Fellow Small Business Owner;

Have You Ever Paid For An Advertisement And Got Nothing In Return Except The Bill?

I feel your pain. Many small business owners try to advertise...without success, until they simply give up on advertising. I know, I was one of them.

I own a small retail store in the college town of Wooster Ohio. My store is The Sweeper Store. (In Ohio, vacuum cleaners are called sweepers). When I opened my doors in 1999, I had beliefs about advertising that some business owners share...maybe even you.

I believed;

1) Advertising consisted mainly of “Getting my name out there”.

2) Advertising my cheapest, least profitable stuff was the way to go...so I could up-sell the customer when they come in.

3) I needed to stick to an “advertising budget” that was a specific percentage of sales.

4) Yellow Page advertising was the way to go. After all, every competitor had a display ad in the local phone book.

5) That my advertising reps were an expert in advertising, so I should listen to them.

These beliefs, and others, about how advertising worked....just about bankrupted my business.

In August of 2001, a short stocky guy with a smile that stretched from ear to ear, came in my store. I was busy selling a high end vacuum cleaner, but I saw him out of the corner of my eye. He was wearing a suit and carried a clipboard. You’re way ahead of me...yes, he was an advertising rep.

Because he was polite, and waited for the customer to leave...I was a little gentler with him than I am with most reps. He told me about a magazine he worked for that was full of local ads. It was (and still is) called the Town Money Saver.

I told him; “Sorry, advertising doesn’t work in this area. I’ve tried everything. Advertising on restaurant place mats, billboards, giving away pens and calenders, newspaper advertising, radio, and even cable TV. Nothing works...so I’m sorry”. Does this sound familiar?

He listened intently, and did what I’ve never seen before. He offered me a free ad. He said “Just advertise for one month. No contracts, no obligation. If the ad doesn’t work, I’ll be on my way. If it pays off, you buy an ad from me. Fair enough?”

How could I say no to that?

The ad bombed. He gave me another ad for free. It bombed too. But something had changed. I liked this little guy. I wanted to buy advertising from him. So I bought a book published in 1937 on advertising. It told me things I never thought of. I bought more books, paid for coaching (yes, there are coaches for everything), and tested advertising ideas.

It took me over two more years of testing ads, discarding ideas that didn’t work, and

I had cracked the code. Finally!

The results? In the last 7 years, every single ad I’ve run, in any media, has generated a profit, with the exception of two. (Because I changed something that was a proven winner). I’ve had ads pay off $44 for every dollar in advertising. My average return is $8 in net profit (within the same month) for every dollar invested in advertising. Even in this economy.

Other retailers and small business owners wanted to know how I did it. Because of the demand, I wrote The Unfair Advantage Small Business Advertising Manual.

And That’s When It Just Got Weird!

The sales manager for the local radio station stopped by my store. He had my book in my hand, and wanted to meet me (and sell advertising, of course).

His name is Craig Walton. He’s in his 50's, and looks like 40. Perfect hair, perfect teeth, athletic build....I instantly hated him (Just kidding, Craig!)

Anyway, he said “I’m the sales manager. I don’t sell advertising. I have no personal clients. But your book intrigued me and I wanted to meet you personally. So I want you to be my only client. Have you ever done radio advertising?”

I said “You know, I did radio years ago, without success. But I like a challenge, and I know quite a lot about how to advertise in print, let’s see what I can do on the radio”.

He said “What you want won’t work well. There isn’t any music, it isn’t funny or clever, and it’s a full minute long”. I told him to run it anyway, and to call me the day the radio ad ran.

A few days later, he called two hours after we opened. I said “Well, so far today, the radio ad has paid off enough to pay for that next two months in ads.” That was after just two hours!

There was silence on the phone for almost a minute! Then....

Craig said “I have a list of questions about how to make these ads work. Your book touches on a lot of advertising strategies, but reading the book raised lots of questions. Could I interview you?”.

I saw the list of questions. I shook my head “Craig, this is a long list, and most of these question will take a complete thorough answer. Let’s do it in your studio”.

The interview took over four hours. I lost my voice by the end of it and, frankly, don’t want to repeat it again. Craig edited out the 5 minute breaks, and I put the entire experience on four CDs.

The guy asking the questions is Craig. Yes, he sounds like an announcer. I kid him about that.

Here is a sample of what is covered in the complete interview;

• The importance of a great business name

• The secret to using your local competition to your advantage

• The One Thing that all small business success stories have in common.

