Advertising is a major part of any successful business. Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark: You know what you are doing, but nobody else does. That would be foolish, as well as a waste of time. We are not in business to waste time or to make foolish decisions.

Advertising can come in many different forms. It can be full page display ads in nationally distributed magazines, that produce thousands of dollars in profits. It can be in the form of television commercials that bring in tremendous amounts of inquiries and profits. It can even come in the form of word of mouth advertising that costs you nothing, yet brings you profits still. We will work on getting the best of all advertising mediums for you.

You do need to learn, and remember, one thing before we go on. You need to know that: “The only advertising that costs you money is unsuccessful advertising!” Unsuccessful advertising is foolish advertising. You must take several steps before spending any advertising dollars. Let’s cover some of these steps:

1) Research, Research, Research!
2) Stick to a budget.
3) Test your idea before committing long term.
4) Learn from your competition.

There are several key factors that come into play when it comes to advertising. This article is merely meant to help you scratch the surface, and give you a few key pointers that will educate you enough to make educated decisions.

There are no guarantees when it comes to the world of advertising. You can have what appears to be the best idea in the world, and it can flop miserably. But, if you do your home work (research), these will be few and far between, if even at all.

It is assumed that most of you are not working with the largest of advertising budgets. That is perfectly ok. It is very possible to effectively advertise with little money. In fact, if you are industrious enough, I will show you how to advertise with virtually no money. Just read on...

Fax machines have revolutionized the way that business is conducted in the world. It is extremely affordable for anyone to own a fax machine. You can pick one up at a garage sale or on ebay for under ten dollars. If you are going to be conducting business, you should have one.

How many times have you heard someone say, “I’ll fax that right over to you?” I’m not exactly sure how many times that I’ve heard it, but I am sure that businesses are not using the fax machine to it’s full potential as a powerful advertising tool. The only time that I’ve seen the fax machine used to advertise (except for myself doing it) was by restaurants faxing their menus by request.

Think about it, by using your fax machine to advertise your business, you spend only the time that it takes to fax the message. Also, if it’s a local call, you won’t be spending any money. Even if the call is long distance, you will only incur a small telephone fee because of the information being transmitted so quickly.

Let’s imagine that you have gone through your phone book, and you’ve found several businesses that you’d like to do business with. Instead of having several letters typed, addressing several envelopes, stamping each envelope, and taking the letters to the Post Office, with your fax machine, you can complete the task in a fraction of the time at a small percentage of the cost. You also will not even have to leave your home. You won’t even have to pay for postage.

There is also one more way of faxing, and that is by a modem through your personal computer. With a fast modem and some decent software, you can have your computer fax documents that you have created in it to various individuals, or businesses, at times that you have predetermined. The computer will even try again if the fax does not go through the first time! Imagine that. You can literally be sleeping and conducting business all over the world.

Brochures are powerful advertising tools that help in persuading consumers to purchase their requirements form a certain store. However, their power is increased only when they are created uniquely and accurately to represent you in the market. The creation of a brochure design is a collective process among the competent writers, designers and printers. It is with these people’s expertise that an effective brochure is created.

The basic element of a good brochure design is obviously deciding on the matter to be included in the brochure! Choose meaningful and right colors and photos for the brochures. Make sure that the matter in the brochure is readable, for if not, the whole objective of the brochure is lost!

Focus on the needs of the customers of your services, and thus, your brochure. They want to know what exactly it is in them from the brochure. They need to improve their bottom line and to make their lives easier. Don’t just tell them about the benefits of your services; use the brochure to show them! Nothing proves to be more convincing than a good demonstration in the brochure! Value information, which is, useful information for the client is another essential element of a good brochure design. So add value information in the brochure and see the increase in the strength of your demonstration!

