When you read your Yellow Pages contract you will see initials for various items success as BLN, WBLN, WFL, and ABLN. Most of these items cost between $ 7 and $34. Do you ever ask your sales Rep “what the heck is this?” The reason you don’t ask is because the item only cost $ 30 dollars, and you had it last year, and you don't want to appear stupid asking questions about $ 30.. The problem is that these unidentified items can add thousands of dollars to your advertising bill.

When you read your Yellow Pages contract ask the publisher’s sales Rep what all the initials are and why do you need them. In almost all cases you don't need them because there is a cheaper or free version available.

White page listing (WBLN) - If you have a business phone you are entitled to a free listing of your business name, address and phone number in the White Pages and the Yellow Pages. You will be told that it's much easier for your customer to read a bold listing (BLN) and it only cost $31 than the semi bold free listing. Unfortunately it is not $31 but $372. The $31 is for one month but the contract is for a year. It is very clever the way the publishers show all costs on your contract by the month instead of by the year, even though the contract is for a year. Ninety percent of all business name listings in the white pages are the free listings version and their customers seem to be able to find them. People read the white pages alphabetically and the bold print can actually be confusing.

White Feature Listing (WFL) - This is the super big print that you see in the white pages. A bold white page listing (WBLN) cost $31 a month while the super bold (WFL) listings cost $90 a month or $1080 for the year. Can you imagine paying $1080 for something that is free, yet thousands of businesses have WFL’s.

In my last article "Local Advertising - The Biggest Mistakes" we took a look at the major media available for local advertisers to market their products. To follow up, I'd like to discuss the many uses of Radio. Sort of the 10 Commandments Of Radio Advertising. This will take up several pages, for sure, so I'll start by asking the most obvious radio questions.

Q: How do I know if radio will work for me & why should I use radio?

A: I usually have gotten these questions when a client is afraid & can't stomach the idea of paying for an Advertisement that they can't physically hold on to. In other words, they think that if they can't SEE their Ad, then no one else can. They seem to have a hard time believing that a disembodied radio voice can move people to buy their product.

Yes, it's probably true that most advertisers get their feet wet with print advertising. Your typical print advertiser will place an Ad in a local weekly or daily newspaper and bingo, the next day - traffic. The results can be quite immediate.

Radio is a different animal and although it can work as effectively as print, it can be equally disappointing to a seasoned print advertiser.

Local radio advertising can turn off a new advertiser who expects immediate results, but it doesn't have to be this way. Here are 10 reasons why "immediate results" are hard to come by:

1) the spots were not aggressive enough

2) the offer was not strong enough

3) there was not enough weight (number of spots) booked

4) the wrong local radio station was used to reach the desired market

5) not enough radio stations were booked

6) only radio was used

7) spots were poorly placed throughout the day

8) the production was poorly executed or the wrong announcer used

9) timing of the campaign was off

10) the new client had no name recognition

Many building contractors start their own contracting business for one major client. This leads to all sorts of problems for them because they are usually excellent tradespeople but not always good business people and generally have no, or very little, marketing experience.

And as so often happens, they have a 'falling out' or that particular major client 'screws them' so badly they end up in all kinds of financial trouble.

They are usually so busy 'doing quotes' at the time many of the marketing courses offered through community business groups are run, that they have great difficulty picking up the business and marketing skills they need.

Because they are usually a family business, if they are reasonably well organized, it is the partner of the tradesperson who usually does the books. But as she most probably has a full-time job as well to help the family survive, she doesn't have the time either to attend these business classes. Chances are also high that they have a child or two as well and as we all know, kids need time and attention too.

So consequently, many of our construction contractors are "doing it hard".

They need more and better business and marketing skills to survive as a business.

Ideas, both business and marketing ideas; have no borders. They can be transmitted from trade to trade, country to country.

It is my experience from working in the Industry, that Electricians can help Plumbers, Plumbers can help builders, builders can help landscapers and everyone can contribute to the well-being of the Industry as a whole. They just need a 'maestro' or a 'traffic cop'.

