No Credit Check LPC Global Wireless Cell Phones
August 11th, 2008 Filed Under Business Options, Earn Online, Ideas
NO Credit Check LPC Global Wireless Cell Phones
As the wireless cell phone industry enters the new age of creative marketing, we will begin to see exceptional benefit packages being used to bring on subscribers to competing cell phone wireless providers.
Just when all the excitement was buzzin around about wireless rep and there explosive marketing strategy to use multi-level-market to bring on subscribers and move there wireless service to the next level, we now have a new contender. LPC GLOBAL, offering a package that will stop even the most loyal wireless cell phone subscriber.
What product does LPC Global offer that no one else is offering???
Outside of the monthly residual program, which allows you to earn a significant monthly income from referring others to there wireless cell phone plan, Global is taking wireless marketing to the next step and offering you products and benefits that are competitive.
Currently offer is one of the Best PDA wireless Cell Phones with 8 Gig Smart Phone, 128 MB memory, 3D graphics accelerator with polyphonic , monophonic, true tones and MP3. Other features include a built in receiver, Installed maps applications, Java MII/DP, 3.5 mm audio output jack, tv out, stereo FM radio, organizer, office document viewer, voice dial/memo and many more accessories.
What service does LPC Global offer that no one else is offering???
What about a $24.95 monthly basic service, or a $49.90 monthly internet access service?? What about 24/7 unlimited local and LD in the USA, Canada and PR? What about FREE text messaging, free mobile to mobile, 5000 International minute package for just $24.95.
NO Credit Check……….No Contract……….and you get to keep your number
Sounds like LPC Global may be stacking the deck, however you can bet your bottom dollar that there will be definitely a counter reaction from the other wireless cell phone plans, not to mention the new companies expected to jump on the bandwagon.
LPC Global your one up Code: 319562
http://www.lpcglobal.net/
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HOW TO SECURE A MERCHANT ACCOUNT TO ACCEPT VISA & MASTERCARD
April 25th, 2008 Filed Under "How to", Business Credit, Business Options, Free resources, Resources
You can seriously increase your orders by accepting credit cards as payment.
It’s easy and convenient for the customer, and that makes it more likely for
them to order. The only problem is that it’s hard for a business,
especially a small mail order business, to gain the ability to accept credit
cards.
Banks are very reluctant to authorize credit card acceptance, mainly
because they have been burned too many times by fraudulent businesses. So,
many businesses go on, accepting only checks or money orders for payment,
and miss out on the added sales they would get through credit cards. There
is a way, though, for businesses that can’t get bank authorization to accept
credit cards.
The easiest way to get a merchant account is to work with an Independent
Sales Organization (ISO), which acts as a middleman between small businesses
and banks. They will charge an additional fee for each transaction, so you
will be paying a bit more than the standard percentage charged for credit
card transactions. There will also be an application fee. Here are the
typical charges to expect, as of this writing.
Application fees: Usually, these range from $95 to $400 and may or may not
be refundable.
Point of sale terminal purchase or lease: The terminal you
use to process the charge and check for fraudulent numbers is usually
available from a bank for around $300. You will only be able to get this
price, though, if a bank authorizes you. If working through an ISO, prices
will range from $400 to even as high as $1500! You can usually lease the
terminal, though, at an average of $45/month. The best thing to do, though,
is to find an ISO that will provide computer software that can be used in
place of a terminal. This will usually cost only around $150.
Concerning service fees: Banks charge between 2% and 5% for processing a
credit card purchase. ISO’s charge higher, usually 3% to 7%. They also
usually charge a per transaction fee of 20 to 25 cents, and a monthly
statement fee of $5 to $10.
Why all these fees? ISO’s only want to work with legitimate businesses
and ones that will stay with them for a long period of time. If a business
can afford these fees, they are considered less of a risk. Thus, the
important thing to do is to shop around for an ISO. Get as much
information as you can about each ISO you are considering, and READ it
thoroughly. Look for hidden charges and unreasonable requirements.
Here is a list of some of the ISO’s you may want to consider. This is
not an endorsement of any or all of them, these are just the most prominent
ones.
