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Member You - Design or Copy? Which Should Do Your Heavy Sales Lifting?
When starting a small business, one of the most common problems that entrepreneurs today are facing is the funding. Aside from funding, you have to promote your products and services to the people even before you can sell it effectively. For example, if you are trying to promote a new product with a new brand, you have to be creative in order to catch the attention of potential customers.Indeed, starting your own business is hard. However, what if there's a way to start a business that can guarantee you funding and a lot more advantages? What if you can instantly have clients at the time you open your business? With this advantage, you will be able to enjoy instant income right after opening your business.This is called business franchising. One of the best advantages that business franchising can offer is usually the brand recognition. This is because since the particular brand is already recognized by the people, you won't have any problems at all
Or they’ll commission a 60-second TV spot of a digitally created woman running through a digitally created field of flowers with digitally created children and dogs in tow – believing this will prompt viewers to run to their phones to request an auto insurance quote – though no phone number is provided (after all, why ruin the effect.)
Sure, many people (though not necessarily those being targeted) will gush about how imaginative, entertaining, fun and creative these ads, websites or TV commercials are – and, ironically, they’ll win numerous coveted awards.
But the companies that commissioned these expensive misadventures... will quietly and quickly go bankrupt, because...
Pretty Ads, TV Commercials and Websites DO NOT Generate Sales!
You see, for most businesses, marketing and advertising is decoration, corporate ego aggrandizement – the thumping of chest
Polar bears are known for fierceness and lack of natural predators, although wolves and walruses can kill them. Feeding primarily on seals, the hungry bear featured in a recent episode of Planet Earth, happened on larger prey. Outweighed by the Atlantic walruses, with tusks that can reach three feet long, the Polar bear sought to nuzzle, push and pry his way past a mother to her calf, despite added protection from the walrus group.Repeatedly, the bear bit the neck and body of the walrus. But grayish-brown skin, up to two inches thick, protected her from the Polar bear's honed claws and teeth. In the end, the bear lost more than that battle. Alone, exhausted and unable to kill any of the hundred or more clustered walruses nearby, he ultimately starved.This interaction of the bear and the walrus reminded me of workplace predators. You know the ones. Coworkers who knock others down for sport, trivializing successes, throwing stones at accomplishments, a
A large purchase contract for a new computer system linking its far-flung international operations will be awarded today in Peoria, Illinois by Caterpillar, Inc., the construction machinery manufacturer.
Bidding competition among integrated computer software and hardware firms is fierce, and ongoing... and for good reason. A record-breaking $850 million are up for grabs. Another $600 million in related service contracts are also on the table, just waiting to be snapped up.
The following is what occurred yesterday, as reported in the Wall Street Journal...
“...The top-producing sales rep for Hewlett-Packard, the last in a long line of computer system sales reps to visit CAT headquarters, strides with a quick and confident step into the high-ceilinged, wood-paneled office of CAT’s Chief Financial Officer.
Seated around an oval, dark-wood, highly-polished conference table are the CFO, his two assistants, the IT department head, his two assistants and a bevy of lesser known department heads.
Each one rises with a wane and tired smile, and extends a perfunctory handshake to the HP rep.
The CAT execs are pressed for time, and they’d like this meeting to end even before it begins.
For these harried MBA’s and engineers the entire three month long purchase process has been a painful exercise in perseverance, endurance and patience.
They’ve listened to sales rep after sales rep spew endless superlatives, guarantees and performance statistics that clearly test the limits of credibility.
Nonetheless, they’re eager to choose a system – if for no other reason than to finally move on to other far more pressing matters.
The HP rep understands this, he’s done his research. He’s read the bio’s of all the department heads, and he’s intimately familiar with CAT’s purchasing protocols and decision-making culture.
He also knows that if he can ink the deal – he’ll earn a princely six-figure commission.
He opens his briefcase and solemnly removes a stack of 8”X10” photos, and without a word passes them around the table.
One photo shows a smiling, smartly dressed secretary working at her computer terminal. Another is a seemingly simple picture of a wireless keyboard and mouse. Another picture shows hundred dollar bills stacked chest-high atop a desk. And still another picture shows two men shaking hands in front of CAT’s Peoria headquarters.
The pictures are printed on heavy grade, high-gloss stock. Color, composition and the orchestration of light and shadow is artful and dramatic. These are photographic masterpieces, and were undoubtedly extremely expensive to produce.
The HP rep glances around the table and then quietly closes his briefcase. ‘Gentlemen, I have nothing else to say...?’”
SAY WHAT?
Yeah, exactly, say nothing – pass out pictures instead. Unbelievably, that was the HP rep’s entire sales presentation.
Wait a minute, you say. No salesman would ever do such a patently stupid thing.
Wanna bet? Most businesses do exactly that – every day.
