So once you get your ad copy written, where should you advertise?

Ezine advertising is affordable, fast and effective. It allows you to get your message in front of your potential customers quickly and easily, wherever they are in world. Ezine advertising should be high on your list of advertising methods.

On other hand, email advertising (spam) is becoming passe'. This has resulted in overflowing inboxes across globe, and essentially means that your e-mail message is competing with hundreds of others to gain attention of reader. Most people simply hit their delete key as fast as they arrive. Others, myself included, filter out majority of spam automatically, and it is never even seen.

The best use of e-mail is to respond to a prospect's request for information, follow up with former clients or contact your existing customers. Former and existing customers are normally your warmest market.

You can write articles in your area of expertise, and send them to your own list of ezine editors. The articles should be non-commercial, and not be simply ads for your business. Most publications however, allow you include your authors credits at end of article. This again, should not be blatantly commercial, but can invite readers to your website or to send you an email.

There is another effective technique that can be used in emails. You should create and use a signature file to go at end of every email you send. Most email software allows you to do this automatically.

If you post to discussion boards and forums, include a "sig" file on your postings. It should always include your URL and be no more than four or five lines. The cardinal rule is that your "sig" file, should not be longer than your posting. One line postings with a six line "sig" file, will quickly draw ire of others in group.

Being "Loose as in Goose" might be acceptable when conversing with a friend, but if you hope to attract people to your offers, you must get your act together. If you don't, you will quickly "lose" your prospects interest.

Location is another factor in deciding who you will market to. Recently, more and more companies have gone online, making it easier for them to sell to people in any location. However, distribution companies generally have to target business closer to home.

You might also try targeting specific people within a company. There wouldn't be much sense in trying to sell a certain product to an entire company when buyer was only person you really had to influence, right? There are certain magazines that are written by and for people with specific job titles, CEO and Purchasing being just a few.

Affinity groups are probably one of best places to go to target an audience. An affinity group refers to a large group of people with a common interest, such as fitness, computers, outdoor recreation, or music. Because this group has shown obvious interest in your product in past, chances are they will be more likely to buy than someone that knows nothing about whatever it is you are selling.

If you can't think of anyone specific to target, or there aren't any publications written specifically for a group that you would like to target, perhaps targeted public relations is not for you.