Ad Insights by your Naples Ad Agency

Occupy Wall Street Naples Fun

2011-10-28T20:46:00.012-04:00

Having a little fun at the "Occupy Wall Street" rally in Naples, Florida on October 15th.

As a graphic designer, I am not proud of the aesthetics of these signs, however I'm proud of the fact I whipped them up hastily during the 1st half of the Ohio St game at a nearby restaurant.

Many who have seen the pictures asked me if anyone objected or said anything. The answer is no. I kept a straight face and didn't talk to anybody. I am under the impression that folks either didn't read the signs, figured I was on their side but I was more whacked than they were, or they agreed with me.

Anyhow, below are a few photos of my day at the rally.

Straight Answers About Direct Mail

2011-04-04T19:31:00.012-04:00

If you could get your company's message in the hands of a prime member of your target market for less than $.75 each, would you be interested?

Post card direct mail campaigns offers this opportunity. If executed properly, you can expect a response rate of between 10% and .5%, depending on the quality of your mail list and the strength of your offer.

Here are the 3 steps that comprise a direct mail campaign and the associated cost.
1. Identify your market. As an example, your company washes and grooms dogs.

Your first step is to pay for a list of all dog owners in Collier County. In addition, I want to cater to higher end clients, so I narrow my list to homeowners with home values over $250,000.

List cost start around $100 per 1000, and increase as you add layers of parameters to your request.

2. Design and print a postcard. This piece has about 45 seconds between the mail box and garbage to pique the interest of your customer. This is achieved with eye-catching graphics accompanied by a hard-to-resist offer and a deadline to respond.
Design cost $100. Print cost for 1000, 8.5" x 5.5" postcards, $175.

3. Send the postcards to a direct mail distributor. This company will let you borrow their bulk mail permit number, which your graphic designer included as part of the card design. The distributor will address each card using the list you provide him, and sort the mail by zip code or mail carrier route.
You will pay the standard presort postage rate of between $.19 and $.24 ea. The distributor's fee is about $.10 per card.

Campaign Breakdown for 1000 postcards
List Cost - $150
Postcard design and print- $275
Distributor fees - $100
Postage - $220
Total cost - $745 or $.74 per potential customer.

If 3% of you list to responds, you will receive 30 phone calls for your efforts. If you are a good salesperson and convince half the responders to become clients, and you provide good service, you'll obtain 15 long term customers at a cost of $50 each.

Where do you find all these different people to help with a direct mail campaign? Contact me and I will execute the entire process for you. I provide up-to-date mail lists and use dependable distributors.

Now that is a marking campaign that'll give you something to bark about!

Dave Horton
Dave Horton Advertising
See http://davehortonads.com/ or visit me on Facebook
Email me at davehortonads@gmail.com

Free Logo Art From Any Company

2010-10-22T09:55:00.009-04:00

Have you ever faced a dead end when searching on line for a company logo? Say you are working on a project and the logo art provided for you is low resolution and can't be used. Maybe you need your favorite sport's team logo in high resolution.

Brands of the World is the world's largest library of brand logos in vector format available to download for free.

After creating an account, simply type in the company's name in the search area and the vector logo and variations of it will appear. Then click download and save the logo to your file.

Be sure to read the intellectual property of the copyright rules associated with use of any logo.

Dave Horton
Dave Horton Advertising

See http://davehortonads.com/ or visit me on Facebook

Email me at davehortonads@gmail.com

The Easiest Way To Fix Photo Red-Eye

2010-10-14T09:51:00.012-04:00

An otherwise great photo is ruined by red-eye. You don't have Photoshop, and you try to color the eyes with a cheap Paint program, only to find your efforts makes your subjects look like Zombies.

A FREE and easy way to fix red eye is by using Picnik, an online photo editing service. See how I edited a photo using Picnik.

1. Go to the Picnik website and click Get Started Now!, then on the next page click Upload a photo.

2. Once your photo is displayed, tell Picnik whether the subject is a human or furball.

3. Hover the tool above each eye and click once. Picnik automatically fixes each eye.

4. Save photo. It's that easy!

Picnik also offers other photo editing tools such as cropping, rotating, color adjustments, exposure and auto-fix.

