Bullet point critique, please...

[Ankesh]

Thanks TW for asking.

My opinion is: all of your bullet points speak to other marketers. Not other small biz owners.

If I had to select one of the bullet points for small biz owners - it would be:
Instant 16-point "Marketing Self-Diagnosis"

Better headlines:

Local Marketing Guru Shows You How To Make Money Faster Inspite Of Sluggish Economy -- All At A $37 Workshop!

(This was by Brian Keith Voiles.)

"The Secret To Getting More Business Referals in Houston, TX"
"Discover How To Get All The Business Referrals You Can Handle in Houston, TX From One of the Nations Foremost Referral Marketing Experts in This 2 Hour Free Local Seminar"

(This one was by David Frey)

(If you want the entire ads - send me an email and I'll send them to you - I have them in pdf files.)

Thanks Ankesh.

In my own defense, I was thinking every small biz owner wears a marketing 'hat.'

My bullet points were aimed at the 'marketer' inside the small biz owner. A marketing seminar for small biz owners.

I was trying to make them as curiosity-provoking as possible. Like, 'what does that mean? -- I gotta find out!'

-- TW

[Ankesh]

Thanks TW.

When I was young - I hated drinking milk. Yet I drank it because it *apparently* made you taller faster.

I find the same mentality with small business owners. Most of them don't like marketing. They think of it as a necessary evil.

Focus on marketing, and you lose them. Focus on the end benefit (make more money during bad times, live an independent worry free lifestyle etc etc) - and you have a better chance of getting them to read further.

Be more like Seth Godin. Less like Dan Kennedy. And you'll win the mainstream audience - and not just the marketing geeks.
(For the record: I consider myself a marketing geek.)

But thats just been my experience.

(Of course - the place where you'll post your ad also plays a part on your message...)