Here is an article found in americanchronicle.com that describes research done by McGraw Hill that supports the case for advertising. While there are seven basic ways to reach your customer, advertising is still the most cost effective. However, it must be done right.
While I don't agree with every single point in this article, it does give some very sound, fundamental advice on using various promotional mediums, especially advertising. It is worth a read.
Online Advertising 101
Almost everything you ever wanted to know about online advertising
Are you confused about online advertising? What is PPC? Are pop-ups a good idea or a bad idea? And just what is SEO? How can I know if I am getting my money's worth?
These are all good questions that deserve answers. Here is a site that gives you those answers in easy to understand "layman's" terms. No, it isn't the end-all of explanations on these subjects, but it gets you started on the road to understanding this new media.
Brand Permission
Does your brand have permission to do what you are asking it to do?
One of my favorite web sites, Stealing Share, has an interesting article on branding and the question of whether or not your brand can do what you are asking of it. Brands have limitations and a savvy owner or manager understands what they are. I think it was Dirty Harry who said, "A brand has to know its limitations." No, wait, maybe that is a "man" has to know ...? You get the point. Read the article here and see if your brand has permission to do what you are asking it to do.
You may not realize it yet, but owners are rapidly losing control of their brands along with what they can sell, how they sell it, and what they can charge. The customer is in charge and in more ways than anyone has yet begun to realize. Here is a classic example.
The music industry has resisted pressure to change the way they market music, but sites like iTunes and the accompanying software are changing that. Customers no longer want to pay for ten or sixteen songs on a CD, when they only like three. They are willing to pay a premium for the three and skip the rest. iTunes downloads are only $.99 each, but the whole CD may cost $15 or $20. The customer is taking the $3 over the $15. As a result CD sales are way down and download sales are way up.
The internet is empowering consumers. This is impacting all kinds of businesses.
It is also impacting politics. The presidential election cycle has started a year ahead of the usual schedule, and still over a year and a half away from the election we are seeing the internet used in ways no one would have imagined a few years ago. I am referring to the Clinton ad on YouTube that was created by a "rogue" element of the Obama campaign.
There is a lot more of this to come, McCain/Feingold not withstanding.
On the "other side of the aisle," conservative Republicans are rejecting the RNC's moderate choices for president, who are currently the front runners, and an internet based, grassroots effort is rapidly gaining steam to draft Fred Thompson into the race, a person they consider a true conservative and someone they find acceptable. That has the RNC perplexed. This presidential election may yet see candidates from both parties that are brought into the race by such grassroots efforts, and they become the nominated representatives of their respective parties to the chagrin of the DNC and RNC.
That, folks, is the power of the internet changing EVEN election dynamics. The customer is IN charge! The question you need to be asking is, "How will this impact my business?" Because it will!
Here is a new twist on an old medium, restroom advertising. The new twist is a Magic Mirror that "magically" changes from an advertisement to a mirror when you look in it and back again to an advertisement when you step away. It is pretty hard to ignore!
