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The Onslaught of False Advertising.

This article talks about it and gives you things to look out for to help you spot false advertising.

… And What You Can Do To Not Fall Victim

False advertising can be very painful to those consumers who fall victim to it. Nobody likes to be taken for a fool so it can be very embarrassing to discover that a business or brand is lying or lied concerning a brand promise. It is therefore very important to not only know how to spot false advertising in business but to protect oneself from its onslaught.

What is False Advertising?

False advertising is when a business or brand uses untrue, unverified or misleading information in advertising their product or service to the end that their business may appear more attractive and appealing to the consumers. It is said that there is a marked difference between stretching the truth a little and outrightly making false claims or promises. Sometimes businesses engage in what is known as ‘puffing’ which is when a product or service is exaggerated by using vague and ambitious terms such as ‘the best in town’, ‘the fastest delivery service in the world’ etc. Puffing is not necessarily illegal because it is thought of as an opinion given by a person or business rather than a fact or an act. It can however be seen as illegal if terms are used which clearly negate what the product can do.

False advertising can result in damage which could range from mild disappointments or frustrations to life threatening, especially in the case of health care, pharmaceuticals, insurance etcetera. It is therefore important that citizens are well able to protect themselves from the onslaught of false advertising. The government has tried to put laws and checks in place, to ensure that business owners do not get away with false advertising. These laws are covered in the Fair Trading Act, which serves to protect people from such deception.

Moreover, with the ease with which individuals can sue businesses in America and most developed countries, one would think any business would be extremely wary of making any false claims or advertising, but this doesn’t seem to reduce the incidence. One reason for this might be the army of attorneys that most business often have at their beck and call to help quash any law suit or even the thought of it before it even arises.

So regarding the laws that have been put in place, businesses are not allowed to make false claims about things such as the style and quality of products or services, performance or benefits of a product or service, the importance or necessity of a product or service, the newness of products, and the availability of repair works or spare parts. 

There is likely a breach of the law if a product or service creates an overall misleading impression in the mind of a person about the quality, value or price of the product. 

Types of False Advertising

 

Not Providing Sufficient Information

Some advertisers deliberately refuse to give sufficient information about their product or service. This was found to be rampant among pharmaceutical business owners in the United States. The side effects of a drug would be written in very small letters while a fast speaker or ‘speed talker’ attempted to race through these side effects. 

Surcharges and Hidden Fees

Companies sometimes create the false impression about the price of a product or service by failing to mention some charges which the consumer has to pay, for example shipping and delivery costs could be excluded from the price of a product being sold online just to create the impression that it is much cheaper than it really is. 

Surcharges and hidden fees could be hidden in fine print, which unfortunately, many buyers do not take the time and patience to read. 

Photo Manipulation

This is especially common in the cosmetics and beauty industry where photos could be retouched or manipulated to give a false impression. Weight loss products could be advertised using a retouched picture of a person who claims to have used such a product. Also before and after photos could be manipulated for cosmetic creams, acne treatments, etc. 

False and Misleading Claims

Advertisers have over time discovered what people would like to hear. For example, most people want to live a longer and healthier life so some food advertisers emphasise certain healthy ingredients that their foods contains to the exclusion of the other ingredients which may be unhealthy or even harmful. Many companies have faced huge lawsuits for claiming that their products were ‘all natural’ or ‘wholly organic’ when they were not in fact.

Manipulation of Measurements or Standard Units

This happens when advertisers deceive and attempt to confuse customers by using unknown and unpopular measuring units.

Misleading Packaging

This happens when inappropriate sized packages are used for products in an attempt to create a false impression. Usually, fillers and Styrofoam can be used to create an illusion of great size while food fillers like gravy and broth are sometimes used in place of the real food products being advertised. 

 

Comparative Advertising

This is when businesses compare their products or services with others in the market especially in terms of price, value, quality and range. This can be very misleading especially when such comparisons are inaccurate or inappropriate.

