Direct Response Marketing Expert Says: 'Your Advertising Stinks!'

Direct response marketing expert Ryan Healy explains why most advertising is a waste of money.

Littleton, CO (PRWEB) August 15, 2006 -- Direct response marketing is too often overlooked by small business owners everywhere, says Ryan Healy, a full-time freelance copywriter based in Littleton, Colorado. In most cases, advertising dollars are completely wasted on ads that don't work.

A lot of small businesses mimic the advertisements they're used to seeing. So they create flashy image ads to 'build brand awareness.' Unfortunately, they don't realize that what works for companies with multi-million dollar ad budgets doesn't work for small businesses.

Why does this happen?

"A lot of small businesses mimic the advertisements they're used to seeing. So they create flashy image ads to 'build brand awareness.' Unfortunately, they don't realize that what works for companies with multi-million dollar ad budgets doesn't work for small businesses."

Healy says the first step in creating ads that work is recognizing the difference between branding and direct response marketing.

Branding is characterized by pictures, logos, and slogans. Rarely is there a call to action. For instance, pick any of the multi-million dollar ads that run during the Superbowl every year and you'll have a good example of a branding ad.

Direct response marketing, on the other hand, is designed to elicit an immediate response from the prospect, either by phone, mail, or email. Effective direct response advertisements always have a clear call to action. Infomercials fall into this category. So do long-form sales letters that may turn up in your mailbox from time to time.

"Once you start to analyze the ads you see every day, it's very easy to tell the differences between branding and direct response. With branding, the company is trying to create a positive impression so you'll think of their product first if you ever need one like it. But with direct response advertising, the goal is to get an immediate sale. The consumer must pull out his wallet and buy on the spot."

So why does all of this matter? Healy says it's because most businesses use their marketing dollars for branding, even though they don't have ad budgets that are big enough to brand effectively.

"A branding ad may have to be repeated hundreds of times before it begins to make an impact. But a well-crafted direct response advertisement makes an immediate impact, which is extremely important for entrepreneurs who have limited marketing budgets."

What kinds of businesses can benefit the most from direct response marketing?

Healy says all of them: large business, small business, start-ups, non-profits, B2B, and B2C. "Pick any business, apply direct response principles, and it's almost guaranteed that advertising ROI will increase--sometimes as much as 400 percent."

Ryan Healy is a full-time freelance copywriter who specializes in direct response marketing. He writes sales letter and ads for a number businesses across the U.S.

Before launching his freelance career, Healy spent three years writing sales and marketing material for Sonlight Curriculum, a homeschooling company based in Littleton, Colorado.

His clients include Internet marketer Alex Mandossian, Nightingale-Conant author John Eliot, Ph.D., and The Hypnosis Network.

To learn how to write effective direct response advertisements, please request a copy of the free report The 7 Critical Elements of a Killer Direct Response Ad at www.CopywritingCode.com

To request an interview and download sample interview questions, please visit www.CopywritingCode.com/media.html

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