If you have difficult photo restoration that can't be solved with Picnik, please contact me, as I can do cool stuff like eliminate ex-spouses out of family photos or add a person to a staff photo who was absent on picture day.

Dave Horton
Dave Horton Advertising

See http://davehortonads.com/ or visit me on Facebook

Email me at davehortonads@gmail.com

Why Not Just Pay To Be #1

2010-08-26T13:24:00.008-04:00

As I discussed in a previous blog, being on Google Page 1 is very important if you wish to reach your target market. There are two ways to get to Page 1, either by natural search listing, or pay to appear on Page 1.

Effective natural search listing is done through skillful SEO (Search Engine Optimization) using proper meta tags, keywords and other tools.

Sponsored links are pay-per-click listings that appear on Google page 1, usually on the right side of the page or in a pink box. No SEO work is needed to achieve this ideal position.

It's easier to pay and get results immediately, but is this the correct decision?

A recent Google study found that searchers were 72% more likely to click on a listing that is naturally ranked than a pay-per-click listing.

Why?

Searchers know that natural listings have been vetted by a secret Google algorithm which ranks sites by relevance. Searcher know a naturally listed site is more relevant because it's position was earned, not bought.

Why I am most qualified to build your website or tune up your existing poor performing site?

As an exercise, type "Naples Advertising Agency" into Google.

You will find my company in the all-important #1 position. My #1 position is extra cool since advertising agencies are the pros at SEO. There are many ad agencies below me in Google that brag about their SEO talents. Why are they not above me in their own category?

Dave Horton
Dave Horton Advertising

See http://davehortonads.com/ or visit me on Facebook

Email me at davehortonads@gmail.com

Stimulating Sign Savings

2010-07-13T21:24:00.022-04:00

Across America, every road project paid for with federal stimulus money will have one detail in common: a big green sign that advertises your tax dollars at work.

In New York, the biggest, 84-square-foot signs could cost up to $8,300 each to make ($98 per square foot.)

I could save the taxpayers of New York $7,208 per sign as I can make an 84 square foot sign for only $1092 ($13 per square foot.) In addition, I could bring commute time pleasure to motorists with a more pleasing and logically arranged sign, like this one I designed for a construction client in Naples.

My signs are created on my desktop computer using the latest graphics programs, and outputted on full color vinyl, laminated and mounted on either treated wood, PVC board or metal. Signs I create include a 3 year full warranty.

When calling for your next sign, please ask the sign company how much a sign costs per square foot. If their cost is over $13 per square foot, you are paying too much, like the tax payers in New York.

See some additional signs I've designed and installed on my website.

Dave Horton
Dave Horton Advertising

See http://davehortonads.com/ or visit me on Facebook

Email me at davehortonads@gmail.com

Signs Without The Hassle

2010-06-04T11:35:00.013-04:00

"I just put up a sign for my business, and code enforcement busted me the next day!"

I've heard this refrain from clients countless times over the years.

To counter this problem with an effective advertising tool, I've recommend using roadside "Human Billboards" to many clients.

Here are the 3 reasons why...

1. Motion attracts attention. People are inundated with still images everywhere they look, and when they see something moving, it catches their eye. In addition, a simple message with a moving arrow creates awareness and an immediate call to action.

2. Cost. A 2' x 4' sign only cost about $200 and it's a one time expense. The cost for a billboard on a major road in Naples begin at over $1000 per month.

3. No permits are needed. According to Diana Compagnone, Collier County Sign Reviewer, the only restrictions for human billboards are "Signs need to be hand held, and off the road or on the sidewalk and pose no danger to vehicles."

The Black Eyed Pig BBQ Restaurant is located just off Pine Ridge Rd. Owner Carl Osborne estimates business has increased over 20% since he began using a human billboard I designed.

If you want to increase traffic to your business in this cost effective manner, contact me for a free consultation today.

Dave Horton
Dave Horton Advertising

See http://davehortonads.com/ or visit me on Facebook

Email me at davehortonads@gmail.com

Know Your Place!

2010-05-21T07:12:00.013-04:00

Still can't get your business onto Google page 1?