Don’t make the font of your brochure too wordy as the better brochures are always seen to have a brief headline, with a meaty body. Keep the headline simple, but striking, as this is a great element in the making of a good brochure design. Whatever the matter you place in the brochure, provide your prospects with just enough information so that they tend to crave for more information. To accomplish this, you have to lightly touch the main topics to get people excited to inquire about more information! Leave contact information in the brochure through which the customer can reach you to get to know more about your business, and thus become a part of it! If possible, add testimonials to your brochure as this increases your credibility. Use the person’s full name, company name and ask them for their permission! Adding the word ‘free’ in the brochure by saying ‘buy one, get one free’; free parking; free delivery, etc. This thus makes the reader curious to read the brochure and to try out your services!

Many small time wannabe marketers who write marketing, advertising and sleazy sales books will have you believe that the over all marketing plan is the quintessential reason for success or failure in your business. Indeed business plans and marketing plans are of value but before you start a business you have no idea where it will take you.

As an entrepreneur you may plan to have a certain market mix and then find the customers are leading you a different way, as they want to buy something else and more of it than less.

You cannot fight the flow of such things and you would be ignorant to try, that is if it is profitable to deliver what those customers are lining up for. Many marketing self-proclaimed consults will tell you that; “Prior to purchasing Ads you need to have goals, which come from an Overall Marketing Plan.”

Sure sounds like good advice doesn’t; well it is not and those who make such statements in marketing articles, books, business tapes or seminars are simply not with it and have never achieved greatness in their own marketing. Goals are great indeed, but back tracking from the goals to allocations in advertising expenditures is the wrong way to approach it.

You must make sure that you have a customer base and public desire for what you sell first and determine how much of that trend you can capture and where best to place your ads at the most inexpensive price to attract the most of those potential customers as possible and then tap into those customers for referrals to bring you the rest.

In fact this whole process may take very little advertising dollars and following some MBA BS consultants plan will cost you twice. Once in paying them for bad advice and then in paying too much for advertising that does not win the game. Consider all this in 2006.

Burton Upon Trent as many other towns is losing its roots mainly because Coors has taken over the world reknown brewer Bass. The same as HP being taken from Birmingham to go to Europe. When will it stop? I started to see it with pub companies planting the same pubs in every town in the UK and the same with department stores. Every town starting to look the same. England and everytown within it has its one underlying attraction - tradition. This is soon disapearing and this really gave me a blow to the ribs when they have even taken our British beer Bass away from us. We need to encourage UK businesses, firstly from leading by example by not selling our national iconic businesses to other countries. For more information on Burton Upon Trent visit

There are so many business finders on a national scale, offering lots of information about businesses but actually no information that can really be used effectively. Why because none of them are local, lots of them are out of date have no real idea about the local area and the businesses in them. We are losing the local feel of towns and cities in this country, one reason is because of the Internet. All of the big companies can get to the top of the search rankings and make more money on a national scale but where does this leave the local businesses? Local businesses need to be advertised as well and the best way for them to do this is to collaborate together on to one site and get noticed on their collaborated page on the net.

One has to be fairly careful when advertising in trade journals because the costs can get prohibitive, yet if you are selling to the industry, the percentage of readers who might be interested is large. If you have a company, which is not selling to the industry but rather participating in it, it is not always smart to run ads that allow your competition and invite to solicit you as fake customers to scout you out.

Indeed, many companies in an industry sector are members of large associations and they advertise in order to get favored articles written about their company, which they can use as reprints in brochure packages or on their websites. Personally, I think this is a mistake as it tends to end up as an unspoken game of extortion, in that the more you advertise the more articles they do on your company. I can tell you that our companies have always had good fortune in industry trade journals, without ever advertising in them.

Although even an article will incite immediate shopping by your competition and your sales departments will notice this the week of and the week after these articles come out and are mailed throughout the industry sector. What can you do? Well be sure to only have specific people interviewed and never anyone on your sales staff for them to contact.

Additionally, make it clear that you do not sell to the industry, but you buy from the industry in the article. This will bring you the competitions sales teams and their information without you handing out all of yours. Be wise where you advertise and be very careful around industry trade journals as your competition reads them more than your buyers ever will. Unless you sell to the industry, think on this in 2006.

