Slater's Garage Ads & Audio

ME TUBE

2007-02-13T09:18:00.000-05:00

Okay, I’m hooked. And no, it’s not American Idol this time. It’s YouTube.

As an “audio” guy, I didn’t much see the point in YouTube. Oh, sure, if I wanted to see some guy get hit in the groin by his kid playing Whiffle Ball ®, or footage of someone’s Uncle Murray hammered at their wedding, sure I’d log in. Free entertainment, why not? But as something to participate in? Something that can help my business? Nah. Not the audio guy. I’m certainly not qualified.

But hey, it’s called YouTube, as in (as I point to you) “you.” Whch means it’s as much for me to use as anyone. And the advantage of being there is huge. Look at their slogan: “Broadcast yourself.” Thousands and thousands of people are spending a lot of time watching silly videos instead of working, so why not show ‘em who I am, the same as anyone else?

I got a camcorder for Christmas, and until very recently, it’s been sitting on my desk, waiting for me to figure out what I wanted to film. Sure, I could learn to use it to make TV spots for some of my clients, making me a well-rounded advertising guy. And I’ll do that. But while I’m learning, how ‘bout I put together some videos of myself and my work, produce them, and stick ‘em on YouTube? I mean, you never know who might be watching, and how the word might spread. Hence the term “viral videos.” And if viral videos are so contagious, why not infect people with my stuff, too?

So, I invite you to check out some of my videos, and if you like, subscribe to my YouTube channel, so you can be notified when new ones are posted. They’ll get better, I swear.

Thanks to Nalts at www.willvideoforfood.com for helping me start the ball rolling, and thanks to our mutual friend Phil for putting me in touch with him. And just when I thought the influences of my youth were in the past. Damn.

QUESTION REALITY TV

2007-01-18T08:25:00.000-05:00

Another season of American Idol is underway, and I’m hopelessly addicted. Used to be that I just watched the early episodes to see all the really bad auditions. However, last season, the one with Taylor Hicks, the prematurely gray Joe Cocker channeler, was the first season I watched all the way through to the end.

Coincidentally, about the same time I started watching Idol, I quit watching Survivor. For most of Survivor’s run, I didn’t miss much of it. But it started getting dull right after the seasons with Rupert what’s-his-name. Boredom? No, Boneham. That’s right.

So, why is American Idol having its biggest season ever, and Survivor’s popularity waning? I think one of the reasons is that Idol is still about the contestants. The shower singers. The karaoke hounds. The people. You know, you and me. Survivor is about Survivor – the show, NOT the people on it.

The promos that run on Fox for American Idol say, “Look at these people!” Survivor says, “Look at our show!” For the past few seasons, Survivor has selected contestants who are more like the ones in previous seasons (and more like each other), and increasingly less interesting to me. And that’s why they lost me. I ran out of people to root for. Survivor tries to improve by changing the game, changing the challenges, changing the rules, changing the location. That show will improve when the contestants improve. The participants are screened and chosen by the show’s producers. Isn’t that how they choose actors for TV and film? That’s not reality. That’s Hollywood. I’d sooner watch if they drew contestants’ names from a hat.

Conversely, Idol contestants are average, random, could-be-your-next-door-neighbor types. Viewers see themselves and people they know reflected in some of those contestants, be they good singers or bad. Contestants progress by using their talent, and being better at being themselves than anyone else. That’s how American Idol pulls you in. They do give you someone to root for every week. Plus, we decide who advances. Here, the public has a say. They bring the concept of “me” into it, and that’s appealing to the millions of me’s who tune in every week.

I don’t know that I would ever audition for American Idol. What if I sucked? What if established professionals told you, “Stop pursuing your dream. Nooo, don’t even continue to practice. Just stop. Don’t even try anymore.” Could you tell someone that? Could you stand to hear that about yourself in an office setting, let alone before millions on TV?

Compared to that, eating bugs on a tropical island ain’t nuthin’.

CO-OPERATIVE DAYDREAMING

2006-12-12T08:23:00.000-05:00

I had lunch the other day with my web designer. We usually try to hook up once a month or so to see how things are going with my site, troubleshoot any problems, etc. This time, however, I had nothing major to report. In fact, I almost cancelled in the interest of saving ourselves valuable time. But we met anyway, and ended up just letting the conversation run itself.

That was the first good idea we had. Over the course of a couple hours, we came up with several others. Oh, sure, we started out with small talk: kids coming home for their winter break, the holidays, her camp at Sugarloaf. But eventually, we started riffing on each others’ businesses, and that was when things started getting good.