Google Places is a feature that will get your business listed on a map that appears on page 1 of Google. And it's FREE!

When someone initates a Google search, a map appears with locations pinpointed with a link to an informational page with details such as your contact info, description, business categories, operation hours, payment options, photos, videos, custom info and even a hyperlink to your own web page. You can even add coupons to your Google Places listing.

In addition, Google offers a personalized dashboard within Google Places that includes data about how many times people have found your business on Google, what keywords they used to find it and even what areas people traveled from to visit your business. This great marketing tool can help you make decisions within your own business. You can concentrate your efforts to fill the demands that Google search says people are looking for.

My clients have moved to page 1, you can easily do so too. Please contact me if you need assistance with Google Places.

Dave Horton
Dave Horton Advertising

See http://davehortonads.com/ or visit me on Facebook

Email me at davehortonads@gmail.com

Why Number 11 Is Bad For Business

2010-05-13T23:34:00.030-04:00

When conducting an online search, the first page on Google includes 10 entries. The click through rate to page 2 is an astonishing low 0.66%.

Ouch!

Number 11 gets you to the top of page 2, but realistically, less than 1% of your potential customers will ever see your listing.

There are 2 distinct ways to get on Google page 1

1. Google Adwords. With this method, you set your own daily budget and you pay a set amount for certain search words that your customers may use when looking for your service or product. This can cost as low as a couple pennies per click, up to over $50 per click.

2. SEO or Search Engine Optimization. This method involves many different "tune ups" to your website, many of which I discussed previously. Executed properly, your website can move up to page 1.

Here are some websites I designed and preformed my magic with SEO. Listed first is the website, next are the key words that potential customers would most likely use.

Black Eyed Pig Restaurant Naples Barbecue Restaurant
Ardent Manor Naples Adult Day Care
Mega Kids Naples Naples Childrens Furniture
Clearview Naples Naples Retractable Screens
and...
Dave Horton Advertising Naples Advertising Agency

There are many ad agencies below me in Google rankings that brag about their SEO talents. Why are they not above me in their own category?

If your website is #11 (or worse), please contact me for a free consultation. I can give you a few pointers on how you can improve your Google rankings yourself.

Dave Horton
Dave Horton Advertising

See http://davehortonads.com/ or visit me on Facebook

Email me at davehortonads@gmail.com

Know Who You're Talking To

2010-05-03T14:52:00.013-04:00

"Know who your market is, and deliver a message they want to hear," is a basic rule of advertising. At the onset of any ad campaign, I specifically identify who my client is trying to sell to, and develop a message that will please that target. Making a customer happy leads to sales.

Here are 2 samples to illustrate this point. The first video is a clear example of a message that clearly alienates the target market.

The Dixie Chicks have sold millions of records to conservative, rural and mostly patriotic Americans. Whether or not the Dixie Chick's message is correct is irrelevant. Their message repulsed their target market. Negative backlash and loss of revenue is the result.

On the other hand, another group, Greenday touted the same message, but with a strikingly more positive response.

Greenday did their bashing to a crowd of young, disenfranchised liberals. The response is positive and Greenday is a commercial success because they know who their customers are and give them a message they enjoy.

As a marketer, I am embarrassed the Dixie Chick didn't heed my advice.

Dave Horton
Dave Horton Advertising

See http://davehortonads.com/ or visit me on Facebook

Email me at davehortonads@gmail.com

Facebook Photo Fun

2010-04-21T10:07:00.012-04:00

Your Facebook profile photo can be more than just a standard head shot. If you want to be creative on your Profile Page or if you have an Official Page (formerly Fan Page), You can enhance your brand and differentiate yourself by creating and inserting a large, vertical profile photo.

When you download a profile photo, Facebook automatically reduces or enlarges it to 200 pixels wide. The height of the photo will resize proportionally. Most head shots are square, or nearly so. This means most Facebook profile photos measure 200 pixels wide and 200 pixels tall.

Facebook allows photos to be 600 pixels tall. This extra 400 pixels can be used in many creative ways.

1. If this is your personal page, you can use a full body photo, or maybe a wide family photo, and turn it sideways on the Facebook page. You can also eliminate the background in your photo, creating a cool "floating in air" effect.