Customized silicone bracelets and wristbands are a great way to advertise, and seem to be becoming a very popular way to get a message across. Many companies are seeing the value of using customized silicone bracelets as a twist to word of mouth and viral marketing strategies.

For What Are Customized Silicone Bracelets Used?

Customized silicone bracelets are used mainly for promotional activities like trade fairs, fundraising, raising awareness, and as a business promotion. Much like the key chain fad silicone wristbands are a great way to promote and advertise.

Who Is Using Customized Silicone Bracelets?

More and more companies and organizations are using silicone wristbands to promote their business and organization, customized silicone wristbands are ideal for anyone who needs to get some attention for their cause, some of the organizations that are using this method already include schools, non profit organizations and businesses, just to name a few.

Styles Of Customized Silicone Bracelets

There are three different types of customized silicone bracelets available, in any imaginable color. Each different style has its advantages, depending on what they are intended for, the number of bracelets needed and cost effectiveness.

Debossed and Embossed Silicone Bracelets

Debossed and embossed silicone bracelets are much the same. Debossed refers to the design being recessed down into the wristband, where embossed is raised letters sitting above the bracelet. Both designs are set into a mould when the wristband is made, so for each different design a different mould is customized. These designs look very effective and work well for a company who is looking for large amounts of wrist bands. Although this is the most expensive choice in the silicone bracelet range.

If you have bought into the practice of "image or personal marketing," it's time to take a fresh look at what today's consumer really wants. The 80's and 90's were the decades of image and personal marketing. Marketing experts advised Realtors® to prospect using a personal brochure. "Tell the consumer about how many houses you sold. Use your glamour shot that illustrates how professional you look and don't forget to include it on your business card as well." What seemed like a good idea ten years ago can be the kiss of death in today's consumer oriented environment. Increasing your business in this environment may call for a quantum shift in your approach. A simple place to begin is by changing your business card. If you want a business card that actually attracts business, follow the five tips listed below.

1. Is there a picture on the card?
Can you name one other profession outside the real estate industry that places pictures of its sales force on its business cards? I've asked this question at numerous seminars and the answers are the same—insurance agents and used car salespeople. If our industry wants to break away from the "one-step-above-a-used-car-salesman" image, we should follow the lead set by Fortune 500 businesses. Their business cards provide the name of the company, the individual's name, and their contact information. There are NO pictures. To illustrate why your picture is not that important, can you name the person who won the academy award for best actress three years ago? Even when the person's name and picture has been in front of you repeatedly, most people still have a hard time remembering. The same is true with your business card. The people you meet will decide whether they want to work with you while you are face-to-face. If you didn't make a great impression in person, how is your card going to make any difference? A better approach is to print separate business cards for each of your listings. Use a picture of the listing on one side, a brief property description, and your website and phone number on the back. Sellers will love the idea and it makes you stand out from other agents who still use their own photos to market their services. Most importantly, people who see your card will understand immediately that you're about helping people market their property rather than marketing you.

2. Is the contact information readable?
As an agent, you have access to business cards from other Realtors®. For the next two weeks, collect as many as possible and/or check the ones you may already have on file. Now look at the cards. How many have such a small font that you can barely read the print, even with your glasses (if you wear glasses)? Because the agent’s picture takes up so much space, a small font is necessary in order to cram in the agent's contact information. One agent summed it up like this: "Our prices are so high that almost anyone who can afford to buy properties in our area is wearing bifocals." With up to 40 percent of today's listing market composed of the 55+ crowd, making your phone number and email address easy to read is critical.

3. How many phone numbers are on the cards you collected?
In most cases, the agents will have a cell phone, home phone, office phone, and fax number. How do you know which number you're supposed to call? Instead of listing multiple numbers, include your fax number and one primary number where clients can reach you. Remember, if someone is calling you from your business card, most people will have little patience trying to track down which number is correct.