As a primarily one-man-show, I don’t have a staff, a boss, boardmembers or advisors. Which is good, because I can focus on satisfying the most important people in any business relationship: my customers. However, the downside is that I don’t always get the benefit of a multi-faceted view of my own business, except occasionally at lunchtime. And I’m very grateful for those lunchtime moments.

Talking with someone from outside my day-to-day dealings helps jar my though process from its usual path. One idea sparks another, which leads to another, and another, and pretty soon, I’m helping my web designer develop an innovative audio project for one of her other clients. Result? I get a new client, in a new medium, she upgrades a current client, and the client adds another facet to its online presence. Win-win-win.

There was no agenda for our meeting, no problems to solve, and no mountains to be moved. And I think that’s exactly when new ideas blossom – when we’re not specifically looking for them. It’s a shame you can’t schedule “co-operative daydreaming.”

Or can you?

BORDER'S PATROL

2006-10-19T15:36:00.000-05:00

I was at the bookstore today. Usually, when I leave the bookstore, I try to exit with fewer questions than when I enter. Today, however, I almost made a scene.

Would someone like to tell me why Larry the Cable Guy’s book Git-R-Done was on the “Hot Literature” shelf at Border’s right next to Bradbury’s classic Farenheit 451? To go from Bradbury to Hillbilly so suddenly when browsing can cause dain bramage. See? I mean, when the books are placed on the “featured reading” shelf, should they not, at the very least, be separated by a book that acts as some sort of buffer between the two? Something not-quite-fart-joke, but not-quite-serious… Bill Cosby’s Fatherhood, perhaps?

Oh, and while I smack my head against the wall pondering the social implications of Ray Bradbury sharing shelf space with a guy from the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, can you recommend a good book to read? Seriously.

DEAR GOLF COURSE

2006-10-04T14:02:00.000-05:00

Dear Golf Course:

I have quite a story to tell my friends about my recent experience at your club. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s one you’d want me to share.

I had the itch this afternoon, so I ditched work and decided I’d drive the 30 minutes out of my way to play your course. I got there at about 1:35pm, and saw a sign on your pro shop door that said, “Closed for tournament till 2:00.” So I went inside to see how long it might be till I could get out. Here’s how it went down, verbatim:

Lady in the pro shop: “May I help you?” (No smile, no “hello” -- addressed me the way I address telemarketers who call my house during dinner)

Me: (smiling – I always smile when I’m at a golf course) “Hi! I was hoping to get out and shoot a quick nine this afternoon.”

She: “We’re closed until two for a tournament.”

Me: “Oh, people are still teeing off?”

She: “Well, no, they’re out on the course…”

Me: “Oh, they’re making the turn?” (it’s a 9-hole course, so to play 18 holes, you have to play 9 twice… so “making the turn” means going from hole #9 back to hole #1 to start the 2^nd half… Anyway…)

She: “No, they only have two or three holes left to play.”

Me: “So, if I teed off on #1, would I be in anyone’s way?”

She: “Well, I don’t have permission to open the course.”

Me: “Okay, well, in that case, I’m gonna go find someplace else to play.”

Yeah, I know, I could have played if I hung around for another twenty minutes. It would have taken me 15 minutes to pay, go back to the car, change my shoes, and get my clubs, and by then, we’d have been close to the 2pm mark. I still chose to leave. I felt unwelcome.

If your staff had invited me to hang around, practice on the putting green, hit a few at the driving range, or have a quick beer, I assuredly would have. If the lady in the shop had said, “Oh, I’m sorry. You’re a little early. Why don’t you get your clubs out of the car, and I’ll check with the manager to see when you can tee off,” I’d be telling a completely different story.

I like your course very much. It truly is one of the nicer places to play in the area. However, from the moment I came in, I felt denied. Please accept my apologies. I hope you’ll understand if I don’t return.

Regards,
Disappointed Duffer

This just happened to me, barely an hour ago. And I will send this letter, as soon as I’m done here. If I ever got a letter like this from a client, I would be positively mortified. Customer service, to me, is everything. As a business owner, I will do anything to accommodate a client. Not just because I want to help them, but because I know that the experience they take with them when they leave becomes a story they tell to everyone they talk to afterwards. That story then becomes the image of my business. And that image could be favorable, or not. I’d prefer it were. So I smile. I say thank you. I make people glad they called. And I try to give them a good story to tell.

