Future Visions of the Auto Industry and Automotive Advertising Based on What Was and What Is

Auto industry social networks all have different rules and protocols to create their unique identities in the auto industry and the inter-dependent automotive advertising industry. While there are differences in format, content and contributors they share the common goal to educate their community members by sharing best practices and insights with the concept that a rising tide floats all boats. To provide clarity and share my vision of the future of the retail auto industry and automotive advertising it must be framed it in the context of our changing geo-political and economic environment. Once the foundation of today is built on the broad picture of our world economy and politic, then the role of the Internet and related technologies can be applied to the one constant that we can all depend on -- human nature -- to help define tomorrow as I see it.

Any competitive business model must be built to accommodate tomorrow as well as today. Today is obvious. Sales volume, profit margins and inventory are down across all brands. Consumer confidence is falling as unemployment is rising even in the face of the expected temporary increase when the million plus census workers and various government employees -- such as the sixteen thousand IRS agents to police our new health care system -- are artificially added to the equation. Wholesale and retail credit lines are restricted by both natural business cycles and government intervention. Our economy is directly linked to the world economy along both monetary and political lines and the United States as well as our European trading partners are faced with excessive debt and unstable monetary systems. Our monetization of our debt -- basically the fact that we loaned ourselves the money we needed to fund our growing debt by printing more money, since no one else would lend it to us -- has insured the inevitable inflation of our dollar or some similar correction to our monetary system. This anticipated correction is already supported when observing the situation maturing in Greece, Portugal, Spain and other European Countries tied to the Euro and the International Monetary Fund, (IMF). No one has a crystal ball, so the only way to plan for tomorrow is to recap today's critical issues that didn't exist yesterday. It is these changes in -- what was -- vs. -- what is -- that will likely define -- what will be and the actions that auto dealers and automotive advertising agencies must take to remain profitable and competitive in unchartered waters.

The current administration was voted in on a platform of hope and change with the expectation that the promised transformation of America would take place within the confines of our constitution and in consideration of our established belief in a free marketplace. The redistribution of wealth was understood by most to reflect the giving nature of the American people as a moral and sharing society. Unfortunately, the transformation began in ways that could not have been imagined by the majority that voted for it with an agenda that is only now coming to light. The inherited financial burdens on our banking system that justified the need for change were matured across Republican and Democratic party lines -- as evidenced by the contributions of Fannie May and Freddie Mac to our mortgage crisis and the preferred treatment enjoyed by the unions, Goldman Sachs, AIG and other entities on Wall Street supported by the progressive political movement that is represented within both parties.

By way of disclaimer, I recognize that approximately 30% of our population believes in the collective -- We the people -- and the associated movement for the -- workers of the world to unite -- vs. the framers of the constitution that defined it as the individual -- We The People -- and the rights of the individual as a contributing member of the whole. That said, as the President has clearly stated, elections have consequences and I will attempt to limit my comments and future visions to only those actions that have or will have a direct impact on the auto industry and the automotive advertising agencies that are engaged to serve it.

The empowerment of the unions in the formation of Government Motors is already impacting the marketplace even while it is being challenged in the courts. The mandated consolidation of the retail distribution channels for General Motors and Chrysler preserved the interest of the unions over the guaranteed bond holders and independent dealers contrary to established rules of law. This precedence diluted expectations of both investors and corporations to rely on binding contracts and individual rights in favor of the collective we that our evolving society is expected to serve. Recent adjustments to the language in a variety of Federal powers have impacted previously accepted State and individual rights which must also be considered when projecting the future of the auto industry and automotive advertising -- if not our country as a whole.

For example, the change in the definition of eminent domain from taking personal property -- for public use -- to the new definition -- for public good -- has already resulted in private and commercial property being taken at distressed market values and given to other individuals that promised a higher tax base to the governing authority based on their position that the additional tax revenue was for the public good. Similarly, the ownership of water rights in the United States has been changed from the previous Federal ownership of all -- navigable waterways -- to include -- all waterways -- such as ponds, surface streams and basically any water that the government determines can be used for the public good. The potential impact on the farming industry and our food supplies evidence a shift in government control of society that must be considered when projecting the future of any industry -- including our beloved auto industry.