Bancard, Inc., 1233 Sherman Drive, Longmont, CO 80501 (800) 666-7575
Data Capture Systems, 231 Quincy St., Rapid City SD 57701 (605) 341-6461
Electronic Bankcard Systems, 2554 Lincoln Blvd., Suite 1088, Marina Del Rey,
CA 90291 (213) 827-5772
Gold Coast Bankcard Center, Ft. Lauderdale, FL (305) 492-0303
Harbridge Merchant Services, 681 Andersen Dr., 4th Flr., Bldg. 6, Pittsburgh,
PA 15220 (412) 937-1272
Teleflora Creditline, 12233 West Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064
(800) 325-4849
US Merchant Services, 775 Park Avenue, Huntington, NY 11743 (516) 427-9700
A final word: All of these services will require you to fill out an
application. Be 100% truthful with everything on the application and
don’t let the representative talk you into putting anything false down.
The reason is, if the banks affiliated with the ISO you use were to find
out that any information on your application is false, you would probably
be immediately cancelled and your business name and address would go on a
“black list.”
This would prevent you from being able to accept credit cards
for an indefinite period of time. Don’t let this happen to you. Most of
the ISO’s out there are legitimate, but there are a few that may put down
spurious information, rather than lose the fees they’d receive. Be sure to
look everything over twice. If you do, you’ll probably find an ISO that
will work with you to expand your business through the acceptance of credit
cards.
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Business Building Entrepreneur
March 26th, 2008 Filed Under "How to", Business Credit, Business Options, Earn Online, Free resources, Ideas, Resources
Watch this latest videos on YouTube.com Entrepreneur
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WHAT MAKES AN ENTREPRENEUR TICK?
March 26th, 2008 Filed Under "How to", Business Options, Earn Online, Free resources, Ideas, Resources
Entrepreneur work at home
It is only natural that when you start a business, you are doing something
different than most people. Entrepreneurial people think differently!!!!
People will look at you like you’re crazy and you will stand out like a sore thumb _ but human nature will cause people to naturally ridicule what you are doing. Entrepreneurial people just think differently!!!!
People will tell you all types of things like:
“You’re not business material.” “You can’t make a living working for
yourself.” “You’ll fail because nobody can ever make any money that way.”
Entrepreneurship is not just about having a lot of ideas or business sense.
It is also about having a lot of guts. It takes guts to be an entrepreneur. You have to build self-confidence in yourself. You have to only be concerned with pleasing yourself and your Creator (God) _ not mankind. Then, when (and
if) you should fail with this particular venture, you’ll just dust yourself
off and start again. It doesn’t matter if people “think” you’re nuts!
They aren’t paying your rent and running your life. Don’t be concerned with
what people “think” you should be. Just please yourself and do what you feel
is right. People are too busy competing with society and “keeping up with the
Jones’s” that they do things they are not comfortable with just to appease
them and look “normal” (whatever that is.)
And if you have to _ start out small in building your self-confidence. I
used to be so self-conscious that I would never eat at a restaurant alone
because I thought people would believe I was lonely and had no friends.
Unbelievable, but true. But, everyday I worked on walking into a restaurant,
taking a magazine to read and eating alone. I would glance around, and to my
amazement, no one ever looked at me. No one cared that I was eating alone.
Then _ it dawned on me; “Who cares what these people think? I’ll never see
them again.” Besides, there were a lot of other people eating alone also and
I could absorb myself in the magazine I had took to read. Now, I can eat in
restaurants and not give any thought to the people around me.
But back to business _ when most people do fail in business they try to
“save face” by telling everyone they are “just in a slump” and everything
will be back to normal soon. Besides, they don’t want people to say: “I told
you so” and destroy any pride they are still hanging onto. Unfortunately,
this only delays the problem and creates even more false hope for the people
in your life as well as yourself.
The best thing to do for anybody in this catastrophe is to swallow their
pride and admit they screwed up. Just face it head on! Admit that you were
so proud of your accomplishments that your mind became diluted with “visions
of sugar plums and fantasyland.”
If your small business is beyond repair, go out and find a job and begin
working on your next small business in the near future. Keep your family fed
and your financial obligations met but look forward to the day when you WILL
succeed with your new business venture.
And why should you try again? Simply because you won’t make the same mistakes
you made this time. If you built something successful before (but failed),
you are certain to build the next business stronger and wiser. Even if you
fail the second time, it won’t be because of mistakes you made the first
time. You’ll learn more and more _ and eventually be successful. It’s
inevitable!
Remember: Don’t be defeated by the views of others. Entrepreneur just think differently.
http://www.newwork-at-home.com
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Shore Savings Bank gave away my money
February 7th, 2008 Filed Under Business Options, Free resources, Resources
Recently, I was told that if you have a joint account and you are not the Primary on the account, that your money can be moved to another account without your permission.
