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. This time, however, the ad was soliciting a service which, I feel, requires a personal connection. The ad simply stated: "Affordable, Quality, Licensed, Day Care. Call XXX-XXXX"

While I do not have children yet, I can only assume a responsible parent would look at this impersonal solicitation for their young children and laugh. Would you consider trusting this nameless, faceless, credit-less, organization with your children? Maybe some days this would be appealing, but realistically?

I started thinking about credibility and what an important role it plays in today's business economy. I looked in the yellow pages for a landscaping company - six pages vying for my dollar, yet all of them lacked personality. Not one said, "We are a credible company you have heard of."

Granted, building a brand name takes longer than a day or a dollar. Not one person on my mailing list has the Microsoft arsenal of marketers, nor do they have the brand recognition worldwide. But thousands of "small businesses" (a term I hate) have incredible local recognition. Think Blue Sky Landscaping (for you Western Washington folks), what about Dillanos Coffee? They are based right here in Sumner. Ever heard of Pink Coconut? Headquartered in Puyallup.

What do you do to make your company say, "I am someone you can trust."? How do your customers get to be your customers? Obviously word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool - but you can't buy that. If you could, we would all be millionaires and word of mouth would not have the same credibility. What about new customers?

For some, leaving an anonymous flyer on a mailbox will work. For daycare? For in-home services? No.

Write back and let me know what you do to bring creditability to your company. In my next article, I will share some of your thoughts - think about it, instant (creditable, free) publicity.

S. Nestor writes for StormFront Development, a pioneer in web development.

More Resources

2005 Super Bowl Ads... Winners and Losers
Well, Super Bowl XXXIX is history. Too bad for the folks who consider themselves the always-pullin'-for-the-underdog type.
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.
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.
Creativity and Getting Outside of the Box
Sitting in front of a blank piece of paper? Wondering where in the world to start? I have a suggestion. Turn the page upside down.
Cable TV Advertising; Mobile Detailing Customers
If you own a mobile detailing business or mobile car wash company you should have the local cable company as one of your clients. You may even find your self with some free publicity.
Radio Interview 101
Different Types of Station ContactReaching radio hosts (for the purpose of trying to get booked foran interview) can take on various forms, depending on the typeof station the show is done at. What's best? All of them at thesame time, of course.
Not Another Calendar! - Choose Advertising Specialties That Sell
As I was searching through a kitchen drawer the other day, I found dozens of pens, pencils, letter openers, sticky-note pads, oversized paper clips, rulers, dental floss, calendars, magnets, whatsits and thing-a-ma-bobs, each with the name of a business on the front. In looking through my "collection" I discovered some things I love and use and others that I can't imagine why I picked them up.
Direct Mail Rules of Thumb
First and foremost - You should identify your target market. Target your direct marketing lists.
How You Measure Yourself Is How You Motivate Yourself
One of the keys to strong positive mental attitude is what you compare your personal performance to. Do you compare your sales results to the top producer in your industry? Do you compare your basketball playing ability to Michael Jordan? Do you compare your last presentation to a speech delivered by Ronald Reagan or JFK? Or do you compare your results today, to those you had yesterday? Sports, sales, and the media teach us to compare our success against that of others, living or dead.
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.
How to Write Great Headlines
According to experts, just changing the headline of an ad or sales letter has been known to dramatically improve the effectiveness of an ad or sales letter by up to 1700 percent! Yes, headlines are that powerful--and that important!An effective headline will do many things at once. It will attract the readers attention, convey benefits by appealing to the readers self-interest and it will set the stage for what is to come.
Online Classifieds
Choosing a Classified Website and creating your advertisements.The internet has opened a vast number of doors for people to market their products and services.
LED Score Boards
LED scoreboards can be utilized in most of the sporting event for eye-catching effects replace traditional scoreboards. This high- tech lighting system is both energy - efficient and able to produce a very bright light.
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.
Advertise Where Its Forbidden To
The most common way to drive people to your business site is advertising. You cannot succeed without advertising, this is a fact.
The Benefits of Specific Advertising
The great Claude Hopkins (Author of Scientific Advertising) once said, "Platitudes and generalities roll off the human understanding like water from a duck. They leave no impression whatever.
How to Make a Fortune from Unique Resistance-free Advertising
One of the most powerful offers you can use in your advertising is the word Free.But, you may well ask? how can I make a profit giving my products and services away without charging for them?Which is the exact reason why you need to understand the 'LVC Formula' which stands for the Lifetime Value of a Client!Here's how it works.
Top 9 Reasons To Advertise
Advertising is not for every company. But some require it because their market is big and constantly changing and evolving.
Advertising Basics for Beginners
So many of us who have decided to do business online have no background in marketing or advertising. It can be so frustrating without any kind of guide.
Make the Right Advertising Decisions
Advertising is a powerful and somewhat frustrating marketing tool. It enables us to launch new products and services, increase sales, and increase awareness.