Given the government takeover of the banking industry, General Motors, Chrysler, Health Care and Student Loans that are now part of our history, the point becomes self evident. These single word changes and government takeover of entire industries for the public good dilute individual and corporate rights in favor of the rights of the collective. This is a basic step in the process of redistributing the wealth in accordance with Socialistic and Marxist principles. I am not judging the validity of any of these differing political philosophies since it would risk my ability to remain unbiased in my evaluation of present and pending opportunities in the auto industry. My intent is not to defend our previous constitutional republic over the shift to a Socialistic or Marxist democratic society, but rather to apply them when preparing a business model moving forward for my auto dealer / vendor clients and affiliated automotive advertising agencies.

For example, the recess appointment of Craig Becker as member of the five seat body of the National Labor Relations Board, (NLRB), suggests the intent of the administration to resume its push for the Card Check Regulation that is designed to facilitate unionizing all businesses in the United States. Recess appointments are an accepted practice used by previous administrations to bypass the Congress and the Senate to fill cabinet positions with individuals that are often blocked by partisan agendas. However, Mr. Becker was challenged in a bi-partisan manner based on his role as a senior attorney for the Unions including the CIO and the Service Employees International Union, (S.E.I.U), just before his appointment. The NLRB decides cases involving workers' rights which directly impacts larger issues between Democrats and their labor allies vs. stated Republican party interests and those of the corporate world When coupled with the intent of Card Check regulation to eliminate the right of workers to a private vote to determine if a business can be unionized, the likelihood that retail auto dealerships will be forced to become union shops becomes a real possibility. The regulation also allows the government to intervene in the event that an employer challenges a union take over with a Federal administrator enforcing the union proposals as to wage and other terms and conditions of employment pending a final determination. Based on reduced sales volume, profit margins and increased costs of doing business the inevitability of these privately held dealerships collapsing under the financial weight of union demands is painfully obvious to any auto dealer that understands his cost of sales line items and their impact on his shrinking bottom line.

Similarly, the administration's success in manipulating the processes in the Congress to pass its version of Health Care reform will increase expenses to auto dealers regarding insurance costs for their employees either in the form of forced coverage or penalties which must now be factored into projected operational expenses. These expenses may pale in comparison to other increases in the cost of doing business if the administrations' next stated goal to enforce Cap and Trade regulations are passed. This legislation promises to raise the cost of electricity and other costs of goods in America on many energy related fronts.

For those not familiar with Cap and Trade regulations, think of it as a tax on carbon emissions that would be collected by yet another government controlled body to pay restitution to third world countries who have been breathing our pollution and suffering from its impact on global warming. Of course the same scientists that collected the evidence that global warming exists which supported this legislation have since reversed their position while confessing that they manipulated the data. However, that revelation has not slowed the administrations' desire to move forward. In fact, they have empowered the Environment Protection Agency, (E.P.A.), to intercede and impose carbon taxes by claiming that carbon is a poisonous gas which they are authorized to restrict. Either way, the taxes will be imposed on American industry while other industrialized countries have already reversed their positions on imposing these same fees. This inequity in manufacturing costs will further reduce the ability for American manufacturers to compete in the world economy and will likely force the exit of many carbon producing industries to countries that do not impose these additional costs while taking their jobs with them.

Itemizing -- what is -- vs. -- what was -- has little value other than to cause panic when people realize that there is little that they can do to reverse the changes that they voted in. However, if properly framed in a problem solution format it can provide an opportunity for those that accept -- what is, forget -- what was, and work towards -- what can be. Now comes the good news!

The solution to surviving the promised redistribution of wealth from the perspective of auto dealers and automotive advertising agencies lies in their use of technology to reduce and even eliminate certain fixed and semi-variable expenses. Brick and mortar facilities are often financed with mortgage terms and/or rent factors that were based on now dated real estate values and anticipated sales volume and profit margins to carry the debt service. The commercial real estate bubble of over one trillion dollars coming due over the next eighteen months with no current resource of funds to replace maturing commercial mortgages promise to exasperate already reduced equity positions for auto dealers. The related unsustainable debt service demands a change in the ways that vehicles are sold in the United States; can you say Internet!