Advertising is a major part of any successful business. Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark: You know what you are doing, but nobody else does. That would be foolish, as well as a waste of time. We are not in business to waste time or to make foolish decisions.

Advertising can come in many different forms. It can be full page display ads in nationally distributed magazines, that produce thousands of dollars in profits. It can be in the form of television commercials that bring in tremendous amounts of inquiries and profits. It can even come in the form of word of mouth advertising that costs you nothing, yet brings you profits still. We will work on getting the best of all advertising mediums for you.

You do need to learn, and remember, one thing before we go on. You need to know that: “The only advertising that costs you money is unsuccessful advertising!” Unsuccessful advertising is foolish advertising. You must take several steps before spending any advertising dollars. Let’s cover some of these steps:

1) Research, Research, Research!
2) Stick to a budget.
3) Test your idea before committing long term.
4) Learn from your competition.

There are several key factors that come into play when it comes to advertising. This article is merely meant to help you scratch the surface, and give you a few key pointers that will educate you enough to make educated decisions.

There are no guarantees when it comes to the world of advertising. You can have what appears to be the best idea in the world, and it can flop miserably. But, if you do your home work (research), these will be few and far between, if even at all.

It is assumed that most of you are not working with the largest of advertising budgets. That is perfectly ok. It is very possible to effectively advertise with little money. In fact, if you are industrious enough, I will show you how to advertise with virtually no money. Just read on...

Fax machines have revolutionized the way that business is conducted in the world. It is extremely affordable for anyone to own a fax machine. You can pick one up at a garage sale or on ebay for under ten dollars. If you are going to be conducting business, you should have one.

How many times have you heard someone say, “I’ll fax that right over to you?” I’m not exactly sure how many times that I’ve heard it, but I am sure that businesses are not using the fax machine to it’s full potential as a powerful advertising tool. The only time that I’ve seen the fax machine used to advertise (except for myself doing it) was by restaurants faxing their menus by request.

Think about it, by using your fax machine to advertise your business, you spend only the time that it takes to fax the message. Also, if it’s a local call, you won’t be spending any money. Even if the call is long distance, you will only incur a small telephone fee because of the information being transmitted so quickly.

Let’s imagine that you have gone through your phone book, and you’ve found several businesses that you’d like to do business with. Instead of having several letters typed, addressing several envelopes, stamping each envelope, and taking the letters to the Post Office, with your fax machine, you can complete the task in a fraction of the time at a small percentage of the cost. You also will not even have to leave your home. You won’t even have to pay for postage.

There is also one more way of faxing, and that is by a modem through your personal computer. With a fast modem and some decent software, you can have your computer fax documents that you have created in it to various individuals, or businesses, at times that you have predetermined. The computer will even try again if the fax does not go through the first time! Imagine that. You can literally be sleeping and conducting business all over the world.

Brochures are powerful advertising tools that help in persuading consumers to purchase their requirements form a certain store. However, their power is increased only when they are created uniquely and accurately to represent you in the market. The creation of a brochure design is a collective process among the competent writers, designers and printers. It is with these people’s expertise that an effective brochure is created.

The basic element of a good brochure design is obviously deciding on the matter to be included in the brochure! Choose meaningful and right colors and photos for the brochures. Make sure that the matter in the brochure is readable, for if not, the whole objective of the brochure is lost!

Focus on the needs of the customers of your services, and thus, your brochure. They want to know what exactly it is in them from the brochure. They need to improve their bottom line and to make their lives easier. Don’t just tell them about the benefits of your services; use the brochure to show them! Nothing proves to be more convincing than a good demonstration in the brochure! Value information, which is, useful information for the client is another essential element of a good brochure design. So add value information in the brochure and see the increase in the strength of your demonstration!