More Advertising Information:

Related Articles

3 Things Every Yellow Pages Advertiser Needs to Know
Too many business owners and marketers know that Yellow Pages advertising has an incredible amount of potential? but they don't quite know how to take advantage of it.Fortunately, it's a mystery that's solved pretty easily once an advertiser knows where to turn for advice.
Advertising Primer for Fast Learners
Advertising, when done well is a very effective way to increase your customer base and ultimately grow your bottom line.Many businesses have no idea how to advertise; they do a little bit here and a little bit there and end up saying that advertising doesn't work.
Never Be Caught Cardless Again: Five Tips to Help You Remember Business Cards
Sorry, I Don't Seem to Have a Business Card With Me..
Can I Write and Print My Own Business Brochures and Business Cards?
If you have a computer and a printer, preferably one that can print in color, then you can make your own brochures and business cards that are very professional-looking! Be sure to use good quality paper (that is available at any office supplies store like Office Depot or Staples) for anything that you are going to hand out or send to potential customers and clients.Writing Text for Your Brochure and Business CardThe very best thing to do is to get a few examples of business brochures and business cards, preferably from the same type of business as the business you are starting.
Just What Are Consumers Thinking?
Research would indicate that consumers don't know what they're thinking. According to an article written by Jack Shimell (2002) for Quirk's Marketing Research Review, Consumers make their decisions and react to advertising based more on unconscious emotional processes than on conscious rational processes.
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.
When Times Get Tough... or When to Really Advertise
The Pundits say the economy is slowly, but surely, recovering. Maybe not at the rate of the mid-90s stock boom, but recovering nonetheless.
Finding Your Target Market
Achieving sales is probably the biggest challenge a web business owner has. It requiresa balanced mix of the right products, competitive pricing, optimal web design, aggressive advertising and attracting the right online visitors.
6 Ways To Get More Sales From Your Advertisement
To bring great sales success, a great advertising technique is not the only parameter. You must know what it is that your customers are actually buying.
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 Can All the Radio Stations Be #1?
Are you confused by all the information you receive from various radio stations? Do they all tell you they are #1 and you don't know who to believe? Most of them probably are #1 so believe it or not, they aren't lying to you. The question is, "What are they #1 in and is it a group of ears you want to reach?"Quite often a radio "Account Manager" or "Account Executive" which are pseudonyms for radio sales person, receives a call from someone who states they are gathering information for someone else, the real decision maker, someone who is looking at radio as a possible advertising medium.
What Do Your Ads Say?
Make a list of everything you think should beincluded at one time or another, in one of yourad, be it radio, newspaper or Little Jimmie'sclass play program.Everything.
How To Write Really Good Ads
All sales begin with some form of advertising. To build sales,this advertising must be seen or heard by potential buyers, andcause them to react to the advertising in some way.
15 Tips for Better Yellow Page Ads
Yellow Pages advertising is one of the mostpopular forms of advertising in the country today.Almost every home in America (96.
How To Create Instantly Compelling Ads Every Time
Use This Quick 3-Question Evaluation Process, So You Can Be Sure Your Message Will Sell!EVALUATION #1: "Well, I Would Hope So!" When you make a claim, don't think about it in terms of words coming out of your mouth. Think of it in terms of words entering your prospects ears.
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".
CD Business Cards- Why Use Them?
CD Business cards are the electronic version of the now outdated paper business or social card. They are the smaller squared version of the CD-R family.
Choosing a Print Mail Dealer
"Print & Mail is a type of service that is popular among small mail order operators. It is an inexpensive way to get your ad material printed and mailed to people.
Joint Ventures Increase Profits Quickly
A joint venture is when two or more businesses jointogether to work on a project for a set period of time.Doing joint ventures with other businesses can increaseyour chances of beating your competition, increase yoursales and increase your profits quickly.
Top 9 Reasons To Advertise
Advertising is not for every company. But some require it because their market is big and constantly changing and evolving.