Similarly, current staffing needs are often related to processes that are labor intensive. The associated human resource expense and exposure is based on a business model that is antiquated in the face of potential union intervention and government controls; can you say Technology!

Tax consequences resulting from LIFO credits that impacted auto dealerships who could not maintain inventory levels projected in their annual computations due to issues beyond their control are eliminating annual profits. As a direct result of all of these cumulative issues, even captive lenders are balking on maintaining floor plan credit lines or real estate mortgages. Minimum working capital requirements for auto dealers faced with reduced sales, profits and equity to present as collateral for much needed financing has severely limited dealer options to acquire funds to maintain operations.

As already hinted, the solution lies in shifting the focus form brick and mortar facilities to new online virtual showrooms and other Internet based applications that provide more efficient selling processes. Of course real world facilities for sales and service are still part of the projected solution as are the people that will be required to staff them. All processes start and end with people and human nature has and will survive on the Internet. However, the allocation of these resources and the associated expenses must be reduced in the face of the changes already in place as well as those being contemplated to accommodate our new role in a world economy.

Today's car sales person must be educated to use new technologies and Internet based selling systems much like previous generations needed to be trained with the skills of a mechanized society versus an agricultural one. Computers are already an integral part of our culture so the transition shouldn't be as hard as some may perceive. Similarly, large central distribution channels that used to provide efficiencies for manufacturing and retail outlets have been replaced by more cost effective online linked resources across the World Wide Web that reduce fixed and semi-variable expenses in a shared manner that didn't exist before the Internet Super Highway.

Consumers have already been empowered by the Internet to bypass the auto dealer in both the real and the virtual world as the source for the information that they need to purchase a vehicle. Seeking the path of least resistance to satisfy a need is an established element in human nature. An auto dealers ability to accommodate their customers preference to be in charge of their vehicle purchase will be the key to their survival now and in the future. Online customer interaction platforms already allow a dealer to accommodate a two way video communication with real time interaction with the online shopper/buyer sourced from data on the auto dealer's DMS and linked to their CRM. The transparency of this negotiation process allows the dealer to crash through the glass wall of the Internet with the ability to push and pull the same material that they can at their dealership. The result is the opportunity to accommodate an online transaction with the inevitable ability to reduce staff and facility needs in the real world along with the associated expenses and increased profits.

Social networking is another technology based solution that capitalizes on human nature which promises to change the face of the auto industry and the resources available to automotive advertising agencies to help their auto dealers sell more for less in the future. Consumer centric inventory based marketing platforms fueled by social networking communities that provide word of mouth advertising to virally extend the auto dealer's branding and marketing messages represent the next generation of applied social media. C2C marketing messaging to social networking communities from the inside out vs. the now dated attempts to market to online communities with B2C messages from the outside in builds on established protocols in social media. Next generation platforms promise to monetize social media for automotive advertising agencies with integrated Ask-A-Friend / Tell-A-Friend features that allow online shoppers to solicit opinions from friends and family. Customer driven posts on their Face Book page drags the dealership and their vehicle into the conversation with the obvious advantage of the increased exposure and the associated viral coefficient to extend their message and online footprint for potential customers linked to the initial online shopper. Google agrees as evidenced by their weighted consideration of real time social media which quantifies the R.O.I. for the dealer with improved S.E.O. for the sourcing dealer's expanding virtual showroom.

Other technology based solutions that improve online marketing processes converts the pictures on an auto dealer's web site to professional quality videos with human voice placed on the auto dealer's site, all third party marketing sites and even the search engines through a dedicated API with You Tube -- further evidence the ability of auto dealers to expand beyond the limitations of their brick and mortar facilities and in-house support staff. Extended social networking platforms which allow an auto dealer to empower their sales staff to develop their own websites to market to their spheres of influence with management controls to moderate content and monitor use to prevent employee abuse exist today with the promise to be more widely used tomorrow to build the vision of what will be in the face of a challenging economy.

