What will help you most?

DIY tools to do ads, sales sheets, etc. WITHIN your small budget… and get better results.

You can’t afford an ad agency.

You need more sales. But you're a small business with a VERY small budget. So you do your ads, brochures, whatever yourself. And you’re never quite confident it’s right.

Fire ten bullets blindfolded, or three with one eye open?

Consider: 85% of ALL advertising is ignored (ad agency ads too). Fewer “bullets” with clear aim IS better, even when you do the aiming.

The secrets (not real secret) are fear/greed, how people “read” your message and efficient message delivery. How do I know those three put you in the 15% that isn’t ignored and gets enough attention to sell?

You're a medium (or small) ad agency.

A new business gold mine (Gallo Wines). Very few others are.

Hal Riney had to do a new Gallo TV spot about every other week. Drove him nuts but kept the coffers very full.

Idea production efficiency comes from understanding us.

There are certain ways every person gathers information, developed over eons of self-preservation. And there are two motivations that make them stop what they are doing and pay attention to your uninvited interruption: fear and greed.

Motivating your staff is easy. (And the check is in the mail.)

How do I know it is a challenge to motivate and lead a successful ad agency? I motivated (and grew into) a staff of two, five, twelve, 20 and then 26. There were creative, account service, office, media, tech types and production people.

Lead first, then manage.

A manager says, "You’re doing this, you need to do better." A leader says, "We're here, but we could be great! Here's how we'll accomplish this."
A leader knows the performance numbers, but doesn't use them to motivate. Numbers by themselves don't motivate. Pride in accomplishment motivates.
With analysis of the business operation, and the type of employees that operation chooses (the ones who like their work), pride in accomplishment becomes the factor that produces outstanding effort and better results.

Manage Perceived Value