For some odd reason – a distinctly Madison Avenue type reason – most businesses believe that to drive sales all they need do is literally – literally – present a pretty picture.
For their corporate website they’ll hire a web design company to create dramatic MTV-quality multi-media flash presentations that are extremely adept at selling... what else, the web design company.
Or they’ll load their web pages with graphics and fonts that dazzle and overwhelm if not permanently blind the eye – believing that “eye candy” alone will motivate their visitors to click the “Submit Order” button (if only they can find it).
Or they’ll hire an ad agency to design a full page ad – which will then organize an expedition to the top of Mt. Everest to photograph a smiling Sherpa using their client’s toilet bowl cleaner (while the company’s contact information will be at the bottom of the mountain, buried in the snow).
Or they’ll commission a 60-second TV spot of a digitally created woman running through a digitally created field of flowers with digitally created children and dogs in tow – believing this will prompt viewers to run to their phones to request an auto insurance quote – though no phone number is provided (after all, why ruin the effect.)
Sure, many people (though not necessarily those being targeted) will gush about how imaginative, entertaining, fun and creative these ads, websites or TV commercials are – and, ironically, they’ll win numerous coveted awards.
But the companies that commissioned these expensive misadventures... will quietly and quickly go bankrupt, because...
Pretty Ads, TV Commercials and Websites DO NOT Generate Sales!
You see, for most businesses, marketing and advertising is decoration, corporate ego aggrandizement – the thumping of chest
Formation of an LLC in Nevada is definitely advantageous over LLC formation in other states in the US. The costs of forming an LLC in Nevada are low, and Nevada does not have any corporate income tax. One of the biggest reasons for the popularity behind the Nevada LLC is the fact that Nevada offers corporate directors and shareholders tremendous protection against personal liability.Forming an LLC in Nevada also requires the filing of several documents. You will need to file Articles of Organization or Incorporation with the Nevada Secretary of State. The secretary uses these articles to create the LLC. It is advisable that, before forming an LLC in Nevada, organizations thoroughly read the operating agreement and bylaws. This document provides the detailed information on forming the LLC.The prospective applicants of the LLC should also obtain an Employer Identification Number/ Federal Tax ID, if they do not have one. Apart from the regular procedur
Each one rises with a wane and tired smile, and extends a perfunctory handshake to the HP rep.
The CAT execs are pressed for time, and they’d like this meeting to end even before it begins.
For these harried MBA’s and engineers the entire three month long purchase process has been a painful exercise in perseverance, endurance and patience.
They’ve listened to sales rep after sales rep spew endless superlatives, guarantees and performance statistics that clearly test the limits of credibility.
Nonetheless, they’re eager to choose a system – if for no other reason than to finally move on to other far more pressing matters.
The HP rep understands this, he’s done his research. He’s read the bio’s of all the department heads, and he’s intimately familiar with CAT’s purchasing protocols and decision-making culture.
He also knows that if he can ink the deal – he’ll earn a princely six-figure commission.
He opens his briefcase and solemnly removes a stack of 8”X10” photos, and without a word passes them around the table.
One photo shows a smiling, smartly dressed secretary working at her computer terminal. Another is a seemingly simple picture of a wireless keyboard and mouse. Another picture shows hundred dollar bills stacked chest-high atop a desk. And still another picture shows two men shaking hands in front of CAT’s Peoria headquarters.
The pictures are printed on heavy grade, high-gloss stock. Color, composition and the orchestration of light and shadow is artful and dramatic. These are photographic masterpieces, and were undoubtedly extremely expensive to produce.
The HP rep glances around the table and then quietly closes his briefcase. ‘Gentlemen, I have nothing else to say...?’”
SAY WHAT?
Yeah, exactly, say nothing – pass out pictures instead. Unbelievably, that was the HP rep’s entire sales presentation.
Wait a minute, you say. No salesman would ever do such a patently stupid thing.
Wanna bet? Most businesses do exactly that – every day.
For some odd reason – a distinctly Madison Avenue type reason – most businesses believe that to drive sales all they need do is literally – literally – present a pretty picture.
For their corporate website they’ll hire a web design company to create dramatic MTV-quality multi-media flash presentations that are extremely adept at selling... what else, the web design company.
Or they’ll load their web pages with graphics and fonts that dazzle and overwhelm if not permanently blind the eye – believing that “eye candy” alone will motivate their visitors to click the “Submit Order” button (if only they can find it).
Or they’ll hire an ad agency to design a full page ad – which will then organize an expedition to the top of Mt. Everest to photograph a smiling Sherpa using their client’s toilet bowl cleaner (while the company’s contact information will be at the bottom of the mountain, buried in the snow).