Don’t make the font of your brochure too wordy as the better brochures are always seen to have a brief headline, with a meaty body. Keep the headline simple, but striking, as this is a great element in the making of a good brochure design. Whatever the matter you place in the brochure, provide your prospects with just enough information so that they tend to crave for more information. To accomplish this, you have to lightly touch the main topics to get people excited to inquire about more information! Leave contact information in the brochure through which the customer can reach you to get to know more about your business, and thus become a part of it! If possible, add testimonials to your brochure as this increases your credibility. Use the person’s full name, company name and ask them for their permission! Adding the word ‘free’ in the brochure by saying ‘buy one, get one free’; free parking; free delivery, etc. This thus makes the reader curious to read the brochure and to try out your services!

Quality printing is yet another element of brochure design worth mentioning. Use the latest and most reliable printing equipment to help you get professional printed brochures. Using an old printer only produces unprofessional-looking prints, which prove to be of no profit to you! Use all these elements to create a good brochure design, which your client is sure to keep; thereby placing your name in front of them every day of the week! You then build a trusted relationship with your client; to establish yourself as an expert in your field, through your good brochure design!

Great looking and promotional brochures create a compelling image of your company, its’ products and services. Whatever your promotional need be, the brochure format is the best answer to your needs. Brochures prove to be extremely versatile in content and use. You could hand them out at trade shows or provide them to your sales reps as selling aids. Whatever the mode of distribution of your brochure be, it’s printing has to be constant and attractive to gain the attention of the reader.

Most of the brochures are flat sized. The number and types of folds in your brochure enables you to create a variety of print communications in terms of look and function. The folding of the brochure creates a great impact on the functionality of the brochure. Four page brochure displays a lot of information and the design concept of the brochure begin with the display of this information within the constraints of the size and layout of the brochure. Most brochures are printed with more than one color; and it is proven that people respond more positively, and longer, to full color promotional brochures. However, when using multiple colors for the brochure, you have to make sure that the colors used in the brochure complement each other to give your brochure a unique appearance. If necessary, you could use photographs and graphics to accentuate your brochure.

Using images and pictures in the brochure adds spice to your brochure. In this way, they also draw the reader’s attention to read your brochure. There are many businesses that stick to a specific font or color for use in the entire brochure. This is because using the same color and font promotes uniformity in the brochure, and at the same time, makes it easier for the reader to read the brochure. You could also consider adding your logo in your brochure, as this proves to be an added advertisement to your company or product. It is always better to hire the services of an experienced brochure designer to create your brochure design for printing. This is because even if the cost may be a factor here, this cost can be compensated when the brochure reaches the masses, and there is an increase in sales! And remember the brochure designed by a professional will definitely be better than a brochure that you venture to create on your own!

After creating the right design for your brochure, it is the right paper that has to be chosen. There are different varieties of paper to choose from; choose the paper that best suits your color and design of the brochure. Remember that printers offer great discounts on orders of large quantities of brochures. So it is beneficial to order brochures in large numbers. So choose the right designer, and printer to help you produce the most efficient brochure possible!

Why do we hate advertising? Because it is intrusive, importunate, sometimes vulgar. Everyone will give their own reasons. But you see what a contradiction – without advertising there are no sales. That is true. People may keep on telling you that they can’t stand advertising and never read adverts and advertising copies. But they are lying to themselves. Advertising texts work better than ever and keep on boosting the sales rates. However we should note that poor advertising text won’t make a sale. So before creating your first advertising masterpiece you should know some basic rules. Ideally advertisements should be attractive to catch the customer’s attention and useful to make the customer buy the product. Usually appealing images are used for attracting the clients’ attention. Images will never force the people to spend their money on your product. But words will.

Let’s see how to make words earn money for you. Every advertising opens with a headline or a title. So it is the starting point of your seducing the customer. The title serves a very important purpose to grab the readers’ attention and make them read on up to the end of the advertising message. Do not experiment with the headlines: your attempts to make it memorable or show your literature talent may turn into collapse, as the reader’s won’t understand you. A better alternative is to offer a kind of promise in the headline using simple and clear language. Some psychologists recommend using special words – signals (“free”, “New “ ) to attract the reader’s attention in your headings.The subtitle is another step to get the customer involved. It connects the headline with the main body of the copy.

