Even when you grow your business through referrals, from time to time you need to advertise. Make sure that you do not become a victim of these common - and very costly - advertising myths:

MYTH # 1
The ad needs to be substantially large to generate a good response.
Wrong. Some small ads dramatically out pull the big ones. Many of the most successful ads in history were quite modest in size.

MYTH #2
Use a lot of "white" space because people will not read crammed copy.
Not true. Some very effective ads are packed with so much information that they look pretty awful -- yet they make the telephone ring and they sell a lot of products and services.

MYTH #3
Ads in reverse, white text on black or color background get better response.
Quite the contrary -- ads in reverse print, when tested against traditional layout, generate significantly less interest (and fewer calls).

MYTH #4
The best section for your ad is your own business trade section.
Not necessarily. Some of the highest quality leads you can generate are from people who are not actively looking for your kind of service or product.

MYTH #5
The shorter your message, the better because people get bored with a long copy.
Quite the contrary. People who are not interested in what you have to offer will be bored, but those who are interested will read every single word, even if it is long copy (unless it is boring copy, for example bragging about you and your business).

MYTH #6
Use original titles and clever words so that your ad gets noticed.
Not a good idea. Cute and original advertising often confuses serious shoppers. The most effective advertising is quite "low brow" stuff.

MYTH #7
Watch what the big guys are doing and follow their proven ideas.
Ouch! Large companies have different objectives and quite often expect different results from their advertising than do small businesses. Small businesses have no matching budget and have vastly different needs.