When I was young, my Dad used to take me fishing. It didn't take too many trips out on that little motor boat to learn that the ocean is a very BIG place. Even though I knew there were millions of fish swimming around, there was no guarantee that we'd go home with a bucketful at the end of the day. We would have to use a variety of bait and fishing techniques to make a catch.
Marketing your business on the Internet is a lot like going fishing. There are millions of potential customers ("fish") surfing around out there, but there's no guarantee you'll hook any of them by the end of the day. Just like fishing, you'll have to use a variety of ads ("bait") and some marketing skills ("fishing techniques") to make a catch.
When we went fishing, my Dad taught me that to catch different kinds of fish, you needed to use different kinds of bait. Marketing online also requires you to use a variety of "bait", depending on the kind of "fish" you want to catch.
Your ads are your bait and you will need to use different ads to attract different customers. Writing ads is a skill you will definitely want to master before you "go fishing".
I've done a lot of research on how to write a "good" ad. But what the pros consider good and what actually works can be two different things. Sometimes what the experts might consider a bad ad is actually the one that works! That's because different writing styles appeal to different people.
Sizzle and razzle-dazzle ads work for some people, serene and sensible ones work for others. You may be always writing your own ads in the style that appeals to you as a buyer. Therefore, you’ll want to try writing in a different style, even if it doesn't appeal to you. For example, here's a work from home ad written in two different styles:
STYLE 1 - Razzle Dazzle
Make BIG money working from home. Now you can live the life of your dreams, spend more time with your family, secure your financial future, and get what you want from life. Hurry, limited time only. Click here NOW!
STYLE 2 - Serene and Sensible
Would you like to have your own business, work from home, and profit from the power of the Internet? You can join a solid company that offers an easy-to-learn method of making money online. Click here for more information.
Which one appealed to you? Whichever it was, you may want to try writing in the other style if you find yourself always writing your ads the same way. If you want to catch different kinds of fish, you'll want to have different kinds of bait! You'll need ads that appeal to different people! I use a variety of ads written in a variety of styles. Some of them the experts would love and some they would hate. But, depending on where they are placed, they all work.
When you go fishing, you also learn that you can't simply bait the hook and throw it into the water and then just sit there. My Dad taught me how to "jiggle" the bait, cast it out and reel it back in, "drag" the bottom, and numerous other techniques to get the fish to bite. In your online marketing you’ll also have to apply some techniques to get your customers to bite.
You cannot simply write some ads and throw them around in a few places. You'll want to try different marketing techniques including banner ads, e-zine ads, classifieds ads, traffic generators, search engine submission, pay-per-click, and even FFA posting. And don't forget, you can use free advertising to test out the new "bait" and new "fishing techniques".
Sounds like a lot of work, doesn't it? So why bother? For the same reason you keep going fishing. You know those fish are out there, and it's just a matter of time before you "hook" the BIG one!
About the Author
Anita Foley of http://Wealth-Happens.Tripod.com publishes
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