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Why Advertising Fails

By Dan S. Kennedy

*A Book Review*

by Michael C. Gray

© 2022 by Michael C. Gray

According to marketing guru Dan Kennedy, an awful lot of advertising dollars are wasted by small business owners. The reason: they are copying the advertising practices of big companies. The image-building ads of those companies isn't necessarily designed to get a response (like sell a product or service), and it requires an advertising budget small businesses can't afford.

When was the last time you watched a television advertisement and wondered what the company was selling? Madison Avenue advertisers seem to think the purpose of advertising is simply to be entertaining. (Consider most ads shown at great expense during the Super Bowl.)

Instead, small businesses must hold their advertising accountable. Is the advertising part of a strategy to more than pay for itself? For most businesses, the goal is to build a list of customers who will buy from you again and again.

That means the business must be able to track the response to its promotions and the buying behavior of its customers, long-term.

The way to do this is direct response advertising and promotions.

Why Advertising Fails is an introduction to direct response advertising. Dan Kennedy is a consultant to direct response companies like Guthy-Renker (Proactive), and reveals the strategy they have used to become amazingly successful.

He explains how to structure a direct response promotion and how to measure the results.

The book also includes guest chapters by Marty Fort, who applied the ideas to build his business as a music teacher, and Emily Letran, DDS, who applied the ideas to build a successful dental practice.

As an owner of Why Advertising Fails, you also receive offers for The Most Incredible Free Gift Ever, valued at $938.97 and a complimentary copy of another book by Dan Kennedy, Magnetic Marketing.

As a long-time student of Dan Kennedy, I heartily recommend that business owners have all of his books in their libraries, and read, study and implement what he teaches. You'll be glad you did.

Buy it at Amazon: Why Advertising Fails: And How To Make Yours Succeed.

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