Here is a link to an article that I recently read on entrepreneur.com. “10 Unusual Ways to Advertise: Create an ad that’ll stick with your customers long after they see it.”

While some of the ideas are a little off the wall, there were a few parts of the article that I thought deserved mention.

First a quote that I thought spoke the truth:

The famous ad man Morris Hite, who was known for his good-ol’-boy approach to advertising, said it best when he quipped, “There is no such thing as national advertising. All advertising is local and personal. It’s one man or woman reading one newspaper in the kitchen or watching TV in the den.”

One of the “10 Unusual Ways to Advertise” that I don’t think is all that unusual:

Virtual showroom. Build a website to serve as a virtual showroom. It’s one of the best advertisements there is. Use it when people call to ask details about your company, your products or your services. “Are you sitting in front of a computer? Good.” Most people will be, or can easily walk across the room to one. “Now go to Blahblah.com. Yeah, that’s me, there on the right. Now click the button that says ‘Equipment.’ See that second photo?…” Think of this website as a place where you sit down to talk with interested prospects. Make sure the virtual showroom is equipped with all the same tools and props as your physical showroom. You’ll be shocked what it does for the conversion rate of inquiries.

That last line is big: “You’ll be shocked what it does for the conversion rate of inquiries.” Walking potential customers through your website makes the experience more interactive, it differentiates your company from your competitors, and it helps them feel comfortable doing business with you. They see your previous work and hear your voice in their ear telling them how great your products/services are and why they should pick YOU.

If you are one of the many business owners who apologize for their website because it is old, out-dated, and unprofessional, you need to get in contact with Hunt Hosting (Your Marketing Guy’s sister company.)

Your website should be the foundation of all of your marketing and a place you proudly point customers to each and every day.