NOISEMAKERS

2006-10-02T08:14:00.000-05:00

I like the Beatles. My wife doesn’t. For reasons that have eluded me since I’ve known her, I don’t know why. Our debate rages on every time a song of theirs comes on. However, like ‘em or not, the Fab Four would be “Nowhere Men” (ouch… sorry about that), if they’d never played a note. Neither loved, nor hated. Just four lads from Liverpool.

Would a politician get elected, or even become a candidate, if he said nothing at all?

Would Richard Pryor be considered a genius if he never told a joke?

Would your baby have her diaper changed if she didn’t cry on occasion?

Would your broken toilet get fixed if you didn’t hear it running?

Would you wake up on time if the alarm didn’t ring?

People respond to noise, both pleasing and irritating. That’s the key: Whether it affects them positively or negatively, people respond. True, not everyone likes Richard Pryor. But like him or not, you gotta admit he was a revolutionary. Because the noise he made caused an emotional reaction from those who heard him. Maybe they laughed, maybe they bought his records, or maybe they got angry and walked out of the club where he was performing. But what most people didn’t do, was nothing.

As an advertiser, do you want your commercial to make people do nothing? Obviously not. An ad that doesn’t compel is an ad wasted. Compel me to buy. Compel me to call. Compel me to stop in. Compel me to complain. But make some noise – something that gets people to respond, in some way.

I promise you this: You’re gonna hear me making a lot more noise in the coming months.

CONTACT US

2006-07-25T13:20:00.000-05:00

For all the businesses and products a person uses these days, almost all of them have websites. Granted, you almost never have a good reason to visit the website of your favorite coffee or potato chip.

Almost.

I’m on a new kick lately. I’ve been going to those websites, and clicking the “Contact Us” link to send ‘em an e-mail. And I do this whether I’m particularly pleased OR displeased with the product. And it’s been paying off. Not that I’m doing this for restitution, you understand. It’s just that in days past, to send feedback meant writing a letter, stamping it, and mailing it, and now, the internet just makes it so easy. And I believe these companies want to hear from me. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have asked for feedback, right?

I recently was treated, in my opinion, poorly by a major airline while traveling with my kids from Maine to Phoenix. Long story short, through no choice of my own (obviously) I had to spend 18+ hours in the Newark airport, and the airline did very little to accommodate us during our ordeal. So, I explained our situation in a firm, but civilized e-mail. Within the week, I received a letter of apology, a phone call, and a voucher for several dollars off our next flight. Not that I’ll necessarily be using that airline again, because after all, once bitten, as they say. Point is, I spoke up, and they did what they thought they could do to make it right. And I feel better having said something, rather than shrugging my shoulders and saying, to no one: “Eh, whaddaya gonna do?”

My family has a favorite potato chip brand – Sea Salt and Vinegar flavored. We bought a bag, and they didn’t taste as “salty and vinegary” as they usually did. So I told ‘em very nicely, in a well-constructed e-mail. Asked them if they’d changed the recipe, or if we just happened to get a bum batch. Got a letter back within the week, and my coupon for a replacement bag arrived a few days ago.

It works with positive reinforcement, too. I’ve been loyal to a particular brand of coffee since college, and I recently wrote to let them know that I think they make a superior product. My freebie coupon came this morning.

I’m still waiting for the letter and (fingers crossed) free coupon from my favorite beer company, and next up, a nice letter to one of the major car companies who’s treated us right over the years. But that may be hoping against hope.

So, lest you think I’m just looking for free stuff, that’s not entirely the case. As a business owner, I count on my customers’ feedback to tell me what they like and don’t like about the services I provide. It helps me operate a better business, and any improvements I make will only help my business grow. True, it’s kinda cool getting a free pound of my favorite coffee, or a few dollars off my next airfare, but more importantly, I think the people who run these businesses need to hear from the people who patronize them.

Try it yourself sometime… Visit the website of your favorite snack, beer, clothing store, what-have-you, and click on the “Contact Us” page. Explain why you like their product, and why you keep buying from them… or why you’re no longer a fan. But be nice. “More flies with honey,” remember?

I’d love to hear how you made out.

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY

2006-02-02T14:38:00.000-05:00

February 1 of this year, Slater’s Garage Ads and Audio celebrated its first full year in business. It was a wild ride, indeed. Actually, the ride wasn’t that wild, but that’s what you’re supposed to say when reflecting on a particular passage of time. I can tell you, for sure, that Year One was enough of a success to warrant a Year Two. And before I get to the meat of this entry, I want to say thanks to my clients, friends, and family, without whose support I never would have made it this far.

