Advertising – Charles (Chuck) Kensinger

Word of mouth

January 12, 2026

The best method of promoting your business is not advertising. It does not matter if you use digital media, broadcast media, or billboards; they are not the best option. Word of mouth has been proven to be the primary way customers find out about vendors.

If you are using a marketing company that has not already informed you of this, I feel sorry for you. One of my first jobs out of college was as a marketing director for a small company. We were in a niche market, and I recommended that our owner, who was our salesman, protect his personal reputation. It was our biggest asset.

I had no formal training, so I did not have all the book knowledge. I read every book I could lay my hands on about the subject. We conducted a direct marketing campaign through catalogs mailed to potential customers. We even had a toll-free number to accept orders. No, there was no internet or digital marketing at that time.

Our mailing pieces included order forms and a postage-free envelope to send them back to us. My boss purchased stamps and sent them on the pre-addressed envelopes. When I gave him the cost savings figures for purchasing a postage meter and a number to print on the return pieces to pay postage that way.

When I mentioned that over sixty percent of the stamps he sent out were not used for our orders, he did not believe me until I showed him the accountant’s ledger. I reworked the upcoming catalogs and flyers with freshly written copy. I photographed all the items in-house and saved almost as much money as I received in pay.

When I became a pet store manager, I trained our sales staff to remember the old saying, “The customer is always right.” We needed to acknowledge it as correct and realize that we should make them think it is true, but help them see when they were not exactly perfectly buying the best for them.

There was the lady who purchased tiny fish and put them in with the small ones that ate them the first night. I increased the sales by getting my customers to recommend my store. Later, at another company, I was instrumental in treating our customers in a fashion that they recommended us to others.

Our advertising budget was allocated to regional trade magazines and free giveaways to customers. Many of our vendors offered free sample products to us, which were not purchased as much as they could have been. I even put inexpensive products on the counters to promote good maintenance practices.

I left sales and marketing and became a purchasing agent, supervisor, and manager. I continued promoting my word-of-mouth advertising program from the other side of the desk. I can’t tell you the number of times I told others the best companies to purchase from and why I felt that way.

Improve your business by treating your customers the best that you can. Paying employees better who take care of customers is more effective than the best commercial you ever used. Getting them in the door to have them treated poorly never works. I know, your ad department just laughed at me.

Advertising to steal your money

October 29, 2025

I’ve talked about misleading television ads. It is assumed that stations and networks will not air ads that are not in compliance with FCC regulations. From time to time, companies are found guilty of crimes by government organizations. The FTC, FCC, or others may file suits against these businesses.

I am not referring to any groups that are anything but legitimate. Do our governments allow legal theft of our money? Yes, they do. They promise things that they cannot deliver, and you are still legal. Especially for the gambling industry. You may win some money, and that makes it legal for them to say this.

My Microsoft Word grammar check wants me to change “win” to “earn.” Does Microsoft own stock in gaming companies? This brings out another reason why I believe our culture has decided that gambling is another of those past vices that should be viewed as reputable.

Missouri made it legal for companies to establish sports betting in our state. We already have bingo, the lottery, and casinos on boats on our waterways. Now you will be able to sit at home or anywhere and make wagers for sporting events on your computers, tablets, or other devices. Of course, the spots have warnings that some find gambling difficult to stop.

I’m sure that will be as effective as the warnings against tobacco and nicotine usage, alcohol and drug abuse, and other activities that we once thought civilized society should restrict. Some areas have legalized prostitution, and often these are notorious gambling zones. Why do you think Las Vegas, Nevada, is called Sin City?

Another name for this wagering capital is Lost Wages, Nevada. In 1969, my New York Mets took their first World Series title. I was not old enough to go to Vegas and place a bet. I’m sure a twenty-dollar wager placed before the season started would have netted thousands for me. I had predicted this win for over five years.

While some chances may pay off, we need to think intelligently about the chances we take. I am constantly amazed by how many folks I know who expect to invest money in lottery tickets, bingo, or casinos and gain a fortune for future needs. Now in Missouri, you can add sports gambling to the list.

Anyone who thinks about it knows that the companies that make their money from any kind of wagers will not allow themselves to pay out more than they bring in. That means that most gamblers may win some but will ultimately lose what they win if they continue to wager.

