Budget Advertising Online and Offline Advertising Opportunities

Stealing the Competitor’s Clients Using the Number One Small Business Advertising Sin

Let’s not cut around any corners, and get right down to business. WIIFM (”What’s in it for me?”) this is the reason customers buy, but instead of focusing on their customers, some small businesses unknowingly commit the sin of advertising about themselves. Many small business owners, and sometimes their advertising executives can’t tell the difference between the two.

The thing is, you’re not alone. When it comes to small business advertising, you are definitely not the only one committing this “sin”. On the contrary, your competitors are doing it, too! This is mostly why you wouldn’t be able to get the results you’re after if you copy your competition’s advertising.

There is hope. You can make your small business advertising much more effective by turning this way of advertising away. Also you have to change the way you deliver your message, and the message itself to “steal” your competition’s customers away! Even using subtle, yet effective changes in your advertising, your competition wont even know what’s happening to cause their customers to go after your business.

As I’ve stated, tell the customers what’s in it for them, that’s the key to small business advertising. Basically your message should tell them why they should purchase your product or service rather than another businesses advertising. “We’re the best.” or “Cheapest” or the “fastest” is what many small business owners think answers this question, but usually they just seem self centered or like they’re bragging.

To be honest, they don’t want to hear it. They don’t care why you’re so awesome. They want to know what’s in it for them if they do business with you.

So make a subtle change to your advertisement to where it explains the customer’s “We’re the cheapest!” is something you shouldn’t say in your advertisement. Instead, in order to answer the customer’s number one question, they could put “You save big money!” The person reading or listening to your advertisement recognize that your focus is on them. The customer knows that it’s just for them.

Changing that focus through subtle changes in the words you use in your small business advertising is really very simple. “We” and “I” and “our” – into – “you” and “your” Is what it’s all about. Speaking directly to your clients to where they easily understand that you’re offering them the things they want through what you’re selling. But word it in such a way that says, “Your dreams will become reality with xyz.” Of course, “xyz” is your product or service!

It takes a bit of practice to do this every time, but you need to continually examine your small business advertising messages and adapt them as needed to make this distinction. As these adjustments are made, you’ll begin to notice an growth in business. They may not catch on to the subtle differences in your ads while heading to your business, but you’ll know it’s cause you avoided bragging, and answered what’s in it for them.