4. Your website address
If you're using your name as your website address, consider shifting your primary web address to a function. For example, if you work a geographical farm, create a web address that incorporates the name of the area you farm: for example, InglebrookHomes.com or WestlakeHeightsCondos.com. If you serve a specific niche based upon a profession or a specific market segment, use that as your web address. Examples include LakesideSeniorHomes.com or DenverHomes4Teachers.com. Also, remember to use your print advertising to direct people to your website or to call your 800 Call Capture system.

"My Yellow Page ad just isn't bringing in the calls I need!" I've worked with Yellow Pages advertising (in one form or another) for 30 years and of all the complaints I’ve heard about this unique medium, this is by far the curse most often thrown at them. It's no surprise. Flip through your directory and you'll see why. Same dusty ads... telling the same tired story... to the same undefined audience (everyone). Of course prospects aren’t responding – these ads speak to NO ONE powerfully!

Blame "the message" dear friends, not the messenger! When every ad speaks the same tired phrases to the same “generalized buyer,” prospects have no reason to choose one ad over another, and your competitors are just as likely to be chosen and called as you are. Poor ad response is the inevitable result. But not to worry! Learn to speak to the prospects needs and fears and you’ll bring competitors to their knees, while plumping up your wallet for the next 365 days.

Want to speak to the prospect? Well, who are you trying to persuade? Exactly who do you want to call you? I know, I know... you want as many calls as possible, so your answer is "everyone in town". The problem is, Yellow Page ads that try to persuade EVERY reader wind up motivating very few. People are looking for someone "special" who genuinely cares about solving their specific problem... someone they can truly trust. Speaking specifically about these needs as a specialist will allow you to connect powerfully with your target audience and create these warm, fuzzy feelings - carving a unique place in the market for your business.

Here's an example. Let's say your baseball obsession has left you with a painful arm injury and your doctor tells you that chiropractic care may help ease your pain. Soon, you're flipping through the chiropractor heading in your Yellow Page directory. Your eyes quickly glaze over as you're bombarded with a boatload of ads that look and say basically the same thing... "Are You In Pain?" Uh no, I'm browsing here because I have a thing for chiropractors! Don't waste precious space telling your prospects what they already know!

Odds are there isn't a single message that makes a personal, emotional connection with YOUR specific problem. But what if you came across an ad with the following? (Headline) "Quick, Gentle Relief For Your Sports Injury..." (Subhead) "From the Chiropractor Professional Athletes Rely On." The body copy goes on to explain how this chiropractor has earned a glowing reputation with the local sports teams AND it even includes a few of their testimonials. The ad's large, unexpected graphic (a batter smashing a ball into space) reinforces the ad's headline and conveys the benefit of calling this doctor (regained mobility). So, are you going to call one of the many chiropractors that promise pain relief for "everything under the sun" (including migraines, ear infections and scoliosis) or are you going to place your trust in a sports injury specialist who you perceive to be a sports nut, just like you

So you really want some business cards – you think it’s going to make people take you seriously and get in touch with you. What you have to realise, though, is that a badly designed business card is much, much worse than none at all, and will actually lose you business. Before you go ahead and make business cards on that spiffy machine that does them for pocket change, take a little time to consider exactly what you’re going to put on the card and where.

The first, and most important, thing you should put on is your name! Don’t be modest – make it big and bold, so people can spot your card in a pile. It might feel a little egotistical, but remember that you’re doing it to help them find you, not because you think you’re really important.

The next thing to put on is some kind of description of what you do – whether that’s a job title, or just which industry you’re in. If you’re undertaking a specific project at the moment that is somehow notable (you’re the producer of a popular TV show, for example), then it’s worth putting that on too.

The two vital pieces of contact information to have on the card are your phone number and your email address – these are the two primary means of communication that people will use to contact you. Website addresses are also a very good idea, as they offer someone a quick, easy way to find out more about you.