I opened a business checking account with Shore Savings Bank in Exmore, Virginia over 15 years ago, with my husband as the primary account holder.
Recently, I was informed that my husband was allowed to move the entire funds of the account from our joint account to another account at the same bank, without permission from me. The account was not only depleted of the funds, but it was closed without my authorization.
So, if you have a bank account and you are not the primary, be sure to protect yourself, or at least check with the bank before opening the account to be sure that you have control over your account.
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Opening SunTrust Savings Account
January 31st, 2008 Filed Under "How to", Business Options, Free resources, Ideas, Resources, Tips
SunTrust Bank (Savings) Account
Have you noticed that opening any type of checking or savings account now requires more red-tape then before. Today, at most banks they usually will require you to have a certain credit or beacon score before opening a checking or savings account at there bank. And it is definitely standard procedure for them to pull up information on any other bank check or savings accounts you may have had in the past.
Recently, when opening a savings account, I decided to visit a very small local Suntrust Bank located in Painter, Virginia. Not realizing that Suntrust was previously Crestar Bank I was quite shocked when I was told that I had a debit account of $64.00. I was also asked information about an additional account I had in another state. This told me that using my social they could cross reference just about any type of bank account I had.
I decided to pay off the $64.00 and still see if I could open another account. I was told by a Suntrust Bank teller that I needed to speak with a manager and get approval to open another checking or savings account with Suntrust.
I spoke with the manager, telling him that I had previously had a checking account with Crestar Bank, that I had discontinued using, and somehow the monthly fees accrued on the account, causing me to have a debit that I was not aware of. I told him that I had paid off the debit and that I would like to now open a savings account, because I was expecting a large insurance check in the next few weeks and needed somewhere to deposit it. He allowed me to open my saving account.
The really, interesting part of 0pening my SunTrust Savings account, came a week later after I was contacted by the main branch (I suppose) asking various questions about the customer service that I received when opening my account. This was the first time that I had received such a call and it was very unexpectedly, but very much appreciated.
Suntrust Bank called me and asked me to share my experience with them when opening my account at my local branch. They asked several questions, and wanted to know if I would recommend Suntrust to my friends and associates, after my visit with them. I acknowledged that the customers service staff at Suntrust in my area handled my account in a very professional way, and that I would indeed recommend Suntrust bank to my friends and associates.
I would like to send out a thank you to the Suntrust Customer Service staff at my local area, and most importantly, the Suntrust Staff that is responsible for conducting surveys that make Suntrust Bank a better bank to visit.
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Your Own ADVERTISING AGENCY…
January 9th, 2008 Filed Under Business Options, Ideas
AND SAVE UP TO 17% OF ADVERTISING COSTS
With the high prices of placing ads today, why not save money? There’s no special secret to writing and placing advertisements in magazines, tabloids and newspapers. And why not claim the discount given to advertising agencies?
If you handle your own advertising correspondence, work with layout artists and write your own ads, it’s well worth your while to set up your own in-house ad agency and save a ton of money.
Even if you don’t create your own ads, you can profit from setting up your own agency and placing the ads that bring sales directly to you.
If you have something to sell - especially by mail order - advertising is they way to make that product reach people. Although advertising agencies produce excellent ads of all types and sizes with every demographic appeal, they also charge for it. That’s why they’re ready to claim the fifteen percent discount usually granted for placing ads.
You can learn how to create and design your own ads - with no background in copywriting or art. And, you can set up your own ad agency to place these ads where THEY’LL MAKE MONEY FOR YOU.
Do you have a product that you’re ready to sell? Now’s the time to find out the best angles to use and the tricks of the trade to putting money in your pocket.
STARTING YOUR BUSINESS
Do you have a mail order business? Maybe you sell clothing, camping supplies, or information through ads to the mail order trade. Perhaps you’ve run classified ads for years and are ready to branch out into larger display ads.
Not only small home businesses, but larger mail order companies and hundreds of major advertisers everywhere set up their own in-house agencies to produce and place ads. Even magazines create in-house departments under another name to get the agency discount.
What might set advertising agencies apart from homemade operations is the appearance of the letterhead and the ad form. They must look sharp and professional.
