Ad Space

by Bob Osgoodby

Ad space in an ezine or on a web site, is just that - space, and the web has no magical powers. If you write a bad ad, you will not get responses. The same ad in a print publication, such as a newspaper or magazine, would yield the same results. You can't blame the space provider, if your ad doesn't produce.

Many people have fantastic results with this type of advertising, and they all have a few things in common. They are selling a quality product or service at a reasonable price, and have taken the time to develop a good ad. They also realize that the only purpose of the ad is to get someone to request more information. They all have a web site that gives complete details, and where they make the actual sale.

Just having a quality product or program at a reasonable price is not the only thing you need. You must advertise it in an intelligent manner. The ad you place is referred to as the "tease". If this is done properly, it gets you to the next step in the sales process, and that is the "education" stage. People want information about the product or service they are about to buy.

When people get to your web site, or ask for further information, it is because they are interested. This is the case where "more is better". The more information you can give them, the greater the chances you have of making a sale.

A very common mistake is to confuse the "tease" with the "education stage". If the web site gives little or no information, it is in effect just another "tease". You can't expect people to buy if you do this. You must provide solid information on how they will benefit from your offer. Others mix up the "education" stage with the "tease", and try to give too much information in their ad. Neither approach will produce good results.

The final stage in this process is referred to as the "close". This is where you give the person a reason for becoming your customer. This can take various forms, but every good ad campaign has one.

All of these elements from the "tease" to the "close" must be in place if you hope to be successful in your internet marketing. Miss anyone one of them and you will join the ranks of the "also rans".

If your ad doesn't produce, examine each of the three stages to see if it would get you to buy. Have a disinterested person look at your sales effort. Sometimes you might get so close to the process, you can't honestly evaluate what you're trying to accomplish.

You must of course get ad space that is reasonably targeted to your potential market. The ad for your product or service should appear in places that your target market will likely visit. Don't forget that it might take 5 to 7 exposures to your ad before someone bites. Don't be discouraged if immediate results are not forthcoming.

Above all, don't blame the space provider - that is simply a copout. They did their part by making the space available and disseminating it to their subscribers - did you do yours?