Many business people have a distorted view about
     the distinction between sales & marketing. The
     common view looks something like this. "Market
     by advertising to get your name out there, so
     that people will be familiar with you. When they
     need what we're selling, they'll know who to
     call".
    
     And off they go, to promote their company with
     image advertising that shouts to the world how
     great they are.
    
     They hope, and they prey that some how, some way,
     the message about their brand will stick in
     people's minds. Never knowing if it does, or if
     it doesn't. Or whether their marketing dollars
     are paying them back in increased sales.
    
     Some even think a cool web site, or sexy flash
     demo is enough to get their phones to start
     ringing.
    
     This all too common approach is a huge waste of
     time, and money. Never let an advertising rep
     tell you any different.
    
     Sales and Marketing are far more alike than most
     people realize. The sole purpose of marketing,
     and advertising is to make sales. Full Stop.
    
     If you don't know how many sales dollars your
     online advertising is really bringing in, stop
     advertising.
    
     Advertising must do much more than just get your
     name out there. It must educate, qualify,
     convince, & persuade.
    
     Great Advertising is Nothing Less Than
     "Salesmanship in Print"!
    
     Think of it as a sales presentation that's geared
     toward accomplishing a carefully defined
     objective, whether that objective is the actual
     sale, or a step toward it.
    
     Most successful campaigns are in fact a series of
     graduated commitments, leading up to a
     transaction. It might start with something as
     simple as an exchange of information. For example,
     the prospects name & address, in exchange for
     some information about solving a problem. That's
     always a winning formula.
    
     When a prospect takes this step, they are actually
     qualifying themselves, persuading themselves, and
     giving you permission to follow up with them, all
     at the same time. And without any investment in
     personal selling.
    
     After all, why should you waste your valuable time
     talking to a prospect that isn't already highly
     qualified, and predisposed to buying from you?
    
     The key to profitable sales, marketing, and
     advertising lies in the response. Yet 90% of
     businesses fail to ask for, and track incremental
     response in their advertising. The only thing they
     track are sales, and then wonder why their results
     are so abysmal.    
    
     Why Is Incremental Response So Important?
    
     Because it tells you what you're getting, so you
     can change what you're giving, until you get what
     you want.
    
     The majority of people need to be exposed to your
     value proposition more than once before opening
     their wallets anyway. Why not play an active role
     in the process, and track the response you get to
     each successive stage of commitment?
    
     Think of a pyramid, with rows of blocks piled one
     on top of the other. The wider you build each row,
     the better your chances of getting to the top.
    
     If all of this sounds just too simple, and you
     don't believe it has the power to line your pockets
     with all the money you want, think again.
    
     There are millions of businesses out there that
     just don't get this.
    
     Nobody knows for sure how an individual will react
     to a given message. But en mass, human nature is
     as predictable as the hands on a clock. If you
     broadcast a message, the collective response will
     consistently come back to you within an amazingly
     small variance. So measure your response, try
     things, and repeat. It's that simple.
    
     Set up a few pay per click campaigns on google,
     track your investment in real time, and start
     experimenting to see what kind of desirable
     actions you can get your visitors to take right
     away when they read your sales message. You get
     instant feedback, and changes are no cost. The
     whole set up runs for about the cost of a few cups
     of coffee a day.
    
     Think of it as your own personal marketing
     laboratory. When you find something that works,
     you can replicate it in other more costly forms of
     media.
    
     And remember, it doesn't matter if you're selling
     printed circuit boards, herbal remedies, or
     anything in between, the same principles apply.
     _________________________________
     Daniel Levis is a top marketing consultant &
     direct response copywriter based in Toronto,
     Canada and publisher of the world famous
     copywriting anthology "Masters of Copywriting"
     featuring the marketing wisdom of 42 of the
     world's greatest copywriters, including Clayton
     Makepeace, Joe Sugarman, Joe Vitale, Bob Bly
     and dozens more! For a FREE excerpt visit the
     link http://hycoty.wickiup.hop.clickbank.net