Start with a name for the ad agency you want to establish. It can be anything, but must be different from the name of the company that will be using the space. Then register the name with the county clerk. Check first to be sure you’re not using a company name already in business.
Designing letterhead is easier than you think. You don’t have to create an elaborate or clever logo - the initials of the company will do. You can choose the mark - the special type style - at a printers, or use one of dozens of press-on letter styles available at art supply stores.
Using photo offset, an instant printer can run off a thousand sheets at a very low price. If you go to a printer, check and compare the total printing costs. Typesetting can be expensive and there’s a minimum charge. You may want to wait to get all your typesetting and printing done at the same time - letterhead, ad form, ad copy and any sales literature you may be preparing. Investigate ways to get by with the lease expense.
Establishing your own ad agency is so easy that the most important part is the form you send in when you place ads. Although there are no federal restrictions for in-house ad agencies, some publications may quibble. If your form looks as good as the rest, you’ll have no problems.
The following page is a representation of a sample ad order form. Just copy this form and have your company design or logo printed on top. You can choose a color paper to have the forms run off on - they’ll be more noticeable. Then all you do is send in a copy of the completed form with your check and final artwork for your ad - and claim a big discount for being your own agency.
NAME OF ADVERTISING AGENCY
Address
To the publisher of: __________________________________________________
Order number: ___________________ Date: ____________________________
Please publish advertising of:
For (product):
Space to be ordered within one year from ______ through ____________
Space ____________________________________________ Times ___________
Dates of Insertion:
Position ______________________________ Copy ________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Rate Less agency commission _______________________________ on gross
Less cash discount ____________________________________________ on net
Mail all invoices to:
Accepted for publishing on
PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN TO AGENCY
THE INSERTION ORDER FORM
The following will describe what the various terms on the insertion order form mean and how to fill them in.
Space indicates what type of space you are buying: classified or display. If you want display space, indicate the size. Fill in the number of times you want the ad to be repeated. It will run in the number of consecutive issues you indicate. Then fill in the actual dates of insertion for the ad.
The position of the ad can be an important factor in selling. Although you rarely can be guaranteed a certain position in the publication, ask for it anyway. You’ll probably get at least the nest best position.
If you are running a short ad that will be printed by the publication, you can type out the copy in the instructions space at the bottom. The key designates the address code you’ll use to analyze responses.
For example, you can use a letter to indicate the name of the publication, and a number for the month of issue. Insert this key in the address, perhaps as a department division or suite number. When you get inquiries or orders with that key, you’ll know which ad pulled the response.
HOW TO DETERMINE RATES
Every publication that solicits advertising has a rate card. This card is available from the advertising coordinator, who is the contact for the publication and can be very helpful in assisting you. The best way to get a rate card is to write for one or call if the publication is in your city.
The rate card has the general information you’ll need for placing your ad. It should indicate the total circulation with a breakdown of subscriptions and newsstand buyers. Keep in mind that most publications have two to three readers for every one purchase.
The advertising rates may be broken down a number of ways, depending on how the publication sells space. Display rates may be sold by the column-inch or lines. Or, they may be broken up into fractions such as a half-page or quarter-page. Some publications have a minimum size space ad, so keep this in mind when designing the ads for certain publications.
The rate card will tell you the amount of discount you are entitled to as an ad agency. It will also give you the deadlines for placing the ads for the next issue and the issuance date, the actual day the magazine comes off press and goes to the newsstands and to subscribers.
If you have any questions concerning the type of space you need or the actual rate, just ask the advertising coordinator.
TAKE YOUR 15% DISCOUNT
As an advertising agency, you are entitles to a fifteen percent discount on the ad space, unless the publication grants only lower discounts. The easiest way to subtract a 15% discount is to multiply the rte charge by .85. Immediately, you have the exact figure for placing the ad.
TAKE ANOTHER 15%
Many publications realize that the mail order businesses don’t operate with a high capital for placing ads. Because of this, they offer a fifteen percent discount for mail order display ads. To compute the fee for two discounts - fifteen percent for mpute the fee for two discounts - fifteen percent for mail order and fifteen percent for the agency discount, simply multiply the total rate charge by .70. This will give you the fee.
TAKE YET ANOTHER 2%
Whether you are an ad agency or not, you are entitled to take a two percent discount for sending your check with the order. Most publications offer this discount to discourage billing and encourage cash sales. To figure out the two percent cash discount, Multiply the total rate charge by .98 - after you have already taken the other appropriate discounts. That will give you the total you will pay for placing your ad.