To extend my vision for the auto industry beyond the technologies that exist today requires a similar understanding that expenses and staff need to be consolidated beyond current expectations. Limited resources for consumers to purchase, finance and/or lease their vehicles won't eliminate their need for transportation. Future financial instruments that are a hybrid of a lease and a rental agreement could allow consumers access to a pool of vehicles in a convenient central location where their Drivers License could act as a key and a charge card to apply charges against pre-paid transportation credits deducted by their employers and controlled by the government to track personal activities and location along with socially accepted consumption of our limited resources. I recognize that the big brother flavor of that vision may seem foreign in the context of what was and is, but we are talking about what will be based on the new collective society that our country has moved towards.

As for the role of the OEM and the auto dealer in the future, it would be reasonable to accept that the government's existing control of the auto and banking industry will extend into the energy industry which will set the stage for the government determining which vehicles could be manufactured and/or imported and placed into the transportation pools with the locations determined by public transportation hubs that link to local distribution centers. The government currently owns 51 % of all real estate in the country through their mortgage interests in Fannie May and Freddie Mack and the pending commercial real estate bubble promises to shift a great deal more to public control. In addition. the government has recently changed the funding available to both organizations to be considered unlimited with the full faith and backing of the United States Treasury. That action coupled with the previously stated changes in eminent domain and the fact that millions of acres of resource rich land was recently acquired by the government to build additional -- national monuments -- suggests that land will be made available as needed to accomplish this community transportation system for the public good. Of course government employees will be needed to manage and staff these transportation hubs which would likely represent the auto dealer of the future.

Simply put, my future visions of the auto industry and automotive advertising is built on the past and the present with a recognition of what will be if we continue on the path that we have already chosen. I assume the constant of human nature and the role of technology in our evolution to date with the expectation that neither will change. Of course, there are consequences to elections so I suppose that I should update my projections after November, 2010 and the presidential election in 2012. In any case, the movement from the real to the virtual world has already started and will surely continue so that part of the vision should remain clear.

Philip Zelinger is a former auto dealer principal with an earned reputation as a nationally recognized automotive advertising expert specializing in the technology sector. His philosophy that a rising tide floats all boats motivates him to listen and learn so he can presume to teach. To that end, Philip shares best practices on the respected automotive advertising resource networking portal -- http://AdAgencyOnline.Net -- as well as the blog talk radio station featured on the site -- WAAOL, All Automotive Advertising News All The Time -- http://blogtalkradio.com/adagencyonline.

For a complimentary consultation on your automotive advertising needs, or to share your wisdom and insights with the online automotive advertising community hosted by Ad Agency Online, L.L.C.. visit the portal and contact Philip Zelinger directly. To quote Philip, "Help is only a click away because -- after all, what are friends for!"

Four PR Tips For Marketing Your Product Or Service on TV & Radio Without Buying Advertising Time

You have a great product, service or book, and you know it. But just like the "better mousetrap," it doesn't mean a thing unless your market knows it, too. Interviews on TV and radio talk shows are great avenues for promoting your product to the masses, and are generally far more dynamic than basic print advertising.

You may believe the only way to get great TV and radio exposure is to buy advertising time, but there is an even better and more cost-effective way - harnessing the marketing power of PR.

Regardless of the product or message you'd like to promote, a targeted TV or radio talk show offers a great forum to get your word out. Hosts are always looking for guests that will help them entertain and inform their audiences. With the correct PR strategy you can land these terrific guest spots - pure marketing gold!

Why are these spots gold? You see, when you or your spokesperson is on the air, you're a featured guest on a show whose host has an established audience that trusts his message. Your appearance on the show as a guest confers an implicit endorsement, enhancing your credibility with the host's audience; they're hearing about you and your product or service from their trusted friend.

The best part? An interview as a guest on a TV or talk radio show is free! Even if you decide to employ the services of a public relations firm to arrange these interview spots, such a campaign usually costs about one-tenth of an advertising campaign.

My PR firm was once approached by the CEO of a life insurance agency, and we ended up representing his agency for years. They initially wanted us to arrange local and national radio and TV appearances for the CEO, who was also their spokesman. Now, I don't think it will offend anyone if I state here that as an interview subject, insurance is perceived by consumers as dull, dull, dull. An angle was needed that would not only interest audiences, but resonate with them as an issue of great importance.

