10 Reasons to Advertise Your Business

1- Advertise to Reach New Customers.
Your market changes constantly. New families in the area mean new customers to reach. People earn more money, which means changes in lifestyles and buying habits. The shopper who wouldn't consider your business a few years ago may be a prime customer now. Remember...20% of families will move this year, 5 million people will be married and 4 million babies will be born*.

2- Advertise Continuously.
Shoppers don't have the store loyalty they once did. You must advertise to keep pace with your competition. The National Retail Merchants Association states: "Mobility and non-loyalty are rampant. Stores must promote to get former customers to return and to seek new ones.

3- Advertise to Remain With Shoppers Through the Buying Process.
Many people postpone buying decisions. They often go from store to store comparing prices, quality and service. Advertising must reach them steadily through the entire decision-making process. Your name must be fresh in their minds when they ultimately decide to buy.

4- Advertise Because Your Competition is Advertising.
There are only so many consumers in the market who are ready to buy at any one time. You'll need to advertise to keep regular customers and to counterbalance the advertising of your competition. You must advertise to keep your share of customers or you will lose them to the more aggressive competitors.

5- Advertise Because it Pays Off Over a Long Period.
Advertising gives you a long-term advantage over competitors who cut back or cancel advertising. A five year survey of more than 3,000 companies found...Advertisers who maintain or expand advertising over a five year period see their sales increase an average of 100%. Companies, which cut advertising, averaged sales decreases of 45%.

6- Advertise to Generate Store Traffic.
Continuous store traffic is the first step toward sales increases and expanding your base of shoppers. The more people who come into the store, the more possibilities you have to make sales and sell additional merchandise. For every 100 items that shoppers plan to buy, they make 30 unanticipated "in the store" purchases, an NRMA survey shows.

7- Advertise to Make More Sales.
Advertising works! Businesses that succeed are usually strong, steady advertisers. Look around. You'll find the most aggressive and consistent advertisers are almost invariably the most successful.

8- Advertise Because There is Always Business to Generate.
Your doors are open. Salespeople are on the payroll. Even the slowest days produce sales. As long as you're in business, you've got overhead to meet and new people to reach. Advertising can generate customers now...and in the future.

9- Advertise to Keep a Healthy Positive Image.
In a competitive market, rumors and bad news travel fast. Advertising corrects misleading gossip, punctures "overstated" bad news. Advertising that is vigorous and positive can bring shoppers into the marketplace, regardless of the economy.

10- Advertise to Maintain Employee Morale.
When advertising and promotion are suddenly cut or canceled, salespeople may become alarmed and demoralized. They may start false rumors in an honest belief that your business is in trouble. Positive advertising boosts morale. It gives your staff strong additional support.

*Your business having a website isn't always enough - potential customers need to know your website exists, so think about why you have a website, what you want your website to achieve for you, and how do you let people know your website exists.

No Scamming Here ...

I recently got an email sent from the contact form on the 50 Quid Website contact page and I just thought I'd share it with you. Normally I would put all the songs, praises and good things I've done here for you all to read about but this one is just confusing. Apologies for any bad language, I'll try and *beep* it out...

Here's the form in full...

Name

bobby mgee

Company (if applicable)

the shitheads

Email

f**kyou@googlemail.com

Telephone

screw you hutley

Best time to call?

never your a twat

Message

takes your cash then the attitude changes custer service is rubbish wouldent reccament to my pet dog screw you hutley scammer

I'd just like to point out that I have no idea at all who this is, that I have never taken anyone's money and ran and that nothing I do has been or ever will be a scam. All my clients will happily sing my praises should you ask them, and if I have ever upset anyone (not that I can ever recall doing so) all my telephone numbers are on the website and I'm always happy to try and resolve any disputes.  In this case no one has tried ringing, and I can't reply to try and sort any problems out as I'm pretty sure f**kyou@googlemail.com isn't a real email address.

I think either one of three things has happened here.

1. The person has mistaken me or the company for someone else (there are other 50 Quid Websites's listed in Google).

2. The individual works for a competitor or another web design company and doesn't like the prices I charge and thinks that I am undercutting the market - I have seen a very similar comment to this email in the online version of the Thomson Local.

3. The individual is very deranged or has lost the plot and needs serious help or they have a personal grudge against me for some reason.

Either way I would like to assure everyone that I do a really good job and offer a really good service to all my clients for any money that changes hands and I am always available on the other side of a telephone and email address to resolve any disputes or problems that may arise.

If this person truely believes that I have taken their money and "ran" please get in touch, give me a ring, or send me a genuine email and I will be more than happy to try and get to the bottom of this.

Thanks for listening,

Richard (owner and operator of 50 Quid Website)