WHERE TO PLACE ADS
The rule of thumb for placing ads, especially for mail order, is to look through the publications catering to the same product you are selling, and do the same. Although advertisers are always looking for new and innovative ways to sell products, they usually stick with the proven ways of selling.
What are you selling? Where are the logical places these products are sold? Go there and place your ads where people will look for your products.
There is no reason you can’t hit a successful ad campaign the first time, but more often, you’ll find it necessary to spend some time testing different ads, different display sizes, and even different lead products. Testing is the name of the game, and if you’re careful, you don’t have to go for broke, but can build a sound winner.
A number of significant successful companies have made a fortune from advertising an appealing product and delivering a good deal. There is no reason why you can’t too.
BUYING SPACE
There are two types of advertising space in a publication - display space and classified ads. How you use ad space is entirely up to the type of appeal that will sell the product best, and the financial budget you are working with.
Don’t shortchange classifieds. A small, well-written classified ad can bring hundreds of responses on a continual basis.
Often, classifieds are used in a two-step approach of first placing an ad that has no price mentioned and soliciting the reader’s response for free information. Then it is followed up with a sales letter or brochure - some kind of sales literature - that gives the pitch for the product.
Classifieds are the least expensive ad to place. People who run mail order businesses find them to be the best dollar-for-dollar investment in advertising. Look at the classifieds section of the publications you are planning to place ads in. If your product could be sold with a classified ad, you should start there.
If you have actual products to sell, display ads are your better bet. You’ll probably need an illustration to show the product - something to catch the eye. You can also include a line or two about sending for a catalog if that item doesn’t appeal enough, but has captured interest.
DISPLAY ADS
Display advertising space is the area in a publication designated for companies to show their products and describe the benefits - appealing to consumers and potential buyers.
Display space comes in all sizes - from full page to a smaller fraction. Since some publications don’t have classified space, it may be your logical answer to place a small, one-inch ad. But if your ad is that small and there is a classifieds section, place it there - you’ll save money and the ad will be seen by the same amount of people, maybe even more.
Your guideline for determining what size the ad should be is to decide what is going into the ad and what type of approach you plan to make. What sells the products is the appeal and the equality of the ad - not necessarily the size.
Some products need full one-page descriptions; some don’t require a large space. You may be able to get by with a small, appealing ad that has a clear illustration, you certainly don’t need to go full size.
If you have a limited budget, take out a small ad. A publication with a good reputation and a high circulation makes money from the high ad rates it can charge. Don’t sacrifice a good pulling magazine for larger ad space in another publication. You have to consider the dollar-for-dollar response.
Other ways to save money are to advertise in the regional editions of publications, and to buy remnant space which is the “leftover” space sometimes available just before the magazine goes to print. If you have a good working rapport with the publication, you might be able to place a low-cost ad at the last minute.
Depending on your product, you need to consider where you want your ad to appear in the publication. You’ll most likely not require the prime spots such as the back cover, the first page or the inside covers.
But is has been proven that a right hand pulls betters response than one on the left side of the publication. Ads placed closer to the front of the magazine pull better than those towards the back. Think about where you want the ad to show up.
KEEPING RECORD
How will you know if your ads are pulling the response you want? When you place different ads in different publications, you need to have a method to determine which ads are drawing the best results. To do this, you keep accurate records.
For each ad you place, you have an address key. Use a separate record sheet for each key. At the top of the sheet, put the pertinent information, such as the name and issue of the publication, the date of issue, the cost of the ad, and the information about the ad you placed.
The main body of the record sheet may be divided into the two categories of inquiries and order. These in turn are separated into date received, number received, and running totals of inquiries, orders and sales.
The reason keeping records is important is twofold. First, you must respond to any orders you receive without getting them mixed up. Second, you need to figure out which publications are bringing the highest responses.
Good records will indicate which headlines pull better, which size has a better draw, and which products out of a catalog have more appeal.
Testing is the best way to achieve results in advertising. The majors do it - you can too. Testing can be just as exciting as the sales you make.
WRITING COPY
You’ve seen hundreds of ads in magazines, newspapers, and through the mail. Most of them are the same; most of them have similar products to sell. You read some of them because you’re interested in the product, you read some of them because they’re interesting to read, and most of them you pass by.
There are no best ways to describe a product or form an appeal for services. But there are proven methods of writing to catch a few people who didn’t know about the product to read the ad and to get the people who are interested in the product to buy.