Your street address, on the other hand, isn’t really necessary unless you own a shop or otherwise expect people to visit you, and your online instant messaging address runs the risk of looking somewhat unprofessional. Depending on what business you’re in, a fax number might be useful – in general, if you get more than one fax per month or so, it’s probably worthwhile putting it on there.

Once you’ve decided what to put on your business cards, you still have plenty of decisions left to make. Are you going to design them yourself or get a professional? Are you going to print them on a home printer, in a shop, or order them over the web? All these questions tie together in various ways to make a surprisingly complicated decision. What you choose will ultimately depend on what your priorities are.

When it comes to whether you should hire a designer to design your business cards, don’t get pressured into doing anything you don’t want to do. On the one hand, business cards with stupid fonts and terrible clipart can easily put people off you – but on the other hand, if you keep your card plain and conservative, but still use bold shapes and colours, you can produce something very good even on a DIY system.

If you go to a shop you may find yourself pressured into hiring a pro, while if you order over the web, you’re more likely to find an easy interface that will produce your cards for you. Some online ordering sites even have special flash interfaces that will guide you through adding colours, choosing appropriate fonts, putting the right details in the right place and all the rest of it. These services can often be very good value for money, considering that they also tend to do the actual printing cheaper than a shop.

However, the downside of not using an actual, physical print shop is that you may have to wait a few weeks for your business cards to turn up – and it’s always in those few weeks that you’re left wishing you had some cards. For my money, the best solution is to get your business cards made online on the cheap using an easy web interface, and then use temporary, home-made cards until the real ones turn up.

You have your corporate ID package, a website and are doing search engine advertising using ReachLocal.com. You have an excellent PR program in place that includes an nTarget.com-based email newsletter, guest speaking and media relations. And, you are working feverishly to retain the customers you have. You are, right?

Then, it is time to ramp up the marketing noise with advertising. From Professor Hoover's Advertising 101 file, here are a few things you need to ask before you launch that ad campaign.

What can I tell prospects that would interest them? Consumers don't care that you are the largest or the best. That's budget-wasting chest-thumping on the advertiser's part. In fact, most of them aren't even paying attention to advertising about your type of business at all. You've got to give the prospect a reason to care. Tell him what is in it for him. Let's say you are the most knowledgeable Realtor in your market. Big whoop! How does that help me? Now, if you use your expertise to sell my house fast and at a premium price, I'm suddenly very interested. Select the message first before you even think about the medium.

Who are my prospects? Do you really know who you are trying to reach? You may need to know where they live, their financial situation, their media habits, and their purchase habits. Do they have children? What kind of car do they drive? The more you know, the easier it is to develop an effective message and to select a medium to reach them.

Can I make the message relevant and compelling? I hate ads because most of them are so bad. They often are so vague that you don't know why the company bothered. In trying to reach everyone, they reach no one. That's what I call the all carbon-based life forms approach. Or maybe the ad tried to pack in too much information and too many features. Be direct, concise, relevant and truthful, and then you might reach someone with an ad.

What's my desired result? Some businesses need store traffic now and aren't that worried about tomorrow, some need to build relationships for the long haul, and some need to bolster their reputation. Driving traffic can be done relatively inexpensively and immediately. The other two take discipline, consistency, time and money. Be clear about what you are trying to accomplish and whether you have the resources to achieve your goals.

It’s not uncommon in our business to witness curious, if not downright ridiculous trends in advertising. Lately we’ve seen our share. Take the hard yet hollow, and some would say disturbing, mascots for Burger King, Quaker Oats, and Travelocity. There’s something just not right about seeing the Burger King in bed with an unsuspecting sleeping guy. What’s it all mean? Is Burger King coming out of the closet? Meanwhile, the stiff Quaker Oat’s Quaker and Travelocity Yard Gnome (oh, and by the way, the Yard Gnome first appeared in Ford spots), simply pop up out of nowhere without explanation. Memorable? Maybe. Effective at selling product or building market share? A decisive “No”. In each example, all three companies are reporting meager increases as a result of their agencies’ self-indulgence.

