It would be interesting to know what you thought of the service your local ad agency provides you. Here's your chance.
Make suggestions of what you'd like and/or give examples of what you hate. But be aware, any direct negative comments regarding named agencies may be edited to remain objective. Don't let that stop you though. Blog on.
::sharon
So you have a business and you advertise. You, or perhaps your ad agency, designs something that looks like 'a set of words and pictures thrown into a square box on a page'. But that’s ok. You then spend good money to print it for all Guyana to see, only to have few or no one respond to your offer. What gives?
You are suffering from a classic case of ugly advertising my friend. The kind that never sells but only compels your customer to turn the page. Leaving them open to the other guy's sales leads.
Ask for some advice, I'll give it. Send me specific questions, if you feel your advertising could do with a face lift. This is no time to be lazy. Do something. You're loosing customers and paying to do so, every time you publish one of those ugly ads in Guyana's newspapers.
::sharon
It's my view that most advertising agencies in Guyana, don’t really care about building their clients' brands or generating sales for their products. They merely collect your money (sometimes premium amounts at that), only to return poor creative work. Work that often lacks sales strategy and the simple ability to convince your customers to buy.
Do you know how to tell if you're being ripped off? If you believe you are, send me your scenario, without openly mentioning the agency’s name. There are things you can do today to start getting value for your money.
::sharon
Much to my dismay, in a recent conversation with a good friend of mine (a very established Guyanese businessman), he blurted out, "Advertising is like painting a house! It's straight forward. No real academic or technical principles apply. You just do it… it's a no-brainer".
Boy was I furious! But I kept my cool, realizing that the real issue was – that's exactly what most clients in Guyana thought. And it’s this sort of thinking which has us stuck in this cesspool of poor advertising to begin with. If a client knew better, he/she could then demand or appreciate better.
The reality is, good advertising is a special skill. One that’s just as academic as it is artistically flexible. It is governed by specific principles of design, strategy and the craft of persuasive copywriting.
Until we can acknowledge this in Guyana and further, apply it, our ads will remain the ugly, non-selling wastes of money they are.
::sharon
voiceovergy.com 