While the “ride” of the past year wasn’t necessarily “wild,” per se, it certainly was a learning experience, both good and bad. For example, in the past year of self employment, I learned:

Lots of things are tax deductible.
Do what you say you’ll do. If you can’t do it, don’t say you will.
Don’t leave the microphone on when the speakers are turned up.
Dogs only bark when you’re trying to record something important.
Dial-up is for suckers.
It’s tough to find enough things to write about to keep a blog adequately updated.
Passion in life is everything. Nothing… nothing beats being able to do what you love.
Overdeliver.
Paypal is a pretty handy service. Hopefully more people will learn this in Year Two.
Everyone should have the persistence of the squirrel at the bird feeder outside my office window.
If at all possible, attend work in your pajamas. Hugh Hefner is so right about that.
Have a plan every day, and work it. It’s really easy to get distracted on a nice, sunny July day. Or a dreary, raw February day. Or a moderately cool day in September with a few clouds and maybe a passing shower in the afternoon.
The ads you’re used to hearing on the radio will not work. The buying public is wise to “the way we’ve always done it” in this business. There’s a new language of advertising out there – a new way to win your customers (and prospective customers) over. Wanna talk about it? Give me a call.
Stuff still really does get lost in the mail. Not as often as some people lead you to believe, but it happens.
The music of Steely Dan cures depression, upset stomach, headaches, and male pattern baldness.
Great advertising is not about the advertiser. It’s about the customer.
Carpet installation is really tough work.

And finally, even though I learned this prior to the past year:
Everyone needs three things to lead a full life: Something to do, someone to love, and something to look forward to.

So, at the end of Year One, I’m looking forward to what I'm going to learn in Year Two, and I’m looking forward to sharing more of it with you here.

Brett Slater - 02/02/06

15 SECOND MEALS

2005-09-27T17:11:00.000-05:00

I had a stupendous dinner last week. In fact, I cooked a stupendous dinner. My wife coached me on what to do while on her cell phone on her way home from work one evening. I prepared, cooked, and served to my family, and it was a dish I’d never had before. As we sat scratching our full bellies after the meal, I asked the missus where she got the recipe.

“On TV.”

“Oh. Rachael Ray? Alton Brown? Emeril?”

“No, I got it from a commercial. No, wait. In fact, it was a 15-second FoodTV promo.”

“You got that recipe in 15 seconds? Did you write it down?”

“No.”

“Well, how did you remember it?”

“I saw it a few times, and finally decided to make it.”

And clients still try to tell me that 30 seconds isn’t enough time for an effective commercial. Bull. With the right message repeated enough times, you can make your point in very little time, indeed. Case in point, naysayers: I made a delicious supper for my family using a recipe gleaned from a 15-second promo on TV!

It isn’t hard to present a recipe, or any message in 15 seconds. You just have to know who you want to reach, and what you want them to know. And you must understand that their time is valuable – so you gotta make your point.

That’s what FoodTV knew about us. They knew that as regular FoodTV viewers, my wife and I like to cook, are interested in new recipes, and know our way (more or less) around a kitchen. They didn’t waste our time with step-by-step instructions on how to cook pasta, how to chop garlic, or how to choose a tomato. Granted, the recipe wasn’t fancy, and wasn’t difficult. It was a great “middle-of-the-week-I-don’t-know-what-do-you-wanna-have” meal. But to my wife and me, it was remarkable. We agreed we’d have it again, and we both remember how to make it next time.

Advertisers, do you see what I’m getting at? Tell the right people what they want to know, don’t let ‘em forget where they heard it, and YOU WILL MAKE A LASTING IMPRESSION!

And here’s the recipe, by the way: Put a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a pan, saute a couple cloves of garlic and some onion. Dice about half a dozen tomatoes and add to the saute until everything’s warmed though. Season to taste, and toss with your favorite pasta. Light, easy, and really quick.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I smell something burning.

DIRTY THIRTY (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Get Out of Radio)

2005-09-11T19:48:00.000-05:00

This post is liable to piss off a lot of people, a lot of whom I worked with, and worked for. But it will also be helpful to many, particularly if they believe they have something to learn about how radio is evolving and, dare I say, growing.

I’m sure everyone in the industry has heard about “Less is More” by now. About a year ago, my former employer, Clear Channel Communications, spearheaded an effort to cut down on ad clutter by promoting the use of 30-second ads as opposed to 60-second ads. The philosophy makes absolute sense to me: Shorter spots and fewer spots in each break means more demand for ad time, hence higher spot rates, ultimately equalling more revenue and more time spent listening for radio stations, and more content for listeners.