The most recent trend is not so “hard” or tangible. In fact it’s about as opposite to tangible as it gets. It’s the concept of ‘Possibilities.” It’s very popular at the moment, and it’s been adopted by some of the biggest brands around: Target, Ford, Campbell’s, Domino’s. At least Domino’s tells you what they mean by possibilities. You can get your choice of pizza with your choice of extras. You can mix and match any way you like. Simple.

For the other companies? Let’s just say it’s not so simple.

Ford places the famous-for-a-day (ok, a couple months maybe) “American Idol” celebrity, Taylor Hicks on a flashy “Who Wants to be a Millionare” knock-off stage. He sings like he’s going to burst a blood vessel about “getting what he wants, and getting what he needs”. It’s louding and annoying like most bad car advertising, but out of nowhere Taylor adds the word “possibilities” to the end of his song. What the...? Where’d that word come from? Besides the fact that he says “possibilidees”, the word and more importantly the idea is stuck in there without context — dangling there at the end waiting for an explanation that never comes. Sure, it sounds kind of cool in there. It sets up an expectation. The problem is it doesn’t really say exactly what that is.

Television is one of the biggest inventions of the 20th century, and it revolutionized our lives. TV waves reach the living rooms of people all across the world. Almost all organizations find television the best medium for marketing or launching their products. People directly relate to the programs or commercials and can be influenced by them.

Television commercials have opened the gates of effective advertisement. The growing popularity of television has proved to be a boon to different types of enterprises, be it commercial, informative, or entertainment. There are many programs on television like the news, comedy shows, documentaries and soap operas that are viewed by millions of people. Commercials are placed in a short time frame within these programs, exposing products to the maximum amount of viewers. Companies pay a significant amount to get their advertisements aired. The higher the ratings of the program, the more expensive the ads are – because they reach more people when they air on higher-rated shows, thus, are more effective ads.

The commercials aired today are different from the ones aired 50 years ago. The kind of products advertised, their content, and form have undergone many changes. Innovations in technology have made way for more effective forms of advertising. Companies are sensitive to the ever-changing needs and habits of the public and keep this aspect in mind while designing commercials for adults, children and the youth.

Imagine starting your own business. What happens when you find out that you are in the red or close to it at the end of the fiscal year? You do what most business owners do—check your books and find ways to cut corners. Now, the tricky part to cutting corners is to make sure you do not downsize or eliminate something that will turn profits for your company in the future. In examining your books, you notice that advertising was a large expense for your company. You also notice that the employee appreciation celebration made a large imposition on your budget, as well. Looking further you notice that an even larger chunk of your liability was the direct result of offering consumer discounts to help boost your business. What is your first instinct? Should you downsize on advertising? Should you avoid celebrating your employees’ hard work? How about eliminating customer perks and discounts?

There are several ways to cut back on your expenses. Eliminating advertisement and employee appreciation are not an option. Keep in mind that advertising is essential to the livelihood of any company. Of course most of us have heard that “word of mouth” is the best form of advertisement. Not to mention the fact that it is free. However, in our present economy in starting a new business or in keeping an established business afloat, mass advertisement is a must. Furthermore, employee appreciation and company celebrations help to increase staff morale. More so, consumer perks aid in building a consistent clientele. So, what are your options?

In the wake of CBS placing advertisements on eggs (yes, it's true, CBS is placing ads on actual egg shells), I've decided to come up with a compilation of ideas for places to put a company advertisement.

Eggs are the last place that you would expect to see an advertisement. That's why, if you were to see an ad on an egg, you would stop to take notice. Advertising can work if people stop to take notice, especially if it's really weird and garners free publicity (like the body part advertising on eBay a little while ago). So, putting a business ad on an unexpected place can do wonders.

