I just love David Frey.
For those of you who don’t know him, he is the mastermind behind the Coaches and Consultants Marketing Bootcamp – an awesome program for anyone looking to get more clients.
More importantly though he has what I consider to be one of the best newsletters out there… to be honest it is the only one I read everytime I get it. David has a great style, great voice and provides loads of value (and is also a great example of how to do a newsletter right!)
This issue on Terrible Advertising is simply great, hugely valuable and will give you a laugh along the way. Read on…
Coaches and Consultants Marketing Letter
From: David Frey
Date: Jan. 4, 2005
Subject: Atrocious Advertising Example!
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Make sure you print out and read this entire edition of the Marketing Letter. It’s not only very educational, but I also provide an irresistable offer at the end.
David Frey
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Recently I was thumbing through an edition of Inc.
Magazine. For those of you who don’t know what Inc.
Magazine is, it’s a magazine here in the states that targets small business owners and entrepreneurs.
Well, at the back of the magazine I ran across a page full of ads for business coaching and consulting.
This section is entirely devoted to advertising for coaches and consultants.
After reviewing all the ads I just shook my head.
They were atrocious!
I mean they were TERRIBLE.
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The Yellow Pages Syndrome Revealed
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Every ad looked like it was straight out of the yellow pages. You’ve seen those yellow page ads that make all the wrong mistakes like….
1. Using your business name as your headline.
2. Not addressing the wants of your market.
3. No call to action.
4. Prominently displaying your logo (a waste of space).
5. Displaying unprofessional photos of yourself.
6. Never giving a “reason why” to contact you.
7. Trying to sqeeze in your entire message in a tiny
little ad.
8. Not including an eye-stopping headline.
I could go on…but I won’t. Nearly every single coaching ad committed all these deadly mistakes.
In retrospect, it’s not really the advertisers fault.
Heck, what do they know about advertising, they’re just business coaches.
They probably just looked at all the other ads and did the same thing every one else was doing.
I call this the yellow pages syndrome.
Every time someone does a yellow page ad, they look at what every one else is doing in their section and just do the same thing.
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Would You Like to See the Ad?
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Here’s the ad that I’m talking about. (It’s a pdf file)
I urge you to take the time to PRINT OUT the pdf document and read my comments.
I’ve numbered each of the ads because I want to make some comments about them.
They are very enlightening!
(copy and paste the url into your browser)
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Comment on Ad # 1
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At first glance this ad looks like it’s from two
real estate agents. Notice that they put their
logo at the top of the ad. What a waste of
valuable advertising real estate.
I can barely, barely, barely read their email
addresses.
I need a freak’in microscope to read them.
They cite that they can help executives “broaden
their perspective,” “enhance communication,” and
“increase executive presence.”
Are those the things that entrepreneur executives
really want? Really?
I was both a corporate executive and am now an
entreprenuer executive and I couldn’t care less
about “broadening my perspective” or “increasing my
executive presence.”
Heck, I’d rather have someone help me to decrease
my perspective by helping me get a laser-like focus
on the 20% of my business that brings in 80% of the
results.
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Comment on Ad # 2
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Here’s another company that uses their logo and the
name of their company as their headline.
Excuse me while I Y – A – W – N !
Now I do like their “Your Challenge” -> “Your
Answer” message.
In fact, the “Your Challenge” copy is quite good.
It centers on what really ales entrepreneurs…
…time management.
Unfortunately, this ad kind of peters out at the
end. It talks about having “PhD psychologists” as
coaches.
Hey, I don’t know about you, but the last thing I
want is a psychologist as a business coach.
I want someone who’s “been there and done that” to
coach me.
And the last line that says, “For a confidential
response, contact…”
What response?
They haven’t asked me to do anything!
That’s a weak ending to what could have been a
decent ad.
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Comment on Ad # 3
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Hello…..!
Where’s the ad copy?
Is this ad supposed to motivate me to run to their
website?
Who is this ad talking to?
And what is a “sherpa?”
(Most people don’t know what a sherpa is…and if
you don’t beleive me, ask the next person that
walks your way.)
Nuf said.
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Comment on Ad # 4
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Once again, this company uses their logo as their
headline. Another dumb yellow pages syndrome
mistake.
Now what I do like about this ad is that it gives
you a reason to go to their website.
You get to “Ask the Coach” a question.
In fact, the whole objective of her ad is to get
people to go to her website.
That’s smart.
But unfortunately, you can barely even see her
website address.
If it’s the sole aim of her ad to get people to go
to her website, her URL should be in BIG BOLD
letters.
Again, a good ad that peters out at the end.
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Comment on Ad # 5
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Oh gosh, not another ad that uses their logo as a
headline!
Okay, let’s look past that for a moment and focus
on her message on the left.
It states, “Wish you could get confidential advice
from someone dedicated to your career success?”
I like that this person asks a question.
Asking questions in ads automatically gets people
thinking and involved.
But again, if this person uses 1/4 of the ad to ask
a question with big fonts, it better be a question
that hones in on something that their market really
is struggling with.
If not, you’ve wasted a lot of space.
Moving down to the bottom of the ad, this person
gives no reason whatsoever to pick up the phone and
call.
Marketing is all about giving a REASON WHY.
A reason why to visit a store.
A reason why to call an office.
A reason why to act today instead of tomorrow.
A reason why to pick you over the competition.
Your ads MUST give a reason why.
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Comment on Ad # 6
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Oh I love this ad.
Poor Linda O’Connor.
Here photo looks like a police mug shot.
Either that, or she took the photo at home in her
living room.