2. You can use your head shot and put a poem or inspirational saying below, or even your contact info.

3. If this is your Official Page, you certainly need your logo, your company slogan, maybe a head shot and even your contact info. This space can become your Facebook business card.

Photoshop is the ideal tool you can use to manipulate your photo. I understand most non-graphic designers do not use this program. Thus, I am offering to custom design your profile photo for any Fans on my Facebook page, or followers on my blog. Simply email your photo to me at davehortonads@gmail.com Please send any specific instructions as well.

Dave Horton
Dave Horton Advertising

See http://davehortonads.com/ or visit me on Facebook

Email me at davehortonads@gmail.com

A Good First Impression for $59

2010-04-12T17:10:00.008-04:00

Your first impression to a potential client will usually determines whether he will do business with you in the future or not. Your business card is an inexpensive self-promotion tool that allow you to stand out from the pack and give yourself an edge. A well designed business card printed on a quality card stock shows that you value the quality of your work and that you are likely to offer the same service to customers. A poorly designed card on cheap paper serves as a warning to others that you cut corners promoting yourself, and will probably do the same with customer's work.

"I can do it myself. I have Publisher!" I hear many say when I offer to design and print cards for them. Most times their well intended efforts yield poor results after many hours of frustration and wasted time.

Below offers a typical example of a home made card a client put together and the card I designed and printed for him.

I design, assemble and print 1000 business cards printed on 14pt. UV coated card stock (the glossy cards) for only $59. This offer is extended to anyone in the United States.

Become a follower of my blog in the month of April. On May 1st, a random follower will receive 1000 FREE Business Cards.

Dave Horton
Dave Horton Advertising

See http://davehortonads.com/ or visit me on Facebook

Email me at davehortonads@gmail.com

Please Stand By

2010-03-24T00:05:00.011-04:00

A great way to save 50% - 80% off regular advertising rates is by running a "Stand-By Ad".

A stand-by ad is a print advertisement that a newspaper or magazine uses when, hours before press run, "holes" in the publication appear that requires ads for filler. If you submit a stand-by ad and it is ready to print, the ad can run at a huge discount.

The downside, of course, is that there is no guarantee your ad will appear on any given day.

It is important that your stand-by ad catches the eye of the reader. This can be achieved by utilizing the services of a graphic designer who uses basic design principles effectively. Please see a selection of ads I've designed on my website. Please contact me, and I will design and assemble your stand-by ad. In addition, I will also negotiate fees with your local publication.

Please Stand By.

Dave Horton
Dave Horton Advertising

See http://davehortonads.com/ or visit me on Facebook

Email me at davehortonads@gmail.com

My Business Lifesaver

2010-03-16T12:22:00.010-04:00

When the real estate market crashed, so did my business. I was in real trouble, as my builders and developers stopped operations. I needed to find new clients, quickly!

A friend suggested a networking group called BNI (Business Networking International) because BNI help grow his business. I was skeptical, because I had been a member of various business groups in the past, which was great for happy hour fun, but not for increasing my customer base.

BNI became a business life saver for me. The group I joined has about 25 members, all representing different occupations. I became the exclusive Advertising Agency of the group and was afforded the weekly opportunity to share with the group details of what I do, and what type of referrals I am seeking. The other members became my sales team, and they responded with many great leads for me. In return, I've been able to pass along many leads to the others in my group, as I've made countless business contacts throughout the 25 years I've been in Naples.

The results? At the conclusion of my first year in BNI, revenue generated through referrals totaled over 20 times my membership investment.

The secret? BNI trains members how to ask for referrals properly, and also how to listen and respond to other's requests efficiently. There is no shame in asking others for help. This was not the case in the other business groups I've associated with.

BNI is not exclusive to Naples. Groups can be found in anywhere. BNI rules allow 2 free visits before you are asked to decide to join.

I highly recommend you do.

Dave Horton
Dave Horton Advertising

See http://www.davehortonads/ or visit me on Facebook

Email me at davehortonads@gmail.com

Why I Am So Narrow Minded

2010-03-08T18:57:00.024-05:00

If everyone is your customer, then no one is your customer.