We created a very effective headline for our pitch: "Can You Afford to Survive Without Your Spouse?" The interview focus was about the need for spouses and children to be protected financially after the death of the family breadwinner. In effect, it became a human interest story instead of a boring interview with an insurance salesman.

Our client did a large number of both radio and TV guest appearances, but it was clear after a while that the CEO was a terrific spokesman, particularly on the visual medium of television. So the focus for the remainder of the 3-year-long campaign was on TV talk shows. The CEO appeared on numerous national TV news shows, such as CNBC, speaking to the vital issue of financial security for women and families. The result? The highest number of new leads the company had ever experienced, for any type of promotion.

If you think PR can help market your product or service, here are four specific PR tricks you can use to effectively pitch TV and radio producers and hosts:

1. Stay current. Follow the news, know what the hot trends are, and what people are talking about. What is the current "buzz?" Talk radio and TV are all about current events, so make it your business to be "in the know."

2. Tie In to the News. As you follow the hottest stories in the news, think of ways you can relate stories to your product or service. Look for controversy or big names...these are always tantalizing topics for talk show hosts and their listeners.

3. Pitch Your Topic. Keep in mind that TV and radio hosts are interested in what you can do for their audience, not what they can do to help you promote your product. They want an interview, not an infomercial, so when pitching to hosts and producers emphasize the issue or problem for which your product or service is the solution.

4. Follow the Right Press Release Formula. Your press release is critical - it's the key to the media's door! Make sure your headline is enticing and attention-grabbing, and that the text elaborates on the subject matter and what the interview would be about. Also include a short but impressive bio or company profile. As well as a couple of well-chosen juicy or provocative quotes.

And if you have decided to tackle arranging your own interviews the above can be summed up to a couple of key PR rules to keep in mind when approaching media hosts or producers. First, never pitch yourself - pitch the issue on which you are an expert (and you ARE an expert - have you read my book, "Celebritize Yourself"?). Second, never pitch your product - talk instead about the problem your product addresses and how your product ties in as a solution. Good luck!

For 20 years Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on public relations as CEO of EMSI, a national public relations firm. Her firm represents corporations and experts in a wide array of fields such as business, health, food, lifestyle, politics, finance, law, sports and entertainment. Some of the more prominent names on her client roster are Teamster's President Jimmy Hoffa Jr., Sergeant's Pet Care Products, Former National Security Advisor Robert McFarlane and the famous Motown Group, the Temptations. She consults individuals and businesses on a daily basis and is frequently asked to speak at conferences about how to harness the power of publicity. Go to http://www.emsincorporated.com to claim your free "Power of Public Relations" video today! Or call 727-443-7115, ext. 202, or email her at info@marshafriedman.com.

How to Make Your Insurance Advertising More Ineffective

Please answer this question...

"What is the purpose of advertising?"

Take a few moments to think about it, because the response isn't as obvious as you may realize.

When I asked agents this question, they usually replied, "To get the agency's or the agent's name in front of the prospective customer."

Was this also your answer?

If so, then to a small extent, you're right. But there's more to it than that.

The Purpose Of Advertising Is To Make Your Prospects Aware Of Your Products...And To Get Them To Act!

Keeping your name, your agency's name, or the types of products or services you offer in front of your prospects is only part of the formula. If you can't motivate your prospects to take some type of action, you're not maximizing the effectiveness of your advertising.

It's nice to create "top-of-mind-awareness" or to establish yourself or your agency as a brand in your prospects' and customers' minds. But unless you have deep pockets like some of the large national corporations you see advertising on TV, you'll go broke trying to do it.

There Are Two Kinds Of Advertising:

The first is called image or institutional advertising. And it's the type of advertising that makes up the majority of the ads you see in newspapers, magazines, and other media.

The biggest problem with image or institutional advertising (and what makes it so ineffective for the average agent to use) is that ads created in this format are NOT designed to sell. Their purpose is to keep the name of the agency in front of their prospects, letting them know how great, how big, and how wonderful that organization is.

The problem with this is that your prospects don't care how great, how big or wonderful you are. They have only two main concerns:

First, what can you do for them and how can you help them solve their problems or satisfy their needs and wants? And second, what unique benefits or advantages do you offer them that your competitors don't?