Or they’ll commission a 60-second TV spot of a digitally created woman running through a digitally created field of flowers with digitally created children and dogs in tow – believing this will prompt viewers to run to their phones to request an auto insurance quote – though no phone number is provided (after all, why ruin the effect.)
Sure, many people (though not necessarily those being targeted) will gush about how imaginative, entertaining, fun and creative these ads, websites or TV commercials are – and, ironically, they’ll win numerous coveted awards.
But the companies that commissioned these expensive misadventures... will quietly and quickly go bankrupt, because...
Pretty Ads, TV Commercials and Websites DO NOT Generate Sales!
You see, for most businesses, marketing and advertising is decoration, corporate ego aggrandizement – the thumping of chest
All of us have heard of marketing professionals. Some of us have even worked as marketing professionals ourselves. And some of us have probably heard of marketing agencies. But how many of us can, in all honesty say that we have heard of the term marketing consulting? I for one hadn’t. Of course I had heard of consultants and IT consultants to be more precise, but I had never before heard about marketing consulting as a field and what’s more, hadn’t the faintest idea who would be involved in such an activity.All that changed when I got onto a domestic flight and found someone sitting next to me. When we made our introductions, I was pleasantly surprised to know that he worked for one of the largest organizations in the region. I myself had some dealing with them and wanted to know how he figured in the scheme of things. Which is when he told me that he worked in marketing consulting. More intrigued than anything else, I carried on a conversation with him.ely six-figure commission.
He opens his briefcase and solemnly removes a stack of 8”X10” photos, and without a word passes them around the table.
One photo shows a smiling, smartly dressed secretary working at her computer terminal. Another is a seemingly simple picture of a wireless keyboard and mouse. Another picture shows hundred dollar bills stacked chest-high atop a desk. And still another picture shows two men shaking hands in front of CAT’s Peoria headquarters.
The pictures are printed on heavy grade, high-gloss stock. Color, composition and the orchestration of light and shadow is artful and dramatic. These are photographic masterpieces, and were undoubtedly extremely expensive to produce.
The HP rep glances around the table and then quietly closes his briefcase. ‘Gentlemen, I have nothing else to say...?’”
SAY WHAT?
Yeah, exactly, say nothing – pass out pictures instead. Unbelievably, that was the HP rep’s entire sales presentation.
Wait a minute, you say. No salesman would ever do such a patently stupid thing.
Wanna bet? Most businesses do exactly that – every day.
For some odd reason – a distinctly Madison Avenue type reason – most businesses believe that to drive sales all they need do is literally – literally – present a pretty picture.
For their corporate website they’ll hire a web design company to create dramatic MTV-quality multi-media flash presentations that are extremely adept at selling... what else, the web design company.
Or they’ll load their web pages with graphics and fonts that dazzle and overwhelm if not permanently blind the eye – believing that “eye candy” alone will motivate their visitors to click the “Submit Order” button (if only they can find it).
Or they’ll hire an ad agency to design a full page ad – which will then organize an expedition to the top of Mt. Everest to photograph a smiling Sherpa using their client’s toilet bowl cleaner (while the company’s contact information will be at the bottom of the mountain, buried in the snow).
Or they’ll commission a 60-second TV spot of a digitally created woman running through a digitally created field of flowers with digitally created children and dogs in tow – believing this will prompt viewers to run to their phones to request an auto insurance quote – though no phone number is provided (after all, why ruin the effect.)
Sure, many people (though not necessarily those being targeted) will gush about how imaginative, entertaining, fun and creative these ads, websites or TV commercials are – and, ironically, they’ll win numerous coveted awards.
But the companies that commissioned these expensive misadventures... will quietly and quickly go bankrupt, because...
Pretty Ads, TV Commercials and Websites DO NOT Generate Sales!
You see, for most businesses, marketing and advertising is decoration, corporate ego aggrandizement – the thumping of chest
Starting a home business can be fearful, and bring upon us concern. Fear and worry is only present in the blind future when we can't see ahead, or what's going to happen next. Here is where we can address why we don't try something new, because we can't see into the future, and understand the out come. Does this apply to you? well it's a normal human feeling that's ok, we only fear the unknown.Building a home based business in which we desire to generate residual income or even become a wealth builder for life sounds good. But, yep theirs that word, but. I'm fearful of loosing money, I'm fearful of failing, what ever the fear is it holds us back. That's why as a home business trainer I out line a plan for my students to see into the future and alleviate the fear.Look at each step one by one I would say to them till you master each step before moving on to the next take no action yes I said look and understand first. If you sign up with a home base bu
Wait a minute, you say. No salesman would ever do such a patently stupid thing.
Wanna bet? Most businesses do exactly that – every day.
For some odd reason – a distinctly Madison Avenue type reason – most businesses believe that to drive sales all they need do is literally – literally – present a pretty picture.