That is, if you fail to focus your message to a specific group that is interested in your product, you will waste time, effort and money trying to reach those that have no interest in what you are selling.

Let's say, for example, you are selling new glow-in-the dark baseballs.

If you use a poor "shotgun" approach to selling (marketing to the masses), you would use the following logic..."I need to sell a lot of glow-in-the-dark baseballs, so I will run ads in the publication with the highest circulation."

In order to reach your target buyers for glow-in-the-dark baseballs more effectively, I would suggest the following...

1. Identify your market. In this case it would be children who play baseball.

2. Narrow your focus and identify specility magazines that children read or parents of children who play baseball read, then insert a strong ad. See my offer below if you wish to receive a comprehensive list of niche publications that reach your target market.

3. Design a highly visible banner and hang it on the outfield wall at the local Little League ball park.

4. Run an eye catching ad in the local minor league baseball team program.

These simple marketing examples will enable you to direct your message to baseball families at a much more reasonable cost and offer a greater response in return than the "shotgun" approach.

Every business has different clientele, assets and budget. That is why it is important to consult a marketing expert before you summon random hordes of salespeople into your office.

I offer FREE consultations and recommendations to improve your sales. In addition, I always include a cost quote to implement my plans.

When it comes to advertising, I am very narrow minded, and I encourage my clients to be narrow minded too.

If you click the button to the right and become a follower to my weekly blog, I will send you a link to a great website that offers a long list of niche magazines and publications that appeal to most all demographics.

Dave Horton
Dave Horton Advertising

See http://davehortonads.com/ or visit me on Facebook
Email me at davehortonads@gmail.com

4 Tips That Saved a Business

2010-03-01T23:42:00.019-05:00

Carl's BBQ restaurant was struggling. Even though his small diner was located on a major through road, customers didn't know he was there. He contacted me last summer and asked for advice. Here are the 4 marketing tips I recommended...

1. Change your restaurant's name. Carl's Classic Cafe does not indicate BBQ.
Solution - He changed the name of the restaurant to Black Eyed Pig BBQ.

2. Design a strong, immediately recognizable logo that gave his restaurant credibility and provided customers with a sense of familiarity and comfort.
Solution - I designed the Black Eyed Pig logo.

3. Install HUGE, highly visible signs. His strongest asset was his location, and by simply letting people know he is there and open would certainly generate sales.
Solution - I designed large aluminum signs that were installed on the roof facade. I also installed 5 foot high, bright orange B-B-Q vinyl letters on the windows.

4. Generate a web presence.
Solution - I designed and assembled a website for him, locked in a solid domain name and installed keywords in his code that got him onto page one on Google within weeks.

The results...
Carl's traffic has increased 4 fold since my recommendations were implemented. His business has been so overwhelming, he is thinking of opening a second diner, even in this weak economy.

Every business has different clientele, assets and budget. What worked for Carl may not work for the next restaurant down the road. That is why it is important to consult a marketing expert before you drop a nickel on advertising. I offer FREE consultations and recommendations to improve your sales. In addition, I always include a cost quote to implement my plans.

After following my recommendations, you will clearly discover my advertising and marketing services are not an expense, but a wise investment in your company.

Ask Carl.

Dave Horton
Dave Horton Advertising

See http://www.davehortonads/ or visit me on Facebook

Email me at davehortonads@gmail.com

Who's Been Visiting Your Website?

2010-02-23T22:15:00.003-05:00

Now that your keywords are in place and your website is live, you now wonder if anyone is actually visiting the site. A recommended and FREE tool to monitor traffic to your site is Google Analytics. You can view a daily report of hits to your website, bounce rates (how many people come to your homepage and leave without clicking to another page) and average time spent on your site. In addition, you can see a map of the world that indicates where your hits are coming from and most importantly, Google Analytics shows you which search engine words people use to find your website.

How do you set up and use Google Analytics?

Step 1: Set Up Your Account
In order to use Google Analytics, you will need to set up an account. Go to www.google.com/analytics/ The steps are easy to follow, and should take less than 10 minutes to complete.

