http://www.ideate.co.za/2008/02/08/alternatives-to-advertising/ Business resources, tips, success stories, interviews and business ideas Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:33:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 http://www.ideate.co.za/2008/02/08/alternatives-to-advertising/comment-page-1/#comment-66501 Ideate - Small Business in South Africa Fri, 25 Apr 2008 06:35:08 +0000 http://www.ideate.co.za/2008/02/08/alternatives-to-advertising/#comment-66501 [...] budget into providing something free that will get people talking about you (like this and this). In other words, becoming [...] [...] budget into providing something free that will get people talking about you (like this and this). In other words, becoming [...]

]]> http://www.ideate.co.za/2008/02/08/alternatives-to-advertising/comment-page-1/#comment-66415 Ideate - Small Business in South Africa Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:49:16 +0000 http://www.ideate.co.za/2008/02/08/alternatives-to-advertising/#comment-66415 [...] The great lesson that I take from Google’s example is that generosity is a valid sales tactic. Giving something of genuine value away for free looks risky, but in today’s world it’s a requirement in order to get noticed above your competition. Customers can spot a fake deal from a mile away ("Free! Win! Guaranteed!"), and they’re not going to switch from their comfort zone unless your offer is seriously appealing. In the good old days you had an advertising budget to blast at your market to get them to come over to your side. That doesn’t work anymore, and it’s best to start allocating a serious percentage of your revenue to providing something remarkable to your future fan-base. (Read about one such strategy here.) [...] [...] The great lesson that I take from Google’s example is that generosity is a valid sales tactic. Giving something of genuine value away for free looks risky, but in today’s world it’s a requirement in order to get noticed above your competition. Customers can spot a fake deal from a mile away ("Free! Win! Guaranteed!"), and they’re not going to switch from their comfort zone unless your offer is seriously appealing. In the good old days you had an advertising budget to blast at your market to get them to come over to your side. That doesn’t work anymore, and it’s best to start allocating a serious percentage of your revenue to providing something remarkable to your future fan-base. (Read about one such strategy here.) [...]

]]> http://www.ideate.co.za/2008/02/08/alternatives-to-advertising/comment-page-1/#comment-66345 Jen, writer MembershipMillionaire.com Wed, 13 Feb 2008 04:14:16 +0000 http://www.ideate.co.za/2008/02/08/alternatives-to-advertising/#comment-66345 It's not that easy for big companies to stop their advertising gimmicks. I can't even imagine how much money the milk industry or the cosmetics industry spends on their advertisements and advertising campaign. I don't think pure customer service is going to be applicable to them. It’s not that easy for big companies to stop their advertising gimmicks. I can’t even imagine how much money the milk industry or the cosmetics industry spends on their advertisements and advertising campaign. I don’t think pure customer service is going to be applicable to them.

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