With that said, I've compiled a list of 20 free advertising ideas for weird places that you can place your company ad. To my knowledge, none of these have yet been done:

1. On top of coffee lids – You don't expect to see a marketing message staring up at you when taking that morning sip of coffee.
2. On a competitor's product - This may be difficult to do but if you and a competitor advertise on each other's products it would even out. This may attract free publicity, as well.
3. Inside the pages of books - Magazines have pages of ads, so why not books? There could be a special advertising section in books. This could provide very targeted advertising.
4. Straws - I've yet to see an ad on a McDonalds straw that I drink my Coca-Cola with.
5. Songs - We’ve seen product placement in movies and TV shows like Donald Trump’s The Apprentice, but I’ve yet to hear a product placement in a song. Imagine paying Britney Spears to sing about your product in the chorus of one of her hit pop songs that gets a lot of radio play... Hit me baby one more time – in the passenger seat of my brand-new 2008 Audi A4.
6. Beside the "nutrition facts" label of food products - This one might be geared more towards diet or weight loss types of companies. The people that actually look at these labels are probably more likely to notice that type of marketing message.
7. Emergency vehicles - Police, ambulance, fire trucks. That might be difficult to set up, but what better way for, say, a cash strapped police department to find revenue to hire more police officers than to sell some advertising space on their police cars?
8. Moon - I'm sure it can’t be done, and if it can it would cost too much. But, how about an advertisement on the face of the moon

Myspace was orignally just a place for teens to upgrade their instant messaging between friends. Then when it took on a whole new dimension of individuals searching the Myspace scene for music sharing, dating, and displaying individual talents, it skyrocketed into the far reaches of our universe of cyberspace.Myspace allows each myspace member to fully customize their site in every imaginable way. You can place myspace ads, myspace links, myspace music, myspace codes, and myspace photos of all your favorite people and things that make you who you are.

Myspace has evolved into such a huge hit, that even the evil elements have found their way into Myspace's World. With so many people trying to make their own statements and personalizing their myspace, those sick individuals who lurk the web have preyed on unsuspecting myspace sites in search of victims to violate. Please be vigilant in your exposing of yourself. You never know who may be asking all the right questions for all the wrong reasons. Exercise extreme caution when divulging personal information.

Myspace offers numerous ways to personalize your site, yet there are other sites that cater strictly to providing myspace members with the different and unique backgrounds, layouts, and other specialty tidbits that users are always anxious to get their hands on.

Some of the most popular support sites, even if unofficially denoted as support, are toxxic.net, rockyou.com,whateverlife.com, facebook.com, and friendster.com.

These site have some of the most used elements by myspace members. Sure there are always other site that offer backgrounds, layouts, and music, but those named above are the highest hit-getters at this time.

Myspace has now reached into the record books as a inexpensive means of debuting your musical talents as well. There have actually been solid recording contracts directly linked to myspace members using their myspace page as there launching pad to stardom.

Once Myspace reached the peak of awareness to the public, the business world is now reaching into myspace for consumer exposure to their respective business wares, ads, and products too. When you think of it, advertising and exposure are the perfect match for a unique place on the web like Myspace.

When it comes to being successful on or off the internet, it's all in the Advertising! We've all seen this hold true with so many products. If you can capture a large audience with a simple idea or a New and Improved product, you can amass an enormous response in a very short period of time.

The never-ending quest to acquire this exposure on an affordable scale is what we all seek to find. Advertising in itself is a business to be dissected. Where is the best place to advertise, what is the most cost efficient means of advertising, who has the most exposure? All of these questions create a constant struggle for manufacturers of every imaginable product.

Cost effective advertising can be like buying watermelon seeds and planting them in Alaska. If you don't know where your market is located, you could be wasting your time and money. To know where your market resides is the first step at determining where to advertise. It will save you much stress in researching your market before you spend good money on any advertising. Most products are focused on one area of interest. Recognize your area of interest as a main point, then consider these sub-points; customer age range, customer location, densely populated areas, is your product seasonal, can you follow-up with customer questions, can you provide testimonials, if you'd never seen this product before what would be your initial reaction, can you handle a sudden influx of customers if your product takes off like a rocket, is your product considered to be a disposable product.