"Image" or "institutional" advertising doesn't answer either of these questions. Large corporations, such as IBM, AOL Time Warner, Coca Cola, Nike, and GM (and most insurance companies) use this type of advertising mainly to keep their names in the buying publics' minds after they've already established themselves in the marketplace.

Now, you may ask, "If image advertising is so ineffective, then why do these large companies still use it?"

Well, there are three reasons:

First, they have an almost unlimited advertising budget.

Second, since there's no accurate way to track the results of image or institutional advertising, they (incorrectly) think the advertising is actually working because they're making hundreds of millions of dollars a year (in spite of bad advertising).

Third, an image ad usually pleases their shareholders. Even though their shareholders really do want to see the company make more profit, they don't know the ads are ineffective (because they're not marketing experts). They're just happy to see it being run because it makes them feel good to tell someone they own a part of that particular company.

It's a shame these giant corporations just don't realize how ineffective their image advertising campaigns are. If they did, they would have saved millions of dollars. Better yet, if they knew how to use the right kind of advertising (which we'll discuss in a few moments), they would be making millions extra a year.

Like most agents, you may also have a limited advertising budget. So you must make every dollar produce the maximum return. And the best way to do this is to use the second kind of advertising - the one that works. It's called direct response advertising.

Unlike image or institutional advertising, which is simply a waste of money if you use it...

Direct Response Advertising Can Make You A Fortune!

A direct response ad (or sales message) achieves three main objectives:

1. It answers the prospect's most important question, "What's in it for me?"

2. It asks your prospective customer to respond or take action in some way!

3. It's trackable, measurable, and accountable!

As you can see, a direct response ad (or sales message) appeals to the self-interest of the prospects. It tells them all the benefits they'll gain from using your product or from doing business with you.

In other words, a direct response sales message (whether an ad, a flyer, a sales letter, a postcard, and so on) allows you to identify, qualify, and then target your prospects - the ones who are interested in what you're offering. This way, you can weed out the non-interested parties up front, maximizing your marketing dollars by focusing your efforts on selling only to those who are interested in your offer and can also afford it.

Because a lot of agents think their market is everyone, they usually make their ads or sales materials appeal to everybody. Perhaps you've even done this yourself.

If so, this may be the reason your ad hasn't been working as well as it could. You see...

When You Try To Sell To Everyone, You'll End Up Selling To No One!

Although your products or services may be suitable for everyone, there are some people who will need or want them more than others. Your goal is to find out who your most ideal prospects are (the ones who are actually interested in and can afford what you're selling), and then target them with your most irresistible offer.

For example, if you sell homeowners insurance, your ideal prospects would be those people who own their own homes. So rather than placing an ad in a newspaper where thousands of people may see it, including renters and apartment dwellers, you'll reduce your advertising costs and increase your chances of making a sale if you obtain a listing of the homeowners who meet the specific requirements you're looking for, and then send your offer to them. Or, you can rent a list of the people who live in your area that subscribe to a home-improvement magazine and mail a sales letter with your irresistible offer to them.

Similarly, if you sell a special kind of auto insurance, then you want to find the names and addresses of the people who live in your town or city that own the same type of vehicle you're insuring, and send them your offer. This is called niche or target marketing.

In short, it doesn't matter what kind of insurance you sell, you should take the same approach. You and I simply don't have a marketing budget large enough to reach everybody. Nor do we want to.

Here's an important point you should always remember...

Your prospects and customers want to buy from an agent who can relate to them and who specializes in their areas of interest. If they see you try to be all things to all people, they simply aren't going to do business with you.

For instance: If you drive a BMW, you most likely will take it in for servicing at a dealer that specializes in BMWs, and not in Hondas, Toyotas, GMs, Fords, and so on. In other words, a repair shop specializes in your type of vehicle.

Running an image or institutional ad is like operating a garage that services all makes and models of vehicles. You'll have to place a lot of ads to find enough people who are interested in buying your product or using your service, because most of the people who see your ad simply aren't interested in or can't afford what you're selling, or both.