Personally, I love the idea. Let me rephrase: I LOVE THE IDEA!! But I’m afraid that few others I’ve met in the business have “bought in” as fully as I have, and I’m honestly not sure why. Could it be because radio reps are afraid to go to a client and tell a story that sounds like their ads are being cut in half? Could it be fear of change? Or fear of the unknown? Or could it be because the majority of sales reps I’ve worked with in the past are nothing more than ordinary sales reps, as in “I represent selling, sales, and those items sold, and nothing more.” I believe it’s all of the above.

When you cut an ad down from 60 to 30 seconds, you’re doing more than merely shortening a commercial. You’re changing the dynamic of how that ad works. No longer can you leisurely take your time getting to an advertiser’s core message. With TiVo, DVD, satellite, internet, iPods, yadda-yadda-yadda, now more than ever, consumers are saying, “Cut the crap, and make your point, already, otherwise, I’m focusing my attention elsewhere.”

The Story -- Don’t go in to see a client/prospect/advertiser with bad news: “We’re cutting down our/your ads as part of this new initiative that ‘Corporate’ is making us do.” Bad, bad, bad. You already sound like you don’t believe there’s value in what you’re offering. Ya gotta trust that this initiative is a help, not a hindrance. As Yoda said when Luke admitted his disbelief in the power of The Force, “That is why you fail.” Try this instead: “We’ve found a way to make your business more visible on our station(s) than ever before.” Ooh… sounds intriguing, huh? Increased visibility? Heck, yeah, tell me how!

The 30-Second Spot – It is not, NOT a matter of bringing the current 60-second spot to the producer/copywriter and saying, “Here, cut this down to a 30.” They don’t work the same way. With 60’s, copywriters and producers had the luxury of extra time to persuade, enlighten, and develop ideas. With a 30, you have to get in, make your impression, get out, and leave the listener something -- one thing – to remember. Not a list of services, phone numbers, hours of operation, etc. If nothing else, at least remember:

The Most Important Thing About ANY Business: The name. What’s the name of the insurance company with the duck? How about the one with the gecko? In both instances, these companies have given you great, simple ways to help you remember who they are. That’s a shining example of what 30-second ads are designed to do. Not explain, but rather, remind. One point, uniquely presented, and often repeated, will make a more lasting impression than laundry-list ads riddled with erroneous information that isn’t retained by the listener/consumer.

Me? I’ll encourage my clients to use 30-second ads. It’s the way TV viewers and radio listeners are thinking these days, “Make your point quickly, make me remember it, and I’ll become a customer.” Plus, the public will appreciate us not wasting their time. Will I still do 60’s? Yup -- when necessary, and when appropriate. There are times when an advertiser will want to explain a service, introduce a product, or drive a message home when a little more time may be needed to say what they have to say. The key is knowing when to say 60, when to say 30… and when to say 15, or 10, or 5, or even 1. Yeah, there are one-second ads now. Talk about getting to the point in a hurry, huh?

So, anyhoo, there’s your mission, as an advertising consultant. Got that? You’re not a sales rep anymore. You’ve been promoted. Congrats. You’re an advertising consultant now, and you’d better start thinking in those terms if you’re gonna make this “Less is More” thing work – for you, and your clients.

What's the Difference?

2005-08-25T15:28:00.000-05:00

“But we’re different.”

I hear this from clients all the time. I think it’s great. A business owner can’t succeed unless he has that attitude. And it’s my job to help them define that difference, and then let potential customers know that experiencing that difference will make their lives better.

And that’s usually where my challenge lies. In response to the above declaration, I’ll ask, “Okay, how are you different?”

“We have great customer service… We have a wide selection… We have 0% financing… We’re open Saturdays… We’re the biggest… Our expert staff is professionally trained…” I’m sure that’s all true, but everyone has that stuff. And while you may actually have the best customer service, no competing business would ever admit they didn’t. And besides, every customer has his or her own idea of great customer service.

Lately, I’ve taken to playing a bit of a game with a few of my more understanding clients. When we’re trying to find a unique selling point for their advertising, and we get to talking about things that set them apart, I often counter with a couple very simple “customer questions:” So what? and Why? to help bring the picture into clearer focus.

For example, Me: “What do you guys offer that no other mattress supplier in the area has?”

They: “The Springless Supercoil 2000.”

Me: “So what?”

They: “So, it’s the best mattress on the market!”