• The one business model that generates wealth in over 95% of all cases.

• How to fight Big Box competition and win.

• Why sales and service are not the real keys to phenomenal business growth, and what is.

• How to advertise “Green” to make a difference, and a profit.

• The real truth about Image Advertising. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

• The not so popular truth about “building traffic”

• The single part of every ad that controls 80% of whether the ad pays or not.

• The formula for the best headline that will grab the customer by the ears and force them to notice your ad.

• How to “bundle sell” at higher prices than if you just sold one item

• Should you sell one item in an ad, or multiple items. The answer isn’t what you think!

• How to create the best bullet points that make customers salivate over your offer.

• What is the very best format for advertising in print and on radio?

• Three “No-No’s” that almost all advertisers do, that will kill your response.

• The very best ad positions, and how to get them without paying any extra.

• The single biggest mistake all advertisers make that guarantees nobody will read the ad.

• Should you advertise “lowest price?”, not if you want the big profits.

• Do this one thing, and you will never be asked to match an internet price.

• Three tips that will save you up to 50% on your ad costs, but increase their effectiveness.

• How to absolutely guarantee that your advertising always pays
  

There is more, but you get the idea.

“But Claude, What About Word-Of-Mouth Advertising?”

A very smart young lady said to me in a talk I gave; “I don’t need to advertise. Word of Mouth is the best advertising. I don’t do any advertising now, and my business is terrific!”.

I said “You are very correct that word-of-mouth advertising is the best kind of advertising. But before everyone was familiar with your business and what you sell, you did advertise. In fact, word-of-mouth depends on an established network of very satisfied customers. To get those initial customers, they have to want what you sell. You get those customers through effective advertising. Great advertising is the rocket that propels your business growth until you have enough customers that referrals and “buzz” will be enough”.

My answer must have made her happy, she bought my course.

OK, let’s get down to it!

The 4 CD set is titled.

“The 72 Burning Questions That Keep Small Business Owners Awake All Night In A Cold Sweat...And Their Answers”

I’ve been to seminars that cost $1,500 that don’t have as much meat as what you’ll find in this program. But I want this to be in everyone’s budget.

A mentor told me “You should price it so that the customer could make their money back in their very next ad...with only one or two additional sales.” That appealed to me, so you can get the entire program in your hands for a measly $249. And I’ll pay priority shipping to your door.

You even get a 60 day full refund guarantee. You don’t like it? Send it back within 60 days for a full, no hassle immediate refund.

I’ll give you an advertising secret right here and now; Give ethical bribes, bonuses, and freebies to spur action! Give enough so that the decision become a no-brainer.

So Take This!....

You also get (at absolutely no additional charge)

The Unfair Advantage Small Business Advertising Manual

How to avoid all the advertising mistakes that are costing you money, and how to make your advertising pay immediately...and Big! Tested and proven methods by someone using these identical strategies to increase their business...right now. ($19.95 value)

The Unfair Advantage Small Business Advertising Manual audio, read by Claude on two CDs. Listen to it all while you are driving.

The entire book in conversational style. A complete seminar on local advertising. ($39.95 value)

Not salivating yet? OK, I’ll even do most of the work for you on your next two ads! So you get......

Two Priority Advertising Review and Critique certificates. ($400 value)

Good for one year. Submit any print ad or radio script for a quick evaluation and detailed suggestions to improve the ad’s response. Submit by FAX, e-mail or mail. I suggest you listen to the material and read the manual before you send me an ad to critique. You’ll get more out of it.

And to make sure you continue to make money with your local advertising and marketing......you also get....

Three months of the Unfair Advantage Marketing Newsletter. ($120 value)

Three monthly issues of the newsletter, delivered to you home or business by First Class mail.

An advertising and marketing seminar in every issue. “Stuffed to the gills” with the latest ways, online and offline, to create phenomenal growth in your business. (After the 3 month trial, you will receive the newsletter at the preferred rate of just $39.95 monthly, charged to your credit card. You may cancel at any time by e-mail, phone, or FAX.)

“But Claude...What If I Have A Question Or Two That You Don’t Answer In All The Materials You Send Me?”.......

See? I think of everything......so you will be getting......

One certificate good for a Free 60 minute telephone consultation. ($600 real value)

(This free consultation is limited to people who have invested in this program. CDs should be listened to, or the manual read, before scheduling the consultation)

That’s a real value of $1,428 for just $249 $97.00!

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