Surely it is the body that makes people buy from you. Here you fulfill the promises given in the headline. Emotionally rich advertising text is equivalent of the selling text. Because you manage to appeal to clients’ emotions, it is 95% guarantee they will buy from you. In explaining use simple words and short sentences, clear to everyone. You should avoid telling about your product in high – flown language with overuse of technical and other special terms. The text should be exciting and provoke curiosity. Long boring enumerations will scare the reader away. Mind, that the reader is not interested in the product itself but in its benefits. The main requirement to the text is maximum information with minimum of words. Do not waste customers’ time with long boring texts. Say your message straight off and get ready for great sales.

It never fails.

The Ad Agency spends countless man-hours sweating over the fine details. Things that no one would ever notice are discussed, dissected, double-checked and then dutifully discarded for a "better" idea.

Graphics are viewed upside-down and sideways. Letters are kerned in pixel widths. Font catalogues brimming with thousands of choices are scrutinized until the perfect one is found or the artist lapses into a coma.

Finally, the deadline is met. You meet with the client The pitch is made...and...

The client picks up the phone to order a sandwich from the restaurant.

Seems out of place, right? Well, not really. This is a classic-type move for clients who are indecisive. Stuck. Fence straddling.

Now comes a hot quarterback move as the client throws an unsuspecting pass to the delivery man from the restaurant.

"Tell me, you got a minute to give me your opinion on something?"

It's a painful situation to be in. But the client pays the bills and if he can't make up his mind, he'll damn well find someone to make it up for him!

Now, some of the bigger players can afford "focus groups" to determine if they've got the right goods. But what do you do if you're strapped for bucks?

Believe it or not... you ask the delivery man from the restaurant. Ask the janitor...your dentist...the grocer...the guy who fixes your photo copier.

Most agencies hate the idea of being scrutinized by the mailman, but the fact is, his opinion may be as good as it gets.

Tally up all the answers and ask yourself - Is it a "deal or no deal?"

There's your decision.

The more astute clients, won't waste a second. They know immediately if it's hot or not.

How do they do it? They really trust their first impression.

What they see or hear either appeals to them immediately or makes their eyebrows disappear in the furrows of their brow.

So, how do YOU make a good advertising decision?

1. Trust the ad agency you've hired. They do this for a living.

2. Listen to that little voice inside that you always say you should have listened to.

3. Be different. Lead instead of follow.

An easy way for a small business to expand its marketing budget is through cooperative advertising. Cooperative advertising, or as sometimes abbreviated Co-op, is when a producer of goods, for use by service providers or for resale, reimburses the advertising business in part or in full for advertising expenditures that involves its products. These programs are widely available because quite simply they save the producers of goods money. Bottom line is that local advertising rates available to the advertising business are at least 20% lower than national advertising rates. Therefore, the benefit for the producers of goods is increased brand recognition within that market at the lower local advertising rates, enhanced reseller relations, and much more.

However, cooperative advertising programs are an integral part of the producers own strategic marketing plan and for this reason they may not only vary from producer to producer but from product to product. Also, because these programs are an integral part of the producers strategic marketing plan, stringent rules and regulations are often placed on cooperative advertising dollars. These rules and regulations may cover media channels chosen, product placement, ad positioning and size, and much more. Additionally, there may be a separate set of guidelines that the advertising business must follow for financial reimbursement of advertising expenditures.

Because of the perceived complexity of cooperative advertising; businesses may feel intimated by the rules and regulations, not ask about cooperative advertising opportunities, or for help. A business owner or manager should ask every vendor that supplies the business with goods about what cooperative programs are available to the business and how the business can take advantage of these programs. Once the advertising business has established its cooperative advertising programs with its vendors all necessary information should be shared with the representatives of the chosen media channels to ensure proper execution of the advertising to meet the producer’s rules and regulations.