Bait Advertising 

This happens when businesses advertise certain features that are unavailable or available in very limited quantity in order to lure customers to patronise them. A good example is when an unavailable product is advertised to be on sale, the customers are thereafter offered more expensive products in the absence of the unavailable but cheaper option.

Advertising Laws and Regulations

In order to ensure that false advertising is discouraged, the federal government has put laws and checks in place to regulate the activities of advertisers. These laws are often regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC.) These laws serve

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How to Know Which Form of Advertising Will Work for Your Business

Are you spending a large portion of your budget advertising in The Yellow Pages, or another medium? Have you ever wondered if these types of advertising truly worked?

Unfortunately, in some industries, such as businesses that tend to get called in an emergency (e.g. plumbers, electricians, and dentists) you need to advertise in places such as the Yellow Pages. I say unfortunately because this type of advertising is so expensive. However, the majority of us may not need to use such advertising mediums.

I am not saying that you must go out and cancel all of your Yellow Page advertisements; however, I recommend that you take a close look at the options in renewing before you get sold by the salesperson. Check to see how many advertisers have listed within your category and, how large they are. If there are 10-15 full page ads and another 10 half page ads, this may be a good medium for you; however, you will either need to spend a large part of your budget to advertise in the top 5-10 ads, or you will need to design your ad so that it stands out among your competitors’. Another option is to purchase a listing, not an ad, if you cannot compete, and then use your budget more effectively in another advertising medium.

If you are considering other print mediums such as newspaper or magazines, you must ensure that those mediums reach YOUR target market first. Ask the publication to provide you with their circulation (actual number of printed copies they produce), how and where it is distributed, and their readers’ demographic profile. Next, be sure that this information matches that of your target market. Calculate what the cost is per thousand. That is the cost for each thousand pieces printed and distributed. For example, if a 1-month advertisement costs $600 in a magazine and they print 25,000 copies, your cost per thousand is $24 or $.024 cents per person it reaches. This assumes that one person only reads each magazine. They will, however, claim is not the case.

Next, compare this cost to other mediums, such as coupon books and direct mail. As long as the medium reaches your target market, you can make some better marketing decisions.

I cannot tell you which form of advertising to use since we all have different businesses, target audiences, and marketing style. However, instead of just looking at other advertisements to determine where you should put in your ad, remember your target audience. What will attract them to your ad?

Remember, prospects do not care what your name is. Therefore, do not put it at the top of your ad; instead, put it at the bottom with all of your contact information and logo. They will have specific “Hot Buttons” that they care about and that you need to address those in your heading.

These rules apply to most print advertising as well as TV and radio. Of course you need to grab the reader, viewer and/or listener’s attention; however, do not try to do it with your name unless you’re McDonald’s and it’s lunchtime. Identifying your customer’s “Hot Buttons” is the key to creating a more effective ad. Remember, you only have 1.5 – 3 seconds to grab someone’s attention in any medium. How are you doing with your advertising?

Another idea you can use to catch the prospect’s attention is to consider using reverse text if you cannot afford color print. Try using big bold headings to grab their attention to key areas within the advertisement.

Do you know how many different yellow page books there are that cover your area? There are probably at least 3-4 different companies, not to mention all the various geographical areas each of them cover. Everyone in your area will typically receive them all. Which of those should you select to advertise in? Many people will chose the cheapest; this is WRONG.

Fun Advertising Facts & Questions:

* Some communities can have a lot of printed publications that sell advertising and are distributed in their area. Do you know which ones hit your target market the best and for the least amount of investment?

* Do you know what R.O.I. means? It is refers to your return on investment or is the ratio of how much you make from what you spend.

* Do you know what pci means? It refers to price per column inch, as used in the newspapers.

* Do you know the circulation numbers of all the mediums in which you advertise? I am referring to the actual number of households, not the readership or reach (those are typically exaggerated numbers)? If you do not, you should find out and see what your cost per 1000 households is.