Step 2: Insert The Google Analytics Code Into Your Web Pages
After you finish registration, you will receive a wacky code. This code needs to be inserted into the HTLM on your website. Simply find the < / body > tag near the bottom of your page and insert the code above it. You will need to do this on every page of your website. If the last two sentences are jibberish to you, simply email the code to your webmaster. He will know what it is and how to install it.

Step 3: Anaylize Your Website Performance
The day after installing your code, go to your Google Analytics page. In the center of the page is a section titled Website Profiles. Click on the View Reports link. This will bring you to the Dashboard. This is where all the information is stored. I recommend bookmarking this page for easy daily access.

This information will show your where your customers are coming from and which search words they used to find you. This information allows you focus your efforts towards reaching those and like customers.

See a selection of websites I've designed and assembled.

If you wish to automatically receive more of these quick advertising tips, become a follower of my blog by clicking the button to the right.

Dave Horton
Dave Horton Advertising

See http://www.davehortonads/ or visit me on Facebook

Email me at davehortonads@gmail.com

5 Steps To Improve Your Website's Google Ranking

2010-02-17T08:31:00.018-05:00

You've just taken your new website live and now you wait for the phone to ring. Only it doesn't. Your site is on the web, but no one can find it. What did you forget to do? How do you get eyeballs on your website?

The answer is "You need to insert effective keywords into your website code."

"Wait a second...I don't know anything about code. That stuff is Chinese to me!"

Relax, there is very little you need to know about code to enhance your search engine ranking. Following these 5 steps will help your website ascend to or near the top on Google and other search engine rankings.

1. Assemble a list of words or phrases (20 - 50) that customers would use on a search engine when they look for your business, including your city and state location.

2. Type in a few of those words or phrases into the search engine and see who's website comes up first.

3. Right click onto the website that comes up on top and look for the "View Source" command. A bunch of code will appear. Somewhere near the top of all that crazy code should be a line that begins "META name", then "keywords", then "content="

4. After the "content=" appears a series of keywords your competitor has used to propel him to the top of the search engines. Note these keywords and assimilate them into the list of keywords you've already assembled.

5. Ask your webmaster to insert these new keywords in your website code. Make sure he does this on every page of your site. He should then resubmit your site to the search engines.

Don't expect immediate results, as your ranking will advance depending on numerous factors, one being the amount of local competition you have. In future blogs, I will explain other methods to even further enhance your search engine rankings.

Thanks for reading and following my blog. The 1st person to email me at davehortonads@gmail.com will receive a complimentary keyword evaluation.

Dave Horton
Dave Horton Advertising
See http://www.davehortonads.com/ or visit me on Facebook
Email me at davehortonads@gmail.com

I Don't Need A Logo

2010-02-02T22:36:00.021-05:00

I've met many business people who hand me a Office Max produced business card with a smiling, large headed retro cartoon guy smiling with his thumb up and a twinkle on his tooth. This stale clip art posing as a company logo immediately tells me that the person gave no thought to how poorly he is presenting himself to potential clients.

When I offer to design a logo for them, I'm usually assured "I don't need a logo."

Why do you need a logo?

1. A good logo lends a corporate look to a small business. Home made logos scream "small-time vendor" and your clients will regard you as such.

2. A good logo gives your business an immediate recognizable identity. It will enable your company stand out in the crowded market.

3. A good logo offers stability for clients or customers who feel more comfortable looking for a well-defined company, and "look and feel" may be one of their criteria for making a decision.

4. A good logo makes you to stand out in your field. A good logo can put you far above the competition, especially when paired with a strong identity program which includes corresponding business cards, letterhead, print advertising, company website, vehicle signage and storefront signage.

5. A good logo strongly hints or explains what your business is and how it can help your clients.

During the 20 years I've been in business, I've designed hundreds of logos for Naples and Southwest Florida businesses, starting with a Rollsafe logo contest I won in 1990. Many examples of logos I've created can be found on my website.

Thanks for reading the 1st entry into my new company blog. The 1st person to email me will receive a FREE company logo design.

Do you need a logo?

Dave Horton
Dave Horton Advertising
See http://www.davehortonads.com/ or visit me on Facebook
Email me at davehortonads@gmail.com