Cooperative advertising is a win/win proposition for the producer and advertising business. These programs allow producers to increase brand recognition in the market at the much lower local advertising rates and allow the advertising business to increase its marketing budget at no additional cost to the business. All small businesses should actively pursue these valuable cooperative advertising opportunities.

It’s Spring Cleaning Time! The weather is getting warmer and it is time to dig through those closets, garages and storage areas and turn your unused items into cash! Traditionally, this is the busiest time of the year for classified advertising. Motor vehicles and recreational vehicles are especially big sellers during the warm weather. If you are considering selling, now is the time. Hundreds of potential buyers are out there reading the Sunday morning newspaper every week, so take advantage of the opportunity to sell your items. Below you will find some great tips to help you get the ball rolling.

1.PREPARE: Determine the items around your home that you no longer need. Once you have collected these items, confirm that they are in working order and in good selling condition. If items have been in storage for a long period of time, you may need to clean them up to make them more attractive to potential buyers.

2.RESEARCH: After all items are collected, do your research. Determine the value of your items and decide whether it would be worth you time and effort to place a classified ad. Some things will do well on their own while others may do better in a garage sale setting. If certain items do not have enough value to justify placing an advertisement and you are not interested in hosting a garage sale, donate these items to a local charity for a nice tax deduction.

3.WHERE TO ADVERTISE: Once you have the items sorted out, you need to decide the best method of advertising. Most items will do best advertised in your daily newspaper since you will be able to reach a local audience. Online classifieds generally do not receive as many local buyers, but most are free so you may want to place an ad there as well just to cover all the bases. If you are selling a larger item such as a car, motorcycle, motor home, etc., you will also want to place prominent for sale signs on the items themselves. You can also utilize bulletin boards in your local community to post a free advertisement.

4.DRAFTING YOUR AD: What are the most attractive selling features of your items for sale? Decide which of these features you want to highlight in your advertisement. Look for classified ads for similar items to get an idea of how they are written. Check out the competition to see how your item is better or different than the items that will be running along side your ad.

5.WRITING YOUR AD: Create a catchy title to get your reader’s attention. This will spark an interest in your classified ad. Always include the brand name when applicable. Price should only be included in the title if it is an obvious selling point. Next, you need to write the body text of your ad and entice buyers even further with the details. Make your description clear and factual. Provide specific details in what it is that makes your item stand out from the others. Be honest in your representation and do not make your item appear better than it actually is. Always include the price in your ad. Take some time to view other classified ads for similar items in your newspaper. This will help you determine a fair asking price for your item. Keep in mind, just because you paid $1,500 for your dining room set, does not mean you will receive that much for it on resale. Be realistic in your expectations. Furthermore, if you will only be available during certain times of the day to discuss your item, make a note of this in your advertisement so buyers know the best time to reach you. If possible, include your email address.

6.INCLUDING PHOTOS: A picture is worth a thousand words. Some local newspapers provide you with the option to include photos with your classified ad. Be sure to include the photos! When buyers have the opportunity to see an article for sale they have a higher degree of interest and are more likely to buy when they follow up by telephone or email to ask questions or to get more information. If your newspaper does not offer photos or the photo option is too expensive, you can use an online classified photo hosting service. Visit http://www.seethisitem.com for information on how to include free digital photos with your newspaper classified ad.

7.COMMUNICATING WITH BUYERS: Do your best to be available when customers call for information regarding your item. Be polite and helpful and answer all questions to the best of your knowledge.

8.SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS: If you receive numerous calls for your item, be sure to space out the appointments so that you will have enough time to spend with each buyer and your appointments will not overlap. Safety tip: Whenever possible, have someone home with you when a buyer is coming over to look at your item. You really can never be too careful when dealing with people you have never met before.

9.NEGOTIATION: Decide before you negotiate, the lowest amount you will be willing to accept for your item. This will assure a smoother negotiation process.