As its name implies, a direct response ad stimulates a direct and immediate response - either a qualified inquiry, phone call or visit to your agency - or better yet, encourages an instant sale.

Interestingly, while some agents admit most of their ads usually produce little or no sales, they keep running them because they claim their advertising has probably made more people aware of their agency.

This makes absolutely no sense to me. Please understand this important point...

The Only Purpose Of Running An Ad Is To Compel The Reader To Take Some Sort Of Action Toward Making A Purchase!

I can't emphasize this enough. If you place an ad for any other purpose, especially to tell your prospects how big and how wonderful you are, then it's just a waste of your hard-earned money. Remember, your prospects don't care a bit about you, they only care about themselves and getting their problems handled quickly, efficiently, and cost-effectively.

The way to get in front of your prospects to let them know about your products and services, and how you can help them solve their problems, is through marketing. And when you use direct-response advertising, instead of image or institutional, your income will shoot to new heights.

Since marketing is the engine that drives your business, if tougher competition or a poorer economic environment begins to affect your income negatively, don't do what so many other agents and financial advisors do: eliminate or cut back on your marketing.

Instead, realize this is the best time to get aggressive and turn up the heat on your marketing campaigns. As your competition pulls out of the advertising arena, and you begin using direct-response advertising, you'll acquire more clients and increase your market share substantially.

Remember, because marketing is an investment and not an expense, doing more of it (especially when all your competitors are cutting back) will skyrocket your agency or practice to a new level of profitability and success.

=========== Ken Varga was in the insurance business for 33 years and created an agency that had 459,182 policyholders. He sold his business in 2001 for more than $100 million. He's written a book called, "How To Make A Fortune In The Insurance Profession," which shows insurance agents and financial advisors how to build their million-dollar agency or practice in record time. Best of all, you can get it absolutely free.

Check out what some agents and advisors have said about his strategies and systems...

"One idea alone has helped me make an extra $93,400.00 in new commissions, both from cross-selling additional products and generating new referrals!"
~ Walter Dobrowolski, San Marcos, CA

"I doubled my insurance production last year thanks to your strategies."
~ Barbara Boyce, Dallas, TX

"I've had your program for about two and a half years. And during this period, my income has more than doubled."
~ Mark Brady, Roseburg, OR

"Bring in about 10 new clients a week."
~ Ron Martinez, Aurora, CO

This is the greatest insurance selling program I have seen and used in 10 years of being in the business! Very client centered! My financial agency's retention rate is over 97%."
~ Andy Zurbuch, Bloomington, IN

Get Varga's free book and take your business to the next level fast. ===========

Producing A High Income Using Affiliate Marketing And Advertising On The Net

Finding a way to get ahead inside the affiliate marketing sector isn't as challenging as most people may believe. With respect to the ambitions or perhaps the purpose right behind somebody joining the affiliate programs, you will find ways that just about anyone can generate anywhere from a little subsidiary paycheck all the way up to a huge cash flow.

Personal web masters all over the place have been in a position to place advertising on their sites in return for a handful of dollars every now and again, when large companies happen to be able to make enormous chunks of money by way of marketing other Internet sites by way of their own Internet sites.

It is really an marketing choice that has no barriers and no limits. Individuals with huge Online past experiences along with enormous budgets are equally as accepted as people who have no knowledge concerning computer systems and also have a very limited financial backing. Businesses might want to end up being represented through people who are more likely to draw in huge amounts of clients, but in fact virtually any promotion they can get hold of, they're going to make use of, especially when it is totally free.

For a man or woman, who is new to the field, one thing that must be done is selecting a provider, or maybe a selection of providers to work with, for your site to represent. You can find countless websites which offer online marketers the chance for them to join directly through their sites, in addition to a range of affiliate network program Internet sites which represent a number of clientele, normally from the exact same sector. More substantial businesses together with the capability for further growth or even a massive return of business are potentially the most likely to flourish for a brand new affiliate marketer.

The online gambling sector is among several which have been experiencing massive increases, generating huge amounts of money on a yearly basis. Together with worldwide attractiveness and a constantly increasing clientele the particular sports wagering marketplace is one of the biggest of them contained underneath the broader banner associated with web gaming. Sports wagering is and always has been a favorite activity for men and women around the globe, for that reason its attraction is not limited by individual nations or even regions. this in itself helps to make this the ideal market in which to start your own personal affiliate marketing small business.