It detracts from the entire ad and actually works
against her instead of for her.
And her credentials are…well…who knows what
they are.
“Emotional Intelligence Coach”
What the heck is that and why should I care?
Only a coach would know what an “Emotional
Intelligence Coach” is.
(But I’m a coach and I don’t even know what it is.)
The one little thing I do like about her copy is
that she says that she coaches, “newly-promoted
executives.”
That’s a hot market for coaching.
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Comment on Ad # 7
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This ad is so bad is makes me want to puke right
here all over my computer screen. :-O
This company must be doing well because to spend
their money on an ad that only has their logo on
it…well, they must have cash to burn.
“Building Legacy Leaders”
Doesn’t that just make you want to jump up and call
them?
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Comment on Ad # 8
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Someone needs to tell Priscilla to get a new photo.
The one she uses is so dark that you would think
she took it in the back of some swanky bar.
Please, if you’re going to use a photo in an ad
make sure that…
1. It’s a good photo of you.
2. You’re decent looking.
3. It’s a professional photo.
4. You’re wearing professional business attire.
5. You’re smiling.
And another thing.
Please…someone help Priscilla with her copy.
What does this mean…
“Start with what you can’t live without, add what
you covet, and call us!”
Ugh! ?
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Comment on Ad # 9
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This ad makes the deadly mistake of placing their
“Mission Statement” front and center.
You know what mission statements are?
They are statements about ME, ME, ME, ME.
Who cares about your mission.
I want to know how you’re going to solve my
problems.
Tell me how you’re going to SOLVE MY PROBLEMS!
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Comment on Ad # 10
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This ad tries to get cute.
Be careful about using “cute” slogans or copy.
It could end up working against you.
But actually, I have to admit, I like the overall
message of this ad.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t say a thing about what
“results” I’m going to get.
And the only reason they give me to call them is
because their clients call them a “Secret Weapon”
and that I can “Stand Out” with their coaching
program.
They do have a half-hearted attempt at a call to
action.
It’s the little “Start Today” callout at the
bottom.
Weak.
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Some Overall Thoughts On Advertising Your Services _______________________________________________________
Advertising is a tricky thing.
Even the best, most experienced marketers can get lousy advertising results sometimes.
But there are some tried and true advertising principles that, if you follow them, will give you your best shot at a good response.
1. Design you ad so that it does ONE thing ONLY.
2. Always, always, always have a compelling headline.
3. Know the triggers words that motivate your market
and use them.
4. Offer benefits that your market cares about and
desperately wants.
5. Offer proof of your claims (if you have room).
6. Give a reason why your readers should do “right now”
what you’re asking them to do.
7. Close with exact and specific instructions on what
to do next.
There are other elements of a winning ad, but these are the most important ones.
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Take a Look at the Ad I Developed for Inc. Magazine _______________________________________________________
For all you of you who are members of the Coaches and Consultants Marketing Bootcamp Continuing Education Members Area, I have develped a custom advertisement for the Inc. publcation.
I recognize that I have done a lot of ad bashing in this newsletter and I hate people that complain but don’t offer solutions.
So…I decided to develop the type of killer ad that I would put on that page in Inc. Magazine.
I GUARANTEE if ran, my ad would OUTPULL any ad on that page by a factor of 10.
You can tell just be glancing at the page.
My ad LEAPS out at you.
It compels you to pick up the phone and call now.
And it also instantly positions me as an expert.
Lastly, it strips all the barriers away from making the call.
You can see it right now by visiting the link below.
http://url123.com/yy7he (Go down to Ad Sample # 1)
(copy and paste the url into your browser)
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Not a Bootcamp Member? Want to See this Advertisement?
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This one ad could mean thousands of dollars to your coaching and consulting business.
The reason I know this ad works so well is because I used an exact duplicate of it to attract clients in the pool and spa industry.
It works!
This is just one of many, many samples of winning marketing materials that you’ll find in the Coaches and Consultants Marketing Bootcamp.
Why have you waited this long to invest in the Marketing Bootcamp?
Isn’t your financial future worth more than $297?
I’ve put every single piece of information I used to create and grow an extremely successful coaching and consulting practice into the Marketing Bootcamp.
It’s all there….
Postcards, letters, advertisements…etc.
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May I Make You a Special Offer?
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If you decide to order the physical version ($297) of the Coaches and Consultants Marketing Bootcamp in the next 24 hours I will include an audio program titled,
“A 7 Step System to Generating High-Paying
Corporate Consulting and Coaching Clients”
This audio program was authored by Eric Lofholm, a renowned sales trainer and selling coach.
Using this unique system, Eric has enrolled over 5,000 corporate clients into his sales training and coaching program.
5,000 corporate clients!
He uses a very unique formula that he has tested and honed over several years now.
No one gets corporate clients like Eric Lofholm.
This program, by itself could be sold for over $100.
And it’s NOT currently available to existing Marketing Bootcamp members.
You will be the first ones to hear this audio program.
So what are you waiting for…
Visit http://www.ConsultantsMarketingBootcamp.com right now and invest in your success.
NOTE: When you order the bootcamp. Please place the words “7 Step System Audio Program” in the comments box on the order form so that I’ll include the audio CD.
Have a great week.
David
P.S. This offer is ONLY available to those of you who purchase the $297 physical version of the Marketing Bootcamp within the next 24 hours.
P.P.S. Remember to place the words “7 Step System Audio Program” in the comments box on the order form.
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David Frey
President, Marketing Best Practices Inc.
4815 FM 2351 Suite 201
Friendswood, TX 77546
David@MarketingBestPractices.com
281-993-5657