by Bob Osgoodby

Much of the advertising you see on the web is of the "here today, gone tomorrow" genre. Some think they can throw up a web site or join an affiliate program, and they will have to buy a wheelbarrow to carry the $20 bills in from their mailbox. Well folks, that "ain't" the case.

There are a number of forms advertising can take, and let's first discuss the ones at the opposite ends of the spectrum.

Sales Advertising is designed to sell a specific item immediately. A good example of this can be found in your newspaper supplements, advertising coupons for specific food items in a local store. On TV, an ad for a particular CD is another example. They are trying to entice you to purchase a specific product within a specified time. Most of these ads are "price driven", and if you take advantage of their offer, you will realize a savings.

Institutional Advertising is not trying to sell you something specific. It is used primarily for "name awareness" and when faced with a purchase, they hope you will remember their name. When IBM airs an ad, you will seldom see a specific product for sale. When you buy your next computer, they are banking on you remembering their name, and will purchase their product.

Most of the nonprofessional advertising you see on the web is neither. They are usually trying to sell something specific, but give no reason to buy from them at this time. Affiliate programs are big offenders here. If I am going to get involved in something like the "Six Figure Income" program, why should I do it with you. There are thousands of people trying to sell this program, and many are not making anything, but some are. The real question here is why.

If you are going to be involved in an affiliate program, you must give people a reason to buy from you. Obviously, if you provide a bonus that others don't, they now have a reason to get it from you. Take a lesson from some of the Internet Service Providers. Many will give you a free month if you recommend someone, and they remain as a customer for three months.

Most of the affiliate programs require a monthly investment from the people who join, and you earn commissions on what they spend. Why not consider that "three month" approach. Give them a gift equal to the value of what you would earn in three months if they stick with the program. If it's a decent program, they will probably be around a lot longer than three months, and you will have given them a reason to buy from you.

Unless you are a very large company, "Institutional Advertising" probably won't work for you. But you can still attain the necessary name awareness. A one time ad does little, if any, good. It is a proven fact that people need to see an ad 5 to 7 times before they act.

I know a person who has advertised the same thing in an online Newsletter for years. She provides a bonus for people who sign under her sponsorship, and keeps her name in front of her target market. She averages one or two sales a week from the ad, and her income far exceeds her expenses.

Newsletter advertising that reaches your target market, is a good choice if done on a consistent basis. Most popular Newsletters average several hundred new subscribers a month. Many not only publish them, but archive them on a web site as well. Here you get a double "whammy". Your message will be read on the web site by many people who don't get the Newsletter. Some parts of the world limit the size of email, and they can't receive the Newsletter. But, if they can go to a web site to read it, you have greatly expanded your exposure.

Advertising on the web is different from traditional forms. If you provide a reason for people to buy from you, and you keep your ad visible, the odds are you will be one of the few making any money.