There are extensive articles, squibs, and how-to's on writing ads. For the most part, they are all geared to several themes, none of which has changed over the years. But this year, we wanted to leave you with an "end of the year message" that many don't really spend a lot of time with. Neither the writers of the how-to's nor the advertisers themselves.

It is very important for you to remember that the 1980's was the "Age of Skepticism" in advertising. The ads, the brochures, the guarantees and the warranties - everything was being challenged by the public. And many found that industry upon industry was deceiving them. You can bet that by the 1990's, not much has changed in the attitudes of the American consumer. They hate to be lied to. . . Marketing and advertising is the art of trying to figure out customer perceptions. If you lie to them, they won't forgive you - ever.

The Madison Ave. advertising firm of Oglivy did a study in 1989 - 9 years ago - and found that 75% of those polled do NOT believe advertising! That is not good odds and if we give you "4 strikes" in this game of salesmanship, that means you have 3 against you as you start out writing that ad, that brochure or the salesletter.

If you are to succeed in 1998, you are going to have to sway public opinion your way to with a totally "believable" campaign all year long. You're not going to make anyone a believer in you with a single ad or two. You're not going to do it with a single colored brochure either. Unlike mailorder and home business when the industries were young, it's 1998 now and many people will not believe your ad that they can "make $5,000 weekly." Neither will they believe the crude sales material you sent them, as you try to cut printing costs. You can't tell them you're making a lot of money and then not show it in your salesmaterial. It is a severe conflict that is easily read into by most anyone.

Only when you are "believable" will you become "credible." And only when you have reached the plateau of both will you continue to succeed in business - regardless of how big you are or what you are selling. The same rules apply to GM as they do the small book dealer. To a customer, a lie is a lie.

Lying in business will be like the lone cowboy who fires his single bullet into the hoard of Indians. As he foolishly sparked the fire of self-destruction, there is nothing left to do but sit back and lament and wonder "why did I ever do that?"