal it can be a dealmaker for you.
7 Questions to Ask Before You Advertise
Most business owners and managers keep a fairly close eye on their marketing budgets.And nothing throws a budget out of whack faster than advertising.
Moving message Sign
Moving Message Signs are a unique, attention-grabbing way to communicate and motivate. They are used for eye-catching shop-front or under awning advertising, promotions of products or services, directing and/or welcoming customers, displaying safety and emergency information, directing customers to specific service areas or entrances etc.
Create Your Own Business Cards, Part 1
In this lesson, we will create a business card, using Microsoft Word. I created a new template for my business card.

More Advertising Information:

Related Articles

Secrets of Getting Free Advertising
The opportunities for getting free advertising for your product or services are limited only by your own imagination and energies. There are so many proven ways of promoting your own objectives without cost that it literally boggles the mind just to think of listing them.
Outdoor Sign
Many business organizations that needs to disseminate late-breaking information to a large number of people. Out door sign boards are the perfect solution for them that command the attention of all who pass underneath.
Information Gathering & Delivery May Never Be The Same!
Give Us The Bottom Line!If you are like most people, you may have skipped down to the bottom to see how much we charge. Well we don't! That's right, the free customized information product we give away is totally free.
Humor in Advertising
Many of the most memorable ad campaigns around tend to be funny. Advertisers use this strategy to attract customers to their product.
10 Simple Techniques To Make Your Ad Get Powerful Attention
1. Make your ad's keywords and phrases standoutby enlarging the text.
Driving Customers to You - Your Car as a Marketing Vehicle
You can turn your vehicle into a rolling advertisement. Costs start at just a few dollars, and you can put your business name, slogan, phone number and web site URL in front of thousands of potential customers while you are driving along the freeway, stuck in traffic or even while you are parked.
Create A Killer Brochure: 9 Steps to the Perfect Piece
If you are creating a brochure, make sure you follow these 9 steps to get best return on your investment:1 Grab AttentionYou need a hook that gets your audience interested. The headline or main text is your first chance to grab attention.
5 Newspaper Advertising Myths Revealed
What I'm about to reveal are myths that most people thinkare 'true.'They seem set in stone yet they are deadly to theadvertiser.
Tips for Using Paid Advertising
Quite a few business out there can't survive without some type of advertising and/or brand recognition, so advertising your business is one of the most important aspects in running certain types of business. It's also one of the most frequently asked questions for "how to".
Double the Effectiveness of Your Company Brochure
Let's face it - most brochures go straight into the bin. But if you know the big mistake to avoid, as well as the secret to make people keep your brochure - and read it, over and over again - you're laughing.
Small Business Image
The single easiest way to increase sales is to look professional. People believe what they see.
Unlock The Power Of Online Groups
Yahoo Groups: I see countless marketers on shoestring budges turn to traffic exchanges for free traffic. If they would spend the time creating online groups rather than clicking for traffic they would see much more quality traffic.
Do Your Radio Ads Work?
Most small businesses don't have a high poweredadvertising agency to produce selling radiocommercials for them and end up with somethingakin to a high school play, or with the businessowner reading tired copy.The radio salesperson knows that by suggesting theowner be the star, visions of Dave from Wendys orthat guy with the talking dog who says "roll thatbeautiful bean footage" come to mind.
3 Simple Steps to Getting Thousands in Free Advertising
Many entrepreneurs believe that they understand what public relations is, but very few do. Publicity and public relations can be used to boost your business by thousands of dollars a week or kill it; the trouble is using it to your advantage.
5 Tips for Hot Yellow Pages Ads
Yellow Pages advertising is one of the mostpopular forms of advertising in the country today.Almost every home in America (96.
Three Keys to Crafting Successful Print Ads
Want to create print ads that get results? Below are three keys to get you started.1.
Creditability In Advertising
I recently saw an ad taped to my mailbox, mind you, my mailbox is shared by many residents of my area. The postal real estate is typically reserved for flyers of lost dogs, cats, small children, etc.
Increase Business By Being Nice
I have been reading articles on increasing sales using search engine optimisation as well as writing them for a very long time and I have not seen many which point out the best way to increase sales.The answer is obvious yet often overlooked; you just have to be as good to your customers as you would expect any other site owner to treat you.
How To Write Eye-Grabbing Headlines That Catapult Your Prospects Into Your Ads
If you're interested in improving the selling results of your ads, tweaking your headlines is a great place to start. Because your headlines influence the sales results of your ad more than any other element.
Commercial: Consumer - Discounts - Misleading Advertising
Marketing is an important tool for attracting customers. It is commonplace to see banners announcing bargains of "70% off the retail price.