Saturday, April 4, 2015

Marketing Fails: How Many Have You Seen?

To the owner of the billboard I pass on the highway each week: "USE A FONT SIZE I CAN READ!" Every time I see a billboard with a giant ad with too many words, in a light colored font, and in a font size I can't read, I feel sorry for that advertiser knowing how much money they are losing. This is all because motorists don't have enough time (nor a magnifying glass in the car) to read the print.

But wait, it's not the motorist's responsibility to read the print, it's the advertiser's responsibility to create an ad that everyone can see! I love the large billboards that have just 1 - 5 big bold words, even if they don't make sense. Each time I pass it, I look a little bit closer to try and determine what the ad is for. But ones in tiny, pastel colors don't get an extra glance.

I learned this lesson and I hope you do to; make sure that your prospects can read the print on your ads. Don't assume they can just because you like how it turned out. I reminds me of the unconscious business presenters who create Power Point slides with intricate diagrams or lists, and then stand there and read from the slide.

Friday, April 3, 2015

I've Already Tried That

The title is one of the most annoying phrases I hear that makes me want to scream. As the author of the Amazon #1 seller, Becoming a Conference Speaker: How to go From Attendee to Breakout to Keynote, I'm approached often by those asking me for advice on how they can increase their speaking gigs or how they can make more money at it. Some even tell me they've been speaking for FREE for too long and want to get paid.

So when these inquisitive people approach me and ask me for some free tips, I usually ask them if they are a member of a local Toastmasters club, do they have a coach, or have they invested in some professional development courses. Unfortunately, the typical response is, "Oh, I've tried that already."

One woman when on and one about how awful the Toastmasters club was and the evaluators seemed to enjoy ripping her speeches apart. Barely able to contain my annoyance, I told here that there are other clubs in the area and has she tried out others. Here response was a vague YES, even though I could tell that it was most likely that she hadn't.

I"d like to wear a sandwich board sign that reads, "Don't ask me how until you have actually worked hard at trying options out first." It seems like people in general want a quick fix solution that they don't have to work hard to find, or they just want sympathy for how hard it is to develop and grow a speaking business.