What makes advertising evil?

I was at a networking luncheon yesterday and I heard someone say “our business is all by word of mouth. We don’t advertise and we never will.” Really?!? I’m not sure what makes advertising an element from the dark side.

It seems that people are more than willing to BE advertising (ie: the little logos on their shirts or shoes or handbags). People will pay EXTRA for products because of that and yet when it comes to building their own businesses they are offended by the idea of investing their own brand and making it public knowledge.

I think that advertising can be fun and informative. Who hasn’t laughed at a Coke commercial or thought twice about some PSA that was thought-provoking?

Advertising is the BEST way to generate “buzz.” It’s the best way to build customer trust. Ask any 3 year old, who can’t yet read, what the golden arches are and they know. Why? It’s an image that they trust. (Yeah maybe the menu could be a bit more nutritious, but they are improving – that’s another blog for another time.)

The moral to my story … if you are a business owner, don’t be afraid to advertise. It’s not evil. This is the “information age.” If your information is out there for potential clients, you WILL fall behind your competitors that inform.  In fact, you should embrace advertising and promotion at every opportunity and should budget for it. It’s the BEST way to make your business grow! Depending on your business, it might not be a service that your potential client needs all the time, but when the time comes for that need, they are going to trust a name that they remember. Why? Because you made your name memorable. You advertised.