need to communicate and work together, without dictating, until the outcome feels right.

5. Give each advertising medium you choose a fair test. Advertising rarely brings sales overnight. Run your ad at least five times - or at least two months in weekly publications - to test out the market properly. Often, consumers need to get used to seeing your ad before they'll act on it. Results take time.

6. Don't overlook current customers. Nobody sells you better than a satisfied customer. So in your efforts to gain sales froIf you are new to advertising, or if you're using media or publications you haven't tried before, it's important to assign your ads to outside specialists rather than try to create them yourself. These specialists may be the creative group at an advertising agency, a freelance writer and designer or the ad department of the newspaper, magazine, TV channel or radio station where you plan to advertise. Such people are experienced in translating information about a product or service, target market, U.S.P. (unique selling position) and advertising goals into advertising that suits each medium and conveys an effective image and sales message. Moreover, it's extremely helpful to work with and learn from specialists for several years before you consider doing advertising in-house.

Whether you work with specialists or create advertising on your own, here are six guidelines to follow in the development of an ad program:

1. Do your homework. Start compiling your own ad file. Collect ads you like, to give you ideas, as well as ads run by your competitors, so you can monitor what they're doing. Read books on advertising, including anthologies of the best ads of the year, and how-tos by advertising greats.

2. "Sell the sizzle, not the steak." The old rule about selling products based on the benefits and excitement they provide has proved true time and time again. So focus on your U.S.P. - and on those intangibles that motivate human behavior and generate sales. This rule does not apply to Yellow Pages ads, which do sell steak, but it remains the essence of all other advertising you do.

3. Stick to your own image and personality. Stay with the basics of who you are. Make sure that the personality and images projected in your entire advertising ring true.

4. Work as a team with your ad rep or ad agency. The best advertising results from a synergy between your business expertise and your ad specialists' advertising expertise. Carefully explain your product, market and goals, and let the ad people go from there to develop their ideas. Advertising is a give-and-take process, and both sides need to communicate and work together, without dictating, until the outcome feels right.

5. Give each advertising medium you choose a fair test. Advertising rarely brings sales overnight. Run your ad at least five times - or at least two months in weekly publications - to test out the market properly. Often, consumers need to get used to seeing your ad before they'll act on it. Results take time.

6. Don't overlook current customers. Nobody sells you better than a satisfied customer. So in your efforts to gain sales fromnd advertising goals into advertising that suits each medium and conveys an effective image and sales message. Moreover, it's extremely helpful to work with and learn from specialists for several years before you consider doing advertising in-house.

Whether you work with specialists or create advertising on your own, here are six guidelines to follow in the development of an ad program:

1. Do your homework. Start compiling your own ad file. Collect ads you like, to give you ideas, as well as ads run by your competitors, so you can monitor what they're doing. Read books on advertising, including anthologies of the best ads of the year, and how-tos by advertising greats.

2. "Sell the sizzle, not the steak." The old rule about selling products based on the benefits and excitement they provide has proved true time and time again. So focus on your U.S.P. - and on those intangibles that motivate human behavior and generate sales. This rule does not apply to Yellow Pages ads, which do sell steak, but it remains the essence of all other advertising you do.

3. Stick to your own image and personality. Stay with the basics of who you are. Make sure that the personality and images projected in your entire advertising ring true.

4. Work as a team with your ad rep or ad agency. The best advertising results from a synergy between your business expertise and your ad specialists' advertising expertise. Carefully explain your product, market and goals, and let the ad people go from there to develop their ideas. Advertising is a give-and-take process, and both sides need to communicate and work together, without dictating, until the outcome feels right.

5. Give each advertising medium you choose a fair test. Advertising rarely brings sales overnight. Run your ad at least five times - or at least two months in weekly publications - to test out the market properly. Often, consumers need to get used to seeing your ad before they'll act on it. Results take time.

6. Don't overlook current customers. Nobody sells you better than a satisfied customer. So in your efforts to gain sales fropetitors, so you can monitor what they're doing. Read books on advertising, including anthologies of the best ads of the year, and how-tos by advertising greats.

2. "Sell the sizzle, not the steak." The old rule about selling products based on the benefits and excitement they provide has proved true time and time again. So focus on your U.S.P. - and on those intangibles that motivate human behavior and generate sales. This rule does not apply to Yellow Pages ads, which do sell steak, but it remains the essence of all other advertising you do.

3. Stick to your own image and personality. Stay with the basics of who you are. Make sure that the personality and images projected in your entire advertising ring true.

4. Work as a team with your ad rep or ad agency. The best advertising results from a synergy between your business expertise and your ad specialists' advertising expertise. Carefully explain your product, market and goals, and let the ad people go from there to develop their ideas. Advertising is a give-and-take process, and both sides need to communicate and work together, without dictating, until the outcome feels right.

5. Give each advertising medium you choose a fair test. Advertising rarely brings sales overnight. Run your ad at least five times - or at least two months in weekly publications - to test out the market properly. Often, consumers need to get used to seeing your ad before they'll act on it. Results take time.

6. Don't overlook current customers. Nobody sells you better than a satisfied customer. So in your efforts to gain sales frotising you do.

3. Stick to your own image and personality. Stay with the basics of who you are. Make sure that the personality and images projected in your entire advertising ring true.

4. Work as a team with your ad rep or ad agency. The best advertising results from a synergy between your business expertise and your ad specialists' advertising expertise. Carefully explain your product, market and goals, and let the ad people go from there to develop their ideas. Advertising is a give-and-take process, and both sides need to communicate and work together, without dictating, until the outcome feels right.

5. Give each advertising medium you choose a fair test. Advertising rarely brings sales overnight. Run your ad at least five times - or at least two months in weekly publications - to test out the market properly. Often, consumers need to get used to seeing your ad before they'll act on it. Results take time.

6. Don't overlook current customers. Nobody sells you better than a satisfied customer. So in your efforts to gain sales froneed to communicate and work together, without dictating, until the outcome feels right.

5. Give each advertising medium you choose a fair test. Advertising rarely brings sales overnight. Run your ad at least five times - or at least two months in weekly publications - to test out the market properly. Often, consumers need to get used to seeing your ad before they'll act on it. Results take time.

6. Don't overlook current customers. Nobody sells you better than a satisfied customer. So in your efforts to gain sales from new prospects, remember that you can build sales equally well through customer referrals and repeat purchases of existing clientele. Maintain a mailing list and, at your earliest opportunity, start producing sales notices, newsletters, catalogues or other goodwill and sales-generating materials for the customers you already have. Some of these items lend themselves to a direct mail campaign that is targeted at new prospects as well.

Conclusion

Persuasion is the missing puzzle piece that will crack the code to dramatically increase your income, improve your relationships, and help you get what you want, when you want, and win friends for life. Ask yourself how much money and income you have lost because of your inability to persuade and influence. Think about it. Sure you've seen some success, but think of the times you couldn't get it done. Has there ever been a time when you did not get your point across? Were you unable to convince someone to do something? Have you reached your full potential? Are you able to motivate yourself and others to achieve more and accomplish their goals? What about your relationships? Imagine being able to overcome objections before they happen, know what your prospect is thinking and feeling, feel more confident in your ability to persuade. Professional success, personal happiness, leadership potential, and income depend on the ability to persuade, influence, and motivate others.