Comparable to a lot of the gaming industries affiliate programs, sports betting provides their own affiliate marketers a share of a gamers capital that was created for the Internet site. Funds are made essentially when they lose a bet, as a result every time the gambler doesn't win, the particular affiliate marketer does. And with the affiliate marketers picking about thirty five percent of the gamblers cash that has signed up by means of their website, it's not tough to see just how the income could effortlessly start flowing in when you obtain a handful of customers.

As opposed to almost all industries the affiliates are usually not quite as vicious when it comes to the level of competition for first time customers, with that in mind it's certainly not hard for novices to be able to corner their particular industry. Nevertheless in order to turn into a flourishing affiliate marketer you must first lure a constant flow of visitors to your own site. if you don't have human traffic you can never expect to achieve the essential clicks on your current affiliate links and also to be able to start out earning the big money. For that reason just like all websites it usually is in your best interests to enhance your Internet sites visibility, by means of marketing

Dedy A. is a full time writer that already reviews a lot of high quality products. Find out one of his very recommended product: Ferrari Jacket and High Definition TV Reviews.

How to Produce Effective Local Advertising

Everyone knows that the internet is now a major force when it comes to promoting your business on a local level. However, that doesn't mean that local newspaper advertising is dead, and when used in the right way it can be a very effective lead generator for your business.

The first thing you need to realize about local advertising is that the people who sell it, the ad salespeople, are not your friends. They want to get you to spend as much money as possible, and the success of your business is a low priority. Once you realize this, you can stop thinking that their advice is good advice, and start to think more about what's best for your business.

The first piece of advice you want to ignore is that the people who produce the ads for the newspaper actually know what they're doing. They don't. Many of them have no skills in writing copy, or designing ads in a way that gets a response. So forget the large ads with beautiful photographs, and instead think about making your ad look like a piece of editorial. That means more text, fewer pictures, and printed in black and white. (A splash of color is fine. Just don't overdo it)

Next you want to write the ad like a piece of editorial, and make it look like a piece of editorial. Why? It's a fact that people read editorial, but generally speaking they don't read ads. So by making your ad look like a news story, you immediately stand out from all the other ads.

Somewhere in your "news story" you want to offer the readers something for free. A good idea is a free report that tells people how to choose the right product or service provider in your industry. You need to offer useful information, and people will be glad to read it.

In order to get the free report, the reader has to call you, or send in the coupon you placed in "ad".

You also want to give the reader the opportunity of downloading the report from your website. In order to do this, get your web designer to set up a dedicated page with an email capture form. Once the prospect gives you the email address (and ask for physical addresses and phone numbers too), they can download the free report automatically. Any web designer worth his salt will know how to do this, and if yours doesn't, find one who does.

Put all these techniques together, and your advert immediately becomes more effective because the advertisement is no longer trying to sell directly from the page, but is being used as a lead generation tool. Once you have people's details, you can then market to them at will, by email, by post (direct mail and postcards) and even by telephone.

Using advertising in this way also has the added benefit that it can cut your advertising costs, because your advertisement can be much smaller once you cut out the pictures and huge headlines and concentrate on a simple message that enables you to collect leads.

The newspaper might not like you doing this, and might want you to place the words "Advertisement" or Advertisement Feature" above the ad. But many newspapers are stretched for cash at the moment, and they're unlikely to turn down revenue. The ad salesman certainly won't like it, especially when he sees his commission has been chopped down in size. But you're in business to make money, not subsidize the newspapers. Use the techniques mentioned above, and local advertising (or any kind of advertising, regional or national), can be made to pay, and pay very well.

Steve Prescott is a direct response copywriter and marketing strategist who specialises in creating results-based marketing systems by integrating direct response copy with internet marketing techniques.

His report Small Business Power Marketing is a blueprint for creating a lead-generation system using a mixture of traditional advertising and internet technology. Visit http://www.mrsteveprescott.com/powermarketing to claim your copy now.