Too many opinions spoil a presentation

Back when I was in the ad agency business, I made a logo presentation that turned into a fiasco. It was an uncomfortable reminder...

When, how to put the boss in an ad

John Foust Advertising   John Foust has conducted training programs for thousands of newspaper advertising professionals. Many ad departments are using his training videos to save time...

A key question: What’s next?

Gregory talked to me about a lesson he learned in his early days of selling advertising. “In one of my first presentations, the prospect...

What advertisers care about

Back in my ad agency days, I learned a big lesson about what to do – and what not to do – in a...

Free offers can generate big results

Generally speaking, there are two types of advertising. Image advertising, which is often referred to as institutional advertising, is designed to create a positive...

We’ve got some explaining to do

People usually say “no” to things they don’t understand. It’s a salesperson’s job to help prospects understand what he or she is selling. What...

Four wins are better than two

Jodi is a sales manager with an interesting philosophy. “We’re all familiar with win-win,” she said. “It’s a common cliché these days. In business...

12 ad copy tips

Once an ad’s graphic design attracts readers’ eyes, it has to say something of value. Otherwise, readers will skip the ad and...

Two things that will never change in advertising

Luke told me about a business panel discussion in which he participated. He represented the ad department of the local newspaper, and others represented...
John Foust

A strategy for organizing your advertisers’ information

I was talking to Greg, a veteran sales manager “Our sales team knows the importance of asking questions and gathering the right information,” he...