10.PAYMENT: Never accept a check for your item. You should only accept cash or money orders. If a buyer decides they want the item, but they do not have cash on them, always take a deposit to hold the item until they are able to come back. Be sure to set a deadline for them to return with the balance due. Even though you have a deposit, do not stop showing your item since the deal is not final until you have the cash in your hand. If someone else is also interested, tell them you just received an offer, but you will be happy to take down their name and number in case the deal falls through. This will give you more options should the original buyer back out of the sale.

That’s it! Keep these selling tips in mind and you will be on the road to a successful sale. Take your time, be thorough and most of all have fun! If you follow the steps outlined above, you will be turning your unused items into cash in no time.

Attractively designed vinyl banners advertising your cause or product is a great marketing strategy. A well-designed vinyl is sure to get the attention of passersby. One of the simplest and most effective means of gaining attention from people who are ready to buy, vinyl banners are often overlooked as a means to increase traffic. The Internet is not the only place on earth that can boost business. This fact is all-too-often forgotten.

There are many suppliers who are very good at designing interesting layouts, and they can show you with a wide selection of fonts, special effects, borders and graphics. Your custom-designed vinyl banner comes in different design themes, colors and textured surfaces. Because of its flexibility when it comes to printing, you can use vinyl banners for almost any occasion including birthdays, weddings, reunions, homecomings, prom nights, sports festivals, store openings, mall-wide sale, tradeshows and groundbreakings, among many others. Vinyl banners are heavy-duty, fade resistant and waterproof, making it the best outdoor banner material you can find. You can also do double-side printing, which is perfect for pole advertising.

Standard vinyl banners are usually 10 oz thick. They come is a variety of sizes, but you can also customize the size and shape. Price varies according to size with a low of approximately $90, to a high of $325 or more. For customized vinyl banners, give an allowance of 12 days before delivery. The pricing and delivery policies of different companies, however, can vary widely. Some companies, for example, may offer faster than twelve-day delivery.

Bulletin boards are a good venue to post church news, announcements, reports and updates. But not all people read bulletin boards. They may be cluttered and contain a lot of old news mixed in with the news. Sometimes, important notices are overlooked or don’t get the attention they need.

When you have to announce something very important, do it with a banner posted on the church’s façade to everyone to see. As church announcements are relatively simple, a banner wouldn’t cost much. Parishioners will learn more about your activities and are m ore likely to participate.

For special occasions, like a Christmas play, anniversary or a visit from a senior church official, spread the feeling of welcome and joy by hanging a colorful, announcement banner. You can have one done on vinyl in full colors, attractive images and catchy text. A Banner will add a touch of professionalism to any church announcement you may have.

Vinyl banners can carry photo quality images and backgrounds that attract and bring attention to your church project. You can have it designed in such a way that drivers and pedestrians will see it across the street. They are the perfect welcoming sight for your important guests, as they do convey hospitality and warmth. A vinyl banner is waterproof, fade resistant and will last a long time. You can use it for church signage as well. You can print church schedules and list weekly or monthly activities. Better informed parishioners can and will contribute to your cause.

If you are in a concrete cleaning business using a pressure washer or steam cleaner perhaps you have considered how you can get new clientele through advertising. It is a difficult business to advertise because you deal with business customers and direct mail generally does not work too well.

However if you can get a list of the facilities maintenance people for all the properties in your community you may find yourself with a list of perfect people to mail to. Where can you get such a list? Well, you can get such a list from the county tax assessor of all the business properties. You might also get a list from a local industry guide. It is not easy to get a hold of all the facilities maintenance people and the property management companies to create a mailing list. But once you have that list it is as good as gold for your concrete cleaning business.

There are some ways to advertise a concrete cleaning business and one way that I recommend is to put a flyer insert in the Chamber of Commerce monthly newsletter. It should be a half sheet of paper and a unique color and your phone number should be in bold on the top and under that it should read please call for estimates. Consider this in 2006.