I am far
from being an advertising guru. I
believe that participating on forums, writing blogs and social networking sites
are the best way to promote your network marketing business. However, I also think that using online ads
can reach a very different audience, and those ads may bring you a different
group of prospects. So, I will share
some tips I have learned about advertising along the way.
Nearly
everyone has heard of craigslist.org, the largest free classified ad site
available. It can be challenging for
network marketers to use the site since it discourages MLM ads. There are thousands of other advertising
sites. Some charge a fee, while many are
free to post. (There are also
advertising agencies that you can pay to place your ads, which I will not
address here.) Which ad sites to use is
pretty much trial and error for your particular business.
The first
thing you should do is define who your target market is. If you are advertising a business
opportunity, you have a very different market than if you’re advertising a
product or service. Every website has
different categories from which to choose, so find one that best fits your type
of ad.
Many
network marketers write ads that sound good to themselves. You are not selling the ads to yourself. Your ads have to work for the people to whom
you are selling. What are their
problems, fears and desires? This will help you target your ads.
Next you
need a headline that will catch attention.
People will move on to the next ad if the headline doesn’t interest
them. Your headline should arouse
curiosity or grab attention. You can use
questions, intrigue, or an announcement.
Some examples could be: Are You a
Motivated Team Leader? - Are you Tired
of Selling Baskets, Lotions and Potions?
- I am building a team of leaders?
Do you qualify? - Now Offering a
FREE Trial! - Announcing New $30 Recruiting Bonus! - Everyone needs this
product! (Readers will wonder what the
product is.)
When
writing effective ads, write down several headlines, and then pick the one you
like the best. If you use the first one
you come up with, odds are it won’t be the best one you could have used.
Write your
ad concisely, but truthfully. Don’t exaggerate your business opportunity or
your products, but you can use adjectives such as "best,"
"great," "excellent," and "effective."
According
to an article I recently read, it seems the more hoops people have to jump
through to get to you, the more serious they will be. The article suggested
that you let your copy do the funneling for you, and you will spend less time
weeding through people who aren't serious.
The way I interpret this is to NOT include a phone number, for instance.
If you include a number, the prospect will just pick up the phone without going
to your website and expect you to provide a full presentation. I only include a website on my ads.
Another
thing I read in that same article is that they recommend that we keep the price
out of our copy. The author suggests that you will receive fewer responses if
you include the price. Focus instead on
the problem your prospect has that will make them want to contact you to try
your product. Create a picture of how it will make their life easier and more
enjoyable. Marketing is about solving specific consumer problems.
What are
the benefits of your business opportunity or products? The more specific you are in the ad, the
better. Your ad should make it clear how
your target audience is going to benefit from joining your business or
purchasing your products. All the reader
wants to know is "what's in it for me?" Your goal is to make customers feel they
"NEED" your product! If
possible, offer something for FREE! A
sample of your product, an e-book or coupon may attract additional
prospects.
Always
include a plan of action. Studies have
shown that when people are told what they need to do in an ad, they are more
likely to do it than if you just leave it up to them. You can put something as simple as writing,
“Click Here”
I have
written ads for my Xpress Healthcare business that bring no responses
whatsoever, and I have posted ads that drove many people to my websites. I change my ads frequently, always testing
new and different ads to see which are the most effective. There is really only one way to be certain
that you have a good ad. Run an ad for a
week, then change the headline and run that one for a week, and see which does
better. Then change the body and let
that run for a week. There is no way to
know exactly how well your ad will do until you test it.
To learn more about Julie Klein and Xpress Healthcare, visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com
