One of the most common myths along the lines of advertising is the idea that advertising should be safe and similar to competitors in order to reach and connect with the largest possible demographic. This is a common advertising pitfall you will want to side-step when advertising your business. First of all, keep in mind you are not trying to reach the largest possible demographic. Your advertising should be targeted advertising, and you will need to know who your audience is before placing ads.



Another pitfall new advertisers make in an ad campaign is to create an ad that is instantly forgettable. It is better to offend someone (who probably has little or no interest in your business to begin with) than to have an ad that no one can remember. Keep in mind as you create ads to make sure your advertising that stands out and grabs the attention of your target audience immediately. This should be your primary focus.

If you want to create the kind of advertising that stands out and makes an instant impression, and makes someone remember you or think of you when they need your service, the last thing you want to do is copy the competition or create an ad that is similar to your competitors. There is nothing wrong with seeing what works for others in their advertising and using some of that to your own benefit. But that is where the emulation should end. If all advertising sounds or looks the same, people stop paying attention. If you drive down a country road and see a row of mailboxes that are all identical, nothing draws your attention or catches your eye, nothing draws you to stop and stare at any particular mailbox. All the mailboxes simply fall into the background. On the other hand, if there is a mailbox that is a little colorful with cows on it or a strange ornament, you are probably going to take a second look at it to figure out exactly what is going on. It will command more of your attention. You might even get a chuckle out of it. The same concept applies to advertising. Do not be afraid to step way out of the box. That is the kind of advertising that gets people talking.

At the same time, do not get so involved in creating off the wall ads that you forget you have a product to sell. Plenty of small business owners make this mistake as well. They try so hard to entertain their audience that they avoid doing anything traditional because they do not want to come across as just another ad. Keep in mind the bottom line is you are selling a product or service. At some point you have to get across a message. You can and should do it in an entertaining and fun way, a way that has never been tried before, even a shocking or unconventional way. People can shake their heads after seeing your ad and even be annoyed by it, but they must at least know that it was advertising in the first place. Just remember that people today are bombarded with advertising. Make yours a little wacky and unforgettable, and you will create a desire in people to want to know more. Hey, if it is wacky enough, you might even give them a good laugh for the day, but they will certainly remember it.