Many business owners I have worked with have tried running ads in direct mail pieces that come out monthly or quarterly (or something in between). Their hope is that the direct mail piece will drive them business because it reaches a large number of households.

When they tell me about their results from ads like these, I can predict almost exactly what they're going to say: "We got a decent response the first week or so but then it really died out after that." They seem disappointed in the results because the response dropped off so fast.

Because the next mailing doesn't come out for another six to eight weeks, they suffer a roller coaster effect if this is the only marketing they are doing.

When you buy advertising, understand what you're buying and how it fits your goals and your business.

A big mailing every couple months will give you a big impact all at once but you'll have ups and downs in your new business flow. You can smooth out that roller coaster by adding some repetition.

Buy some low impact advertising that keeps your message out in the community all the time, day after day, week after week. This keeps your name and message in front of your potential customers on an ongoing basis. It fills the gaps that fall between your big direct mailings. Remember, with advertising you are buying exposure.

Think of it like buying a case of beer or soda. You can drink it all at once and then it's gone and you go thirsty until next month. Or, you drink just one can a day and you get to enjoy it all month long (well, almost all month).

With most businesses, a balanced combination of impact and repetition is the best way to meet your marketing goals.

Kevin Stirtz has developed a unique concept called