Your main concerns in creating ads are to get the reader’s attention, sustain that attention, and push for action to buy. The longer you can hold interest, the greater number of people will respond.
Use short, simple sentences and paragraphs. Keep your writing consice and to the point. Rambling words and ideas will make the reader lose interest quickly. Always be relevant to what you are selling.
Subheads help cut copy into small, digestible pieces, as does the use of block paragraphs. Using italics, capital letters, bold face and oversized print can help grab attention to the words.
Make the copy rewarding to read, the product appealing to have, and the offer too good to pass by, and you’ll have plenty of business.
CHOOSE AN APPEAL
What will put your product to best advantage? What can the reader gain? The headline is the stopper. If is the few words that will make the reader stop and look at the ad. Think of how your product can appeal to the readers you want to induce. Can I manage to save, gain or accomplish something ordinary or special? Can I increase my finances, good health or general well-being? Maybe the product or service can help avoid worries, losses and mistakes. Or help decrease fears of poverty, illness in the family, loss of job.
The attitude you choose shoots for the person’s emotional state. It is the emotions that catch hold, then reason follows through to decide to read on or not. Consider the typical buyer you desire and go after that person.
Use the words “you or “your,” or imply that direct approach with “we” and “our.” Make the reader believe you are writing directly and honestly, offering the best available.
Consider a headline that uses “which one” or a comparative price. The choice alone entices you to read further. Or you might use an underdog approach such as I went wrong too, but will tell you how you can avoid it.
The headline that includes “how to” is always an appealing catcher. Invite the reader into your copy and then lead quickly into the main text of the ad.
SHOW THE ADVANTAGES
Most ads placed by small in-house agencies don’t solicit the national retail trade that large advertising companies handle. Instead, they offer an unusual product or service, a great price on closeout items, or products for the mail order consumer. More often than not, these ads will be short, concise, and stop not long after the headline. For many products, there’s not much that needs to be said that a picture or drawing can’t show.
But for those items that sell even better with copy, you’ll need to think about the benefits you want to describe, and the best ways to show these advantages.
You’ve caught the reader’s attention with the headline. Now hold it. Follow through with the facts that answer the headline. You have to convince the reader not only to want to have the product, but to want TO BUY IT.
Whatever you considered for the headline, study it again. What will this do for me? Why do I want to buy it? Is it less expensive than the other similar products? Is it the same, but a newer model, or a more efficient design?
Push the emotional appeal. How will this make me look better, feel better? What will my family and friends say? You might try to tap into the market of avoiding embarrassment, eliminating problems, minimizing risk.
Will this help me enjoy my leisure? With the continued trend towards increasing leisure time and the money after-work activities to the public, people are looking for more and more interesting things to do with space time. Can your product tap into this?
Money is forever the great desire. Now more than ever, people seek financial security, and look for ways to save money - especially over the long run. Saving money and buying at a lower price are sound copy points. But they must be followed through with believable reasons and sound facts.
For example, ads for woodburning stoves often appear in northern regional editions of publications, or magazines catering to homeowners. A small ad with a drawing of a woodburner may draw attention with a headline about saving heating costs. It can include an address to write for more information.
A larger space ad could include the advantages of a woodburning stove over and above the savings on gas bills, such as efficiency, superb craftsmanship, quality of materials, or easy to install. Any benefits that sell the product can be used to appeal to the reader.
A still larger ad could have an “exploded” drawing of the inside of the stove, and might also include information about how it works, how it saves you money. It might mention the reputation of the company. But consider whether the cost of a larger ad will bring in the extra response to make it profitable.
Stick to the facts. And stay with the BUYING POINTS. A potential customer may be sold, but will that person buy? Endorsements and testimonials are effective ways to dramatize facts and back up the benefits of your product, but don’t use ones that seem transparent. They’ll ring falsely. There are federal laws against misleading advertising, and they do check up on and prosecute against fraud.
If you use an endorsement from a famous or popular person, that person should use the product. Any testimonials you use must be true, and the people must be available for verification.
Always aim for satisfaction. Self-respect, security and accomplishment are human aspects everyone strives for. Never talk down to the readers as though you know something they don’t or you’re better than they are. To you, the potential customer is POTENTIAL GOLD.
ASK FOR ACTION
You’ve caught the reader’s attention with a catchy headline. You’ve followed through with good copy that demonstrates benefits and appeals to the reader. Now - before you lose that interest - ask for an order.
