Advertising. We've all tried it at least once. For the purposes of this discussion, let's define advertising as any form of marketing one pays for.

From business cards, flyers, and mailers to billboards, TV spots, and newspaper display ads, advertising is everywhere. Still, almost every business in the world can benefit from advertising somehow.

Most people mistakenly believe that advertising is some sort of magic bullet. That may have been true in the past. But today, advertising incorrectly, inefficiently, or inappropriately will not only fail, it can kill your business.

The problem with advertising lies in its traditional placement in the marketing cycle. Advertising usually occurs after a product or service has been conceived, designed, implemented, and even consumed