It seems in today's world that business and advertising go hand-in-hand.
It's almost unimaginable to think of one without the other.
Bright minds across America are sitting through college courses in hopes for Associates, Bachelors, Masters, or even PhD's in advertising.
There are "experts" all over brainstorming ideas in war rooms to come up with the next gecko or Ronald McDonald.
Companies pour out millions of dollars in the attempt to bring in business.
I don't have a degree in advertising.
I've never even taken a marketing class.
I'm simply a common person with common sense that, like many of you, skip commercials any opportunity I can because I just don't trust them.
In the course of running my home-business, I never intend to spend a dime on a firm to come up with gimmicks to help me sell.
I never intend to attempt to misrepresent anything I do to lure in business.
However, I do plan to be successful without traditional advertising.
How, you ask? Simple; I plan to advertise "Truth" through networking.
Why do you set your DVR's to skip commercials? Why do you franticly search for another music station on the radio as soon as commercials come on? You do it for the same reason virtually every station goes to commercial at the same time - because you and they both know you don't want to hear their sales pitch.
Think about it a little deeper, however, and you will come to realize it boils down to you simply don't trust the advertisements (usually with good reason I might add).
It's for this very same reason your blood pressure immediately rises when confronted by insurance agents or even worse, a used car salesman.
You don't trust them.
In my opinion, this wall of mistrust is directly caused by traditional advertising.
I would like to share a couple arguments to support my opinion and I ask you to decide if you think I'm right or wrong.
Virtually every strategy in advertising is wrapped in some level of psychology.
Media Awareness Network cites 10 common advertising strategies(1) on their site with the number one commonality throughout the list being a psychological angle being used in every single strategy.
Every strategy in essence is set up to outsmart the consumer and manipulate them into buying the product.
Have you ever asked yourself why bread and milk are on opposite ends of the grocery store when they know most people are coming in for both products? Its simple psychology; by having them on opposite ends of the store, you have to walk across it where you're confronted with hundreds of other products in between.
Chances are you will buy something you never intended to.
Why do car lots offer cars at $24,998 instead of simply saying $25,000? Again, simple psychology; twenty-five thousand sounds like so much more than a price only two dollars lower.
Moreover, now they can say they are offering the vehicle for under $25k even though it is simply not true.
Still not convinced advertising is geared to manipulate you.
Then, I dare challenge you to watch commercials for popular beer brands.
I don't know about you, but I've never cracked open a beer and four snow bunnies in a hot tub show up - it's mind games and it's untrustworthy.
Not only does traditional advertising play mind games with you, it consistently misleads you.
Case scenario: You're watching TV and a commercial comes on for a cable or satellite provider advertising all the channels you can possibly watch for $29.
99.
Meanwhile, at the same time along the bottom of the screen is a block of what appears to be writing so small you will need cataract surgery if you even attempt to read it.
What do you think the odds are you will get the price quoted so boldly in the advertisement? I can tell you; slim to none.
In that block of illegible script will be listed numerous other charges that are not openly shared in the advertisement.
It's not false advertisement because it was in that block, but it is unethical and untrustworthy.
Yet, this is traditional advertisement as it stands today.
I read an online article the other day entitled Encyclopedia of Small Business / Advertising Strategy.
The article was very well written and was meant to be a guide to the small business owner in regards to advertising.
It covered, among other things, the "stages of advertising strategy", "methods of advertising, and "analyzing advertising results"(2).
Although the article was very informative, I came away thinking how unnecessary much of the ideas and processes were.
It was time consuming and could quite easily be unnecessarily expensive.
Here's why I believe this.
In my opinion, gimmicks and/or sales bring in fly-by shoppers looking for something for nothing.
However, I feel trust and honesty build a rapport with people who are looking for value.
Companies like Wal-Mart have not only driven down prices, they have driven down quality.
The same is true in most walks of life.
I strongly believe there is a simple two-step process to reverse this trend.
First, be trustworthy in all that you do.
As old fashioned as it sounds, people should be able to trust you at your word.
Second, provide a top-notch product that is a value to the customer and provides the benefits they were looking for.
When you combine these two ingredients, you won't have to advertise, your customers will advertise for you.
They will spread the word.
Will it take longer? Probably.
Will it pay off? Definitely.
So, the bottom line is this, traditional, everyday advertising is out-dated and archaic at best.
It's the same song being played by a hundred different people.
Some play it better than others, but like "Achy, Breaky, Heart", it's a song no self-respecting person wants to listen to anymore.
As I stated above, the best ingredient in advertising is TRUTH.
Traditional advertising cannot effectively accomplish this, but networking does.
Networking through sites such as personal websites or blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace (if anyone still uses it) give potential customers/clients the opportunity to get to know you personally.
Think about how much of an impact that will have on them.
I don't know about you, but I have never gotten the chance to speak to a company's CEO or president.
Your customers will not only get to know who you are, they will have a direct connection to you.
They can comment to you personally about the product or service you provide.
They will become more than simply customers, they will become associates and even friends.
Most of all, you will ascertain one thing that traditional advertising cannot accomplish - loyalty from your customers.
Why? Because they trust you.
Sources: (1) http://www.
media-awareness.
ca/english/resources/educational/handouts/advertising_marketing/common_ad_strats.
cfm ) (2) http://www.
enotes.
com/small-business-encyclopedia/advertising-strategy