* I am often asked if it really matters if labels with bulk mail are used when running a direct mail campaign or if printed out addresses and a stamp should be used instead. Sometimes it does matter and other times not. I recommend the latter when sending mail to a cold calling a prospect; however, the same is not true for your regular database mailings to those people you know. Some will disagree with me on this, but I typically chose what is most economical as long as the mailing is still delivered in a professional manner and contains a good, attention-getting message. That is what is important!

Always remember, before you make a media buy, take time to think through your purchase. Do not get pressured into purchasing. Be sure to do some research so you can ensure you are reaching your target market, not just getting a good deal. If you do

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The Pros and Cons of Ezine Advertising

 Advertising makes sure that voices are heard and that people would know that a business exists. The medium of advertising, however, does determine its effectiveness. Of course, if the advertising medium is popular among people, it is likely that the advertisement would be more effective compared to its being posted in a less popular medium. Although the effectiveness of advertising also depends on the quality of the advertisement, the fact remains that the highest-quality advertisement would be useless if no one sees it. This is the reason why more and more people turn to ezine advertising.What’s an ezine, you ask? If you don’t know, then you must be really behind on cultural knowledge. “Ezine” is used in lieu of “electronic magazine”. That in itself should be enough explanation. If you need further enlightening, however, you should know that an ezine is a magazine which can be read on the internet. This means that an ezine has interactivity. Ezine can offer lots of things that an ordinary magazine cannot. This is the reason why some people prefer reading ezines. This is also the reason why many companies prefer to put out ezine advertising.There are many advantages to ezine advertising. There is, of course, the obvious fact that it is more accessible to people. In order to see advertising in an ordinary magazine, you have to buy that magazine and flip the pages. Ezine advertising, however, gets exposure just with a few clicks of the mouse. It can be seen without having to go to a news stand. It can be accessed without having to flip through pages of magazine.There is also the fact that it can lead directly to the company. Take the conventional advertising: it shows the product or service, and then provides information on how you can obtain that product or service. Ezine advertising, however, combines these steps into one. When you watch the advertising, a click on it will immediately take you to a page where you can purchase that product or service. Now that’s convenience for you. Ezine advertising is also advantageous in the fact that it actually allows a company to pay for the advertisement it gets. In other types of media, advertising is paid for based on the popularity of the media. A projection of the profits is used to compute the payment for the advertising. However, there is a risk. People could be paying cash for ineffective advertisement. They have no way of controlling the effectiveness of the advertisement so that their investment will pay off.Ezine advertising, however, can be tracked. Companies often pay for ezine advertising on a click basis. This means that every time a web surfer clicks on the ezine advertising, it is recorder through the use of special software. Because of this, a company can pay only for those clicks. This means that a company will be paying only for the part of the ezine advertising time which the company profits from.The major flaw of ezine advertising is the fact that people today have learned to tune them out and pay attention only to the contents of the ezine. This can be overcome, however, by improving the quality of the ezine advertising.

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How to Make Money Online For Beginners – (You've Got to Try This!)

It’s called Affiliate Marketing (which is just a fancy way of saying selling someone elses stuff.) Basically all you have to do is find a product that is sought after by a hungry crowd of buyers and promote it to them. How do you do that? Read on..

There is actually more than one way to do it but after much trial and error I want to suggest to you that you go the route of article marketing, especially as a beginner. There are a few reasons why I say that.

1.It’s Simple – All you have to do is write a bunch of good informative articles about the product that you are promoting and stick a re-directed link at the end of the article. That link will direct your reader directly to the sales page of the product you are promoting and if the purchase the product after clicking on your link you get paid a commission!

2.It’s Free – You don’t have to pay a penny to submit your well written article to article directories which is a real bonus. Many of the other options that are available to you require you to pay quite a bit to advertise your affiliate product which is something you don’t want to be doing especially when you are just learning the ropes.

