The Art of Effective Advertising: It's Not the Messenger's Fault

The Importance of Quality in Advertising

I recently received a call from a gentleman in Scotland, who was upset that the ad he had placed with us two weeks prior had not generated any leads. As he expressed his frustration, I took the opportunity to review the ad he had submitted.

The man was part of an affiliate program that provided a personalized website, which not only offered information about the program but also tracked leads. However, he had failed to include the website in his ad, and his only means of contact was via email. The ad he had submitted was riddled with spelling and grammatical errors, which we had corrected before posting.

As the conversation progressed, it became clear that the man had indulged in a rather lengthy liquid lunch. When I attempted to explain what he needed to do to improve his ad, he accused me of being a "con artist" and abruptly ended the call.

The Role of the Advertiser

While such incidents are not the norm, they do occur. It's important to understand that ad space, whether in an ezine or on a website, is just that - space. The internet is not a magical place where poorly written ads suddenly become effective. If an ad is poorly written, it will not generate responses, regardless of where it's placed. The responsibility for the ad's success lies with the advertiser, not the platform.

Successful advertisers understand this. They sell quality products at reasonable prices and take the time to craft compelling ads. They understand that the purpose of an ad is to pique interest and prompt potential customers to request more information. They have websites that provide comprehensive details and facilitate the actual sale.

The Three Stages of Effective Advertising

Effective advertising involves three stages: the "tease," the "education," and the "close" or "call to action." The "tease" is the ad itself, designed to spark interest and lead to the "education" stage, where potential customers seek more information about the product or service. The "close" is where you give the customer a reason to make a purchase.

A common mistake is to confuse these stages. If a website provides little or no information, it's essentially just another "tease." Conversely, trying to provide too much information in the ad can also be counterproductive. Each stage must be properly executed for an ad to be successful.

Evaluating Your Advertising Efforts

If your ad isn't generating results, examine each stage to see if it would convince you to make a purchase. It can also be helpful to have a neutral third party review your sales efforts. Sometimes, being too close to the process can cloud your judgment.

Remember, it's crucial to place your ad in spaces that are relevant to your target market. It may take multiple exposures to your ad before someone takes action, so don't be discouraged if you don't see immediate results.

In conclusion, blaming the platform for an ad's lack of success is a copout. The platform's role is to provide the space and distribute it to their subscribers. The responsibility for creating an effective ad lies with the advertiser.