Wesley Day Advertising

ON ADVERTISING
November 2007 issue

SHARE YOUR IDEAS TO MAKE THEM BETTER.
Producing great advertising ideas is a big burden. Too often, though, people get hung up on the ownership of the ideas. The results are narrow thinking that limits the quality and quantity of ideas.
   As Keith Reinhard, former chairman of advertising behemoth DDB Worldwide, observed, “…great ideas are individual acts of inspiration, but great advertising programs result from a team effort which builds upon an original idea and expands it.”
   If we allow ourselves to become impressed with our own ideas, then we will most likely shut down any more thinking around it. We’ll miss new revelations that can be used to improve the idea and take it in unthinkable directions.
   And if we generate a lot of ideas, we need to be selective. There will be several versions of a few ideas --ideas that are derivative of one another -- and ideas that are not as complete or as well thought out as others. It can be a painful process to leave behind ideas, but it is a necessary part of the process and one that benefits from teamwork. Return to top

CONSUMER ATTENTION IS THE NEW MEDIA.
Media channels, be they online or offline, are collapsing into a single dialogue between brand and consumer and should be treated as such. As a result, attention is becoming the ultimate common currency for modern marketing.
   If you think of attention as a medium, it is the first medium where the consumer controls the inventory of this medium, not the advertiser or the media company.
   With all of this information swirling around and consumer attention being what all marketers are after, advertisers need to be aware of the clutter line – or breaking point. It is at this point where consumers begin to tune out all the clutter, including your message.
   If you want to reach your audience, it is so important that you don’t tick them off. How do you do that? Through relevance. Make your message interesting and personally meaningful.
   Contact Wesley Day Advertising today to get your unfair share of attention. Return to top

COPYWRITING SECRET #6 OF 8:
BAR STOOL SPEAKING.
Have you ever read an ad that was hard to follow? Amateur writers pack their writing with fancy words and over-long sentences in an attempt to sound smart.
   Now imagine that same person writing you an e-mail. Or talking to you from a bar stool. Suddenly, everything is more relaxed and concise.
   Good clear writing is more formal and descriptive than speech – but not much.
   Ideas, by nature, are easier to absorb when you keep things simple. So make it your rule: when you write, write almost like you would talk from a bar stool. Use short words, short sentences, and short paragraphs.
   Watch for more secrets in upcoming issues. Read previous secrets at wesleyday.com. Return to top

CARRIER ROUTE MAPS BOOST DIRECT MAIL SUCCESS.
These maps let you target your market, right down to the very local neighborhoods which give you the best response. They also let you qualify for the lowest postage rates.
   Here's what to look for when purchasing carrier route maps:
   1. Updated monthly with information provided directly from the
       U.S. Postal Service.
   2. The actual street segments walked by the mail carriers.
       Carrier routes should not cross zip codes.
   3. CASS-certifiable (Coding Accuracy Support System) carrier
       routes.
   4. Detailed with every possible street and address range on
       each block.
   Let Wesley Day Advertising help you make your next direct mail program more effective. Return to top

BRANDING MYTH #6 OF 7:
BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME.
It’s not enough to build a great product that meets the needs of your customer.
   You also need to connect with that customer. The frailty of a brand is in direct ratio to the extent that a brand fails to connect with its consumer.
   Every strong brand has, as its end user, a human who is buying the product for a reason: ease, convenience, power, stamina, pride, beauty. Find the reason, keep it on personal terms, and you're well on your way to building a strong brand.
   Watch for more myths in upcoming issues. Read previous tips at wesleyday.com. Return to top

WEB MARKETING MYTH BUSTERS.
Myth 1: Take advantage of virtual reality.
   Actually, there’s nothing like real people and real photos to make your message believable and memorable.
Myth 2: Make search engine optimization a top priority.
   Driving traffic to your Web site is great, if the traffic stays long enough to find out why they should be doing business with you. If not, maybe you need a new mantra.
Myth 3: Add lots of links to boost rankings.
   Actually every link to another Web site is an invitation to leave your site.
Myth 4: Load your pages with key search words.
   Search engines love them. However, they give live Web visitors indigestion.
Myth 5: It's all about hits.
   Actually it's how long visitors stay on your site and how much information they retain after they leave. The best way to create quality traffic is to provide easy-to-find, easy-to-understand, easy-toremember content.
Myth 6: Avoid multimedia.
   You’ve heard the horror stories: slow to load, search engines can’t see it, visitors won’t sit through it. Remember, your purpose is to communicate quality content to quality prospects. If multimedia is the most effective way, use it effectively.
Myth 7: You need a high-tech Web design firm.
   If you've got a business, you've got a brand. And I’m not just talking about a logo. I’m talking about everything you do: your Web site, print collateral; everything, including how you answer your phone. You do answer your phone don't you? If your high-tech Web site design firm doesn't get it, if they aren't reinforcing your overall brand personality, what are they doing? Return to top

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