Me: “Why?”

They: “Because it responds to a person’s sleep cycle, and offers support based on an individual’s body type.”

Me: “So what?”

They: “So, whoever uses this mattress will get a better night’s sleep, cause they won’t be tossing and turning trying to get comfortable. The mattress knows how you like to sleep.”

Eureka. Now we’ve uncovered a unique selling point that’s pertinent to the customer. Instead of just saying, “We have a great mattress, come shop here,” we now have a reason why you need to get this mattress -- in a way that's meaningful to the customer. From here, creating an effective ad campaign is a snap. Maybe something along the lines of:

“I know you’re not getting enough sleep. I know you spend night after night tossing and turning, sometimes lying awake for hours, going through your days sore and unrested. But I can fix it. How? Because I’m the Springless Supercoil 2000 mattress, and I’m designed to respond to your sleep cycle and your body type. Need more support? I’ll give it to you. You’ll sleep long, and you’ll sleep hard. Eight hours? No problem. Take nine or ten, if you like. You’ll wake rested, and you’ll feel better. Because I’m the Springless Supercoil 2000, and I know how you like to sleep.”

Does that mean that once this ad starts running our mattress shop is gonna throw open their doors and thunderous herds of poorly rested shoppers will be lining up to get their good night’s rest? Not quite. There are other factors that contribute to the success of an ad campaign… where to run the ad, how often, how many months, etc. But we have defined what our fictional mattress shop has to offer (Springless Supercoil 2000), who can use it (the unrested), and why they benefit (individualized support).

So what, you ask?

Tellya next time, wise guy.

Who Am I?

2005-08-11T11:50:00.000-05:00

I’m someone very important in your life. I’m someone you want to impress. And it’s likely that you have never even met me. But I assure you, there are few people more important to you than me.

I am your Next Potential Customer. I’m the next guy who needs what you’re selling. Doesn’t matter what it is -- a car, a lawnmower, insurance, a hat, a meal… What does matter is that I have a great big wad of cash, and I’m ready to buy now! Matter of fact, as we speak, I’m thinking about where to go to buy what I need. Maybe I know the place to find it. Maybe I’ll shop around. And maybe, eventually, I’ll get around to visiting your business…

Unless I find what I need before I think of your business. But you do not want that.

I am your Next Potential Customer. Your mission, should you choose to accept it: Make me think of you first when I need what you offer.

Advertising is the only way, save for blind luck, for the buying public to learn what you have to offer them. The trick is to make your ads stand out, so that I, your Next Potential Customer, think of you when I need what you sell. A hundred places do what you do. And if you listen to their ads, you’ll notice they all have “friendly customer service,” they’re all “conveniently located” somewhere, and they all have “the best selection.” I’ve heard those words so often they don’t mean anything anymore. So how do I, your Next Potential Customer, tell you apart from your competitors?

Your ad copy must be fresh. Use powerful, effective words that touch my mind and my heart. You must, MUST speak to me about me. Not about you. I don’t care that you’ve been in business since 1855, or that you have qualified technicians, or that you won the Bunsen Prize three years running. I care about my needs. When you’re ready to talk to me about how you can help fulfill them, I’ll be ready to listen.

So, advertise. Your business is unique; tell me why, and tell me often. I am your Next Potential Customer. Persuade me. Seduce me. Use language that makes me remember you. But make it about me, and I’ll be right there, money in hand, I promise.

*Thanks to Michael Coleman, radio ad-man extraordinaire, with whom I had a recent conversation which inspired this post

As Easy As Falling Off A Blog

2005-08-09T11:34:00.000-05:00

Hey, look at me, everybody! I’m “blogging!” All the articles I’ve been reading talk about how small businesses like this need to take every advantage to maximize their web presence. They say a website is simply not enough. You have to cross-reference your site with others to increase exposure and gain traffic from other areas.

And they say one way is by having your own blog.

“Blog,” apparently is short for “weblog,” I have recently learned. It’s essentially a place where one can post, well, pretty much anything. Journal entries, idle ramblings, recipes, movie reviews – whatever. But, being that this one is supposed to help me promote my business, Slater’s Garage Ads and Audio, the majority of my posts will likely pertain to ads, audio, and related topics.

This entry, however, is primarily an introduction of myself to you, an invitation for you to visit my website, www.slatersgarage.com, and frankly, to see if I can actually post something to my brand-new blog. Which, apparently, it seems that I can.

Pretty easy, indeed.

"In advertising not to be different is virtually suicidal." - William Bernbach