You can to close the gap between reading the ad and acting upon impulse. The purpose of the ad is to make people buy. You have to tighten the desire to want inot the desire to buy.
A money-back guarantee is the most useful tool in pressing action. It goes for the bottom line. What do I have to lost? And it affirms the quality of the product. If you are willing to back the claims you make with a full refund, you can get a hook into those borderline buyers.
If you give a time limit the product will be offered for sale, or mention a limited supply, or have a reduced price for a certain time, you’ll increase the impulse to act. And that’s what you’re after. Appeal to the reader’s urgency; make the product totally desirable to have - now.
HOW TO USE ILLUSTRATIONS
The major reason to use display space is to illustrate your product. Some items are very difficult to sell without a picture or drawing. And some illustrations work better with your product than others.
The illustration may be selling the only product you have, or you may want to use a lead illustration - something out of your product line that is particularly appealing. Then give the company’s name and address for people to write for a free catalog.
Be particular about using photographs. Never put in your own picture - it won’t help sell a product. And be very choosy about models for clothing. Avoid using models if possible, and if absolutely necessary, you’ll need professionals.
An advantage to photography is that you can picture your product in full, glowing color. But it is not usually that important. Considering the additional costs, it may not bring in the additional response to make it worthwhile.
You can have your product pictured indoors or out. But consider the size of the ad, and get rid of extraneous visual matter in the background. You are aiming for a clear, appealing view of what you have to offer adn you want the reader to buy that product.
In using photographs, always to go top quality. You can find dozens of excellent professional photographers from the yellow pages and at the photo supply stores. Look at the photographers’ work, and don’t get a portrait-taker if you need to illustrate a product.
Can the photograph or product be converted or illustrated with art? Line drawings are beautiful ways to show off a product in a clear and direct manner. They can be simple - just an outline. Or they can be more elaborate with shading and hatching. Line art is easy to draw and reproduce. And usually, it can show up a product to best advantage. There are no extras to detract attention.
Consider the simplest and most direct way to illustrate the products you want people to buy. Maybe you can try a layout with a photo and one with a simple drawing. What difference does it make?
What is the competition doing? When testing new ads, go with the tried and true. Don’t try to be different. It is the sound and worthwhile that bring in the customers - time and time again.
WORKING WITH ARTISTS
If you’re not an artist, don’t stop creating here. There are no special tricks to designing a good page, and there is no great expense in having someone else do it.
The best way to find an artist to draw line art, design and layout a page, and past up the ad, is through design studios. Don’t commission the studio - there’s usually too much overhead. Talk to individual designers and get somebody who does free lance work. You can negotiate a very reasonable fee. But get a professional. It’s worth the extra hourly fee to have somebody who knows how to design.
Work directly with the artist - be sure your desires are well communicated. And be sure you are satisfied with the work accomplished. You both have something to say, but more so, let the product speak the loudest.
DOING THE LAYOUT
You don’t need to hire a designer to do the layout for your ad. You are capable of doing it yourself - after all, you know the product best. Consider what you want to say. You need to make it different from the other ads, yet you shouldn’t try for innovating design awards.
The ad must be interesting to look at and should have a feeling of movement and action. That movement is not necessarily in the illustration, but the placement of illustration and copy in the ad, so the eye goes from one to the next in easy, exciting movements.
You’ll need to consider where the illustration will be, and its relation to the headlines and body text. Perhaps you are showing the product in use, or maybe the illustration is just a simple picture of the product.
A rule of thumb in layout is to use contrast. The most obvious contrast is the black print on white paper. Use that white space. Although it’s not apparent, the white space is as important in the visual appeal as the illustration and type.
Don’t try for symmetry. The unusual or irregular catches the eye more readily. The illustration works hand in hand with the headline to grab reader’s attention.
Be simple and direct. Don’t push too much copy into a small area, crowding the illustration. If you don’t have room, cut copy or reduce the illustration.
You can use any size and style type you want for the ad. But don’t get carried away. You shouldn’t use a special typeface unless it helps sell the product. And, never use a headline type that’s hard to read.
Using different sizes of type help point out the benefits of the product. Bold or italicized type also bring more visual appeal to the ad.
If you find that the illustration is too big for the ad space you want to use, you can reduce it to a smaller size, or crop out portions not absolutely necessary. A “bleed” photo runs straight off the page. Check with the advertising coordinator first to be sure the publications will do bleeds.