I have been using this method for some time now and have been finding some good results with it. I encourage you to give it a try for yourself you may just be surprised!

That is How to Make Money Online for Beginners. I hope it inspired and motivated you. Now if you are sick of all the make easy money hype and are tired of the rat race and just want to work from home. I have got a free video for you that I know your gonna like. Just go to http://www.4-day-money-making-blue-print.info/ scroll down till you find the Free video called “How to Find a Profitable Niche” and watch it! This is the exact program that helped me make my first sale online!

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Promo Mugs – Made For Great Advertising

promotional mugs get noticed and the brand name gains popularity. Mugs offer a large and broader shiny curved surface where the company imprints can be easily incorporated. The large printing space allows the imprints to be written or printed in bold characters which enhance the readability and visibility of the brand logo. Nice, charming and striking logo and company message  adds a new dimension and helps in better and improved advertising.

Clients and customers these days are skeptical and they do not get convinced by the pompous and flattering advertisements. A research reveals that media ads and newspaper classifieds fail to leave any impact on the potential customers although they come up everyday. On the other hand, promotional gifts have an immediate effect on the potential customers. People love and like to get gifts and useful promotional gifts like promo mugs are receiver’s delight. The brand name and company message also thus gets disseminated among the vast target audience. All businesses big or small can afford to use promotional mugs as they are affordable and are found in a large variety. The huge collection includes cheap china mugs and plastic mugs to high ended exclusive and designer bone china mugs or insulated travel mugs. Businesses can pick and choose the right promo mug depending on their choice and budget. Within a manageable budget businesses can successfully reach out to a large audience and advertise their brand and products.

As long as the mugs are in the user’s hands, they act as really nice advertisers for the brand. They speak in favour of you and your company. Not only by the users, promo mugs and the brand message are appreciated and noticed by all onlookers and associates of the users. To get the best quality and attractive promo mugs to use as your advertising tool, visit the leading online suppliers. View their catalogues of promotional mugs and you will surely find the ones of your requirements and choice. Advertise your brand and products successfully and efficiently with promo mugs.

Gareth Parkin is the co-founder of Ideasbynet, the UK’s leading online supplier of promotional items and custom printed promotional products.

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The Ins & Outs of Pop up Advertising

In most cases a pop up window turned to a lead or a sale. Pop up advertising tells us the saga that too much of success is a bad thing.


The runaway success of pop up advertising prompted every online advertiser to go popup way. In the beginning, when this form of advertising was an entirely new experience to internet users, people generally welcomed popup advertisements and shoppers made decisions at the sight of a popup ad. Soon pop up advertising became a dirty phrase, and people began to hate this form of advertising. This happened because every websites were using pop up advertising. Many websites went overboard to test with two or three pop ups per page. This created resentment among internet users as the pop ups took away the attention from real web surfing. People were tired of closing every window that pops up without anticipation.


It is no wonder today that there are more companies that specialize in preventing pop up advertising from popping up than the companies that design creative pop up advertising content. Now there are different pop up blocking software solutions available and most of them are for free. Most commonly popup blocking software comes bundled with antivirus software. Thus it is almost sealing the fate of pop up advertising. Pop up advertising, in its initial days were not created to install a spy ware or virus in the user computers. The companies that once specialized in designing pop up advertisements changed track to writing programs to block pop ups. Others! They left the field.


Pop up advertising came as a revolutionary form of advertising that would connect buyers with sellers. No other form of advertising was as revolutionary as pop up advertising. The huge initial success of pop up advertising forced many pundits to predict doom for all other forms of online advertising. But the story unfolded as that the very success of pop up advertisement sealed it fate. Now pop up advertising has been demoted (with some kindness to a losing hero) to a level something above a spam mail.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning sales and commerce. Get information you are seeking now by visiting Pop up Advertising