If you don’t have time to shop but would like to browse through products and order in the comforts of your own home or office, then you should order free catalogs. The internet is a great source for such freebies, and if you log on to the right sites, you will be able to browse your way into the product you are looking for in no time.

You can get free online catalogs from virtually everywhere, but be careful not to immediately sign up for free offers – some merchants may flood your inbox with catalogs you did not even request.

Visit a reliable catalog Web site that allows you to become a member and limit the free catalogs you would like to receive. The site should allow you to check off what categories interest you (such as appliances, furniture, car care, baby care, etc.) and indicate how many times you would like to receive them (daily, weekly, or monthly). If you don’t want the catalogs going straight into your inbox, the site should give you the option to just receive reminders instead. When a new catalog on a product category you chose is available, you get a link to the new catalog and decide if you want to download it or not.

Free online catalog portals should not only be static brochures – they should also link up to the actual merchant sites so that you can order immediately if something catches your eye. The site should likewise be very well-organized. The categories should be comprehensive, so that you can click around intuitively and be led to the product you are looking for. A good keyword search facility helps, too – this way, you just type in a brand or product specification, choose from among the results, pay with your credit card, and wait for delivery.

If you need a business card, what do you do?

Well, you can go to the nearest computer shop or printing company that does business card printing. Of course, in choosing that option, you have to shell out some money. But you not need worry about anything else because these shops or companies design, format, and print your cards. However, you also have the option of going straight to your trusty computer to create your own business card. It may take you some time but at least you won’t have to think about any extra charges.

Business card printing is fairly simple. You just need to get the steps right, and you are on your way to making the perfect business card.

Make sure that before you design your business card, you have installed the appropriate software that will help simplify your task. There are many programs available that provide beautiful and professional-looking designs for business cards. In order for the program to work, you will need to encode your contact information first. Afterwards, the program will save a template of your business card. Now all you need to do is tweak the design and format options according to your specifications. You can view how your business card will look like before you print it out.

There are a number of services that are available on the Internet for your various business needs. Some of these services include financial advice, software suggestions, and advertising. The companies that provide these services do their best to address your needs. Some companies even go a step further by allowing you to customize the services that you wish to receive. One example of a "customizable" service is the online business card service that some printers offer clients. These companies give you the option of making your own design or of having their people make it for you. If you decide to make the design yourself, you should consider a number of factors before you begin, since designing a business card is not as easy as it seems. The following sections offer a few tips and reminders about making your own design for your business card.

Advantages

One of the most obvious advantages of designing your own business card is that you can save time and money. You save money because you aren't hiring a professional to do it, and you save time because you don't have to go through a number of proposals of other people's designs. Another advantage is that, as the owner of the business, you know what you want to communicate, and you can easily put that into the design that you make for your card.

If you're a small business owner, you may not want to invest thousands of dollars in billboard advertising. That doesn't mean, however, that you can't take advantage of outdoor advertising methods in promoting your business.

One common outdoor advertising that any business can use is vehicle advertisements. If your company owns a delivery truck or any company vehicle, invest the money in making the vehicle a driving advertisement. Don't just paint your company name and phone number on it, either. Treat your vehicle as you would any other advertisement – use a catchy headline, offer benefits, and use a call to action.

You can also use your personal vehicle for advertising, with a magnetic sign. For a relatively small price you can have a magnetic sign designed for your vehicle. You can also use bumper stickers and window decals on your vehicle.

Vehicle advertising can be especially effective if your product or service is related to vehicles. For example, if your business is a car wash, advertising on a shiny car will be great publicity. Of course, if your business is a car repair shop, but you drive an old clunker with a worn out muffler, you might want to replace your vehicle before you put your advertising on it.

Yard signs are another great advertising method. If you are a contractor, you can use small signs in your customers yards while you're working on their premises. Yard signs are also very useful for advertising events, sales, openings, and more. Yard signs can come in all shapes and sizes