A good way to do a rough layout is to use a pencil to sketch in the places for the type, the illustrations, and lines to indicate body copy and the name of the company. Try different pencil layouts until you’re satisfied you have the product at its best appeal.
CAMERA-READY COPY
Most publications require final artwork for display ads. Camera-ready copy means that it’s ready to go - to be made into the films printers use for reproduction. The type has to be typeset, the art must be clear, and the layout must have these elements pasted down.
Even if you get as far as producing a rough layout, it won’t cost too much to convert it to final artwork. But if you’re doing the whole thing, you have to be sure you have all the elements. To have copy typeset, you go to a typesetting shop and give them typewritten copy for every character you want to show up on your ad. You can discuss with them the size of type and pick styles. Final artwork should not be a photocopy of a drawing, but the original drawing or a photostat. A photostat can be made of the original if it needs to be reduced or enlarged to fit the exact size of the layout.
If you are using a photograph, it should be a professional quality print. Any areas that need to be cropped should be indicated with a red grease pencil that won’t harm the surfact of the photo - don’t cut the photo.
If you are using color photography, you may need to have color separations made before you submit the ad. This is a process whereby the color in the photo is separated into its four elements of red, tellow, blue and black. The advertising coordinator will be able to tell you what you need, and a local printer can help you with the separations.
If you have no experience in pasting up layouts, you’ll need to get a professional. Why make a mistake so late in the game? Although it is a simple process of gluing the type and illustrations down with rubber cement, you need the correct tools to be sure everything is exactly straight.
WHERE TO GO FROM HERE
Setting up your own in-house advertising agency is easy. Placing ads and claiming your fifteen percent discount is no problem. The challenge comes in writing appealing ads that are winners. The reward is selling product through those ads month after month, year after year.
At any stage of the advertising game you can call in professional advice. A free-lance pro can offer sound, money-saving tips and be worth every dollar spent. Even if you commission the artwork and layout of the ad, you’ll still save a bundle over ad agency costs.
If you have your own home business, or if your company has expanded into advertising, there’s no reason not to set up your own agency. There’s no hassle, and the savings are great. If you need specialized LEGAL advice or assistance on this subject, the services of a professional person is recommended.
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Mexico Nafta Import / Export
January 2nd, 2008 Filed Under Business Options, Resources
Mexico Nafta Import / Exporter
To draw attention to a vast export promotions arsenal available to
individuals and businesses seeking to export to Mexico, a program called
EXPORT MEXICO was developed through a partnership between business and
government.
Mexico is our fastest-growing export market. With the implementation of
the North America Free Trade Agreement, this market is expected to provide
even greater opportunities.
Why Mexico?
When your fastest growing export market is right next door,
you’ve got to harness it and seize the opportunity. Exports to Mexico have Increased from $12,.4 billion in 1986 to $40.6 billion
in 1992. Mexico’s 86 million consumers prefer U.S. goods. 70% of every
dollar Mexico spends on foreign products are spent on U.S. goods. Rising
levels of disposable income among Mexican consumers helped increase our
exports by 50% since 1991.
The Mexico NAFTA Factor
THE NAFTA FACTOR In the last decade, the Mexican market has become more
open, instituting unilateral, market-opening reforms. The North America Free Trade Agreement will help further accelerate the growth of U.S. exports to Mexico, opening new doors to U.S. companies.
Mexico NAFTA will create the biggest market in the world right at our doorsteps,
over $6 Trillion with 370 million people.
Mexico NAFTA will make nearly half of all U.S. exports qualify for ZERO tariffs.
Mexico NAFTA will open Mexico to U.S. service exports, including such industries as
insurance, banking, accounting, advertising and more.
GETTING STARTED with Mexico NAFTA
If you’re seeking to export to Mexico, you can call Flash Facts facsimile service and order Mexico market information sent to you via fax, free of charge. The number to call is (202) 482-4464. The system includes among its many documents NAFTA updates and upcoming trade events. You can also call (202) 482-0300to consult trained desk officers from the Department of Commerce’s Office of Mexico regarding the most cost-effective ways you can enter the Mexican market.
The Commerce Department’s Office of Mexico publishes a comprehensive manual called “A Guide To Financing Exports To Mexico”, which you can obtain free of charge by calling the Flash Facts line and requesting document number 0420.vice and order Mexico market.
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