What Makes Advertising Successful?

1. PERSUASIVE SELLING COPY. The wording is the single most important element in determining a successful ad. What counts most is what you say and how you say it.2. PLACEMENT IN APPROPRIATE PUBLICATION. This might seem obvious, but it is often neglected. If the right people don't see your ad, they can't respond.3. SPACE/PRICE IN PROPORTION. You simply can't sell high priced merchandise from a small classified or one inch ad space. These should be considered as a low cost means of building a mailing list by asking readers to write for more information. If you expect to sell directly from an ad, the size of the ad will have to increase in proportion to the selling price. Two or three inches of space for items selling for 42 to $5... half or full page for items selling for more than $5 up to $20. When the price goes above $20 it is usually best to run inquiry ads and follow up with a printed sales presentation. There are exceptions, but this is a fairly safe rule to follow.4. TESTING ALL THE ELEMENTS. Unlike institutional advertising (toothpaste, cars, soap, etc.) which must rely on extensive market research, analysis, surveys and a lot of psychology to achieve success, mail order selling has a built-in "watchdog" to guard against waste and loss, and to help assure that every dollar spent will produce a profit...or at least tell you why it didn't, so you won't make the same mistake twice. This method (unique to mail order) is called KEYING. By inserting a number or letter (or combination) into every ad you run, you can tell which ad works in which publication and in which issues it works best. More sophisticated forms of this testing technique can be carried thru by trying a new headline, a different testimonials,guarantees, etc. The testing technique know no limits, but there is also danger in becoming test-happy. To use the testing principle effectively, be certain that the results will justify the time and expense of making the test. If it merely means adding to your paperwork without adding profit or reducing cost,it isn't worth it.Pros and Cons of Establishing an In-House Ad AgencyThere have been several ads promoting books and reports on this subject, or included as part of the contents in several mail order books stating:"SAVE UP TO 17% ON ALL YOUR ADVERTISING"It's legitimate, practical and effective, but like so many other promises, there are pros and cons involved. The pros are fairly obvious. By setting up your own advertising agency and placing your advertising under your agency name, most magazines will allow you the standard 15% agency commission plus and extra 2% cash discount. If your annual ad budget is $5,000 this amounts to a saving of $850 a year, which is a considerable piece of change.The negative side to this operation involves the initial cost of establishing your new agency, which isn't very difficult, but it might be considered time-consuming. To initiate an agency you will have to have a name for it other than your regular business name. Example: If your company name is Nationwide Electronics andyour name is John Smith, you could call your agency John Smith Advertising or The J.S. Advertising Agency, The agency address will have to be different than your company's, but this can be resolved by renting a post office box the ad agency and using your home or office address for the other. Next you will have to opena separate checking account under the agency name because all advertising payments will be issued thru your agency, and you will probably be required to register your agency with your County Clerk as a new business.Once these details have been taken care of, you're ready to begin placing ads. You'll have to have insertion order forms printed with your agency name and address, and a separate form must be prepared for each ad in each publication. When your advertising schedule involves only a few publications, this will not be a problem, but if you expand into 50 to 100 different magazines, it can really cut into your time. Of course, if business gets large enough, you can always hire a secretary to take care of that chore.