For their corporate website they’ll hire a web design company to create dramatic MTV-quality multi-media flash presentations that are extremely adept at selling... what else, the web design company.
Or they’ll load their web pages with graphics and fonts that dazzle and overwhelm if not permanently blind the eye – believing that “eye candy” alone will motivate their visitors to click the “Submit Order” button (if only they can find it).
Or they’ll hire an ad agency to design a full page ad – which will then organize an expedition to the top of Mt. Everest to photograph a smiling Sherpa using their client’s toilet bowl cleaner (while the company’s contact information will be at the bottom of the mountain, buried in the snow).
Or they’ll commission a 60-second TV spot of a digitally created woman running through a digitally created field of flowers with digitally created children and dogs in tow – believing this will prompt viewers to run to their phones to request an auto insurance quote – though no phone number is provided (after all, why ruin the effect.)
Sure, many people (though not necessarily those being targeted) will gush about how imaginative, entertaining, fun and creative these ads, websites or TV commercials are – and, ironically, they’ll win numerous coveted awards.
But the companies that commissioned these expensive misadventures... will quietly and quickly go bankrupt, because...
Pretty Ads, TV Commercials and Websites DO NOT Generate Sales!
You see, for most businesses, marketing and advertising is decoration, corporate ego aggrandizement – the thumping of chest
In business we find that no matter the size cash is needed for some situations. It is not always necessary to make a large loan when a small amount is needed. It has been found that at times a business person maybe traveling for the company and they need money for such things as meals, tips, cab fares, and the like. Also a company representative may need to purchase a sample item while at a trade show to bring back or they may want to purchase some items for everyone in the office. That is why certain companies have made it their business to set up B2B Business cash advances. The process is so very simple that most business owners have a special number so when they make their call the B2B Business cash advance is automatically put into their bank account. Payment is easy as well because with this kind of advance the money is taken out of the same account when time is due.The cash advance system ranges from a small loan of $500 to a larger amount around
Or they’ll commission a 60-second TV spot of a digitally created woman running through a digitally created field of flowers with digitally created children and dogs in tow – believing this will prompt viewers to run to their phones to request an auto insurance quote – though no phone number is provided (after all, why ruin the effect.)
Sure, many people (though not necessarily those being targeted) will gush about how imaginative, entertaining, fun and creative these ads, websites or TV commercials are – and, ironically, they’ll win numerous coveted awards.
But the companies that commissioned these expensive misadventures... will quietly and quickly go bankrupt, because...
Pretty Ads, TV Commercials and Websites DO NOT Generate Sales!
You see, for most businesses, marketing and advertising is decoration, corporate ego aggrandizement – the thumping of chests and the hollow bellowing of achievement.
Copy, as in “words that sell”, is viewed as a crass intrusion by these purveyors and consumers of Madison Avenue style advertising. It’s low-brow – an embarrassment that cheapens and detracts from a company’s overall “image and effect”.
And yet, if some bonehead ad exec writes a headline or ditty that’s catchy, cute, indecipherable, and also rhymes – it’ll quickly become the company’s new tagline, though it’ll be roundly ignored by the audience it’s intended to attract.
Why? Because it won’t speak to their immediate needs and wants; suggests no understanding of their situation; implies no benefits, and asks for no action to be taken.
Sure, a Picture is Worth a Thousand Words...
But not when you’re trying to attract buyers and make a sale.
Don’t believe me? Then do what my imaginary HP rep did (yes, Virginia, I made up that whole HP rep, CAT, Wall Street Journal story). Mail a picture of your product to your customers – without any copy on it. Then, mail a sales letter – without any pictures or graphics on it – to those same customers, asking that they make a purchase.
Then tell me which mailing received more orders.
Am I suggesting that you remove all pictures, graphics, flash and dazzle from your marketing materials?
No, absolutely not.
Nevertheless...
Many Web Designers and Graphic Artists will be Outraged
Because their work, as professional, exceptional and artistic as it may prove to be, should not be the stars of your marketing and sales show.
“Design”, and all that it implies, should be subservient – as in supportive – of your sales copy, not the other way around.
The sole purpose of design is to help the copy sell – whether in a website, print ad, brochure or email.
It is there to simply direct the reader’s eye to the sales copy.
If design overwhelms or in anyway marginalizes or distracts the reader from your copy – your sales will suffer.
Because only words can sell – only words can persuade – only words can ask for the order.
So rather than rely on artificial artifice (overly indulgent design) to create a picture of you, your company, product or service – paint a picture of your product or service with words.
Talk to your customers.
Capture your customer’s patronage and loyalty with sincere, passionate and actionable words.
Tell Them Why They Should Buy!
Frame your sales message with design, and design your sales message with words. You’ll stay in business a lot longer, and make a lot more money than your competitors – who’ve been seduced and led astray by the dazzling dark side of design.
Till the next time...
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