Random games of chance are the worst offenders. Sports gaming may seem a more certain chance, yet the winner is never truly known until the end of the game, or match. There is no sure thing. Please do not be one of those that fall into this trap. Gambling is a legalized means of stealing your money.

Don’t overpay

September 9, 2025

This is a line from a celebrity spokesperson on a commercial for an insurance plan. Some of you will deny that this is insurance. Insurance is a word that is defined as “a practice or arrangement by which a company or government agency provides a guarantee of compensation for specified loss, damage, illness, or death in return for payment of a premium.”

An alternate definition is “a thing providing protection against a possible eventuality.” Using this idea, I would like to present an alternative idea to some of the “Insurance” that is currently being sold. Life, automobile, or health insurance is not needed by everyone. Those of us without financial resources to pay for responsibilities brought on by circumstance need these policies.

The full quote from the commercial is “Don’t overpay for anything.” This line is written by someone other than the actress who speaks the line. An advertising copywriter penned this phrase. I am not sure when it was first used. Probably hundreds of years ago.

I do not like to pay more for something than it is worth. What makes a service or product cost what the provider wants to charge you? Our current economic philosophy is called “supply and demand.” This means that what is being offered is worth more if the supply is lower or the demand is higher.

Demand is artificially created or increased by advertising. We purchased a new HVAC system last year. This year, we are having a new roof installed. We called some of the companies that advertise on television for both. We chose the best rates from companies that rely on word of mouth.

Friends from church recommended the heating and air company. Their price was eleven thousand less than one of the companies that hawk their services on TV. Our roof will be over five thousand dollars less than another advertiser. I have also dealt with a plumbing company for years that recently announced drain cleaning at $100 discount. I find that interesting since my last service cost over $100 more since they began running ads.

If they provide quality work or products, why do they need to pay to let customers know how good they are? Look for businesses that friends and neighbors recommend. What makes me think that we will have a superb roof installed? Three neighbors in the last two years are satisfied and have no complaints.

Back to the insurance type advertising. What about the local family that bought the service on the recommendation of their utility company and is still trying to find the money to repair their home, when the fine print in the contract allowed them to deny the repairs because of work that was done before the contract was signed? You must have someone do an inspection at your cost to ensure the agreement is valid.

Cancel these plans and put the money in a savings account that draws interest. This includes all the home repair, automobile service, or other groups that make their money by promising things they have no intention of doing. If you have paid for these services and found out after paying for them that your claim does not qualify, contact me. I want to let the unsuspecting consumer know what can happen to them.

Insurance

August 6, 2025

I listen to a lot of commercials as I watch television. Life insurance, health insurance, pet insurance, automobile insurance, insurance to cover repairs on vehicles and houses, and anything else that you can think of. Lloyds of London will insure almost anything for their price. It is like gambling. If you want to give them your money on their terms, they will take it.

There are good kinds of insurance and ones that are not worth the payments. These companies use statistical probabilities to determine if they will make a profit. They also advertise that they cover certain problems, but they do not tell you what they do not cover. Did you know your homeowner’s insurance does not cover floods or earthquakes as a standard part of your policy?

Some car insurers tell you that they have a pricing gun to give you the price you want. What they don’t tell you is that to get the price you want, your coverage may decrease, or your deductible may increase. Want new car replacement coverage? There goes your budget.

For people my age, there are life policies with no health questions. The only question they have is how much money do you have? One company says you can get coverage for under ten dollars a month. Another is less than seven. Neither tells what amount of insurance you will have, nor whether you can expect full payment if you die tomorrow.

Then there are the auto service plans. Car dealers offer extended warranties when you buy a new car. Then lenders have their plans if the vehicle is new enough with lower mileage. Now you can buy one from people who advertise on TV. Read the fine print. Your plan may not cover what you want.

In high school, I learned the Latin phrase, “Caveat Emptor,” which means “let the buyer beware.” I’ve worked as a salesman on more than one occasion. I gave out $100 cameras that cost me less than one dollar each. Another company had pricing structures that ranged from 300 percent profit to twenty-five percent.

I’ve mentioned before in columns that if you want to know what profit a retailer makes on their products, wait until they mark them down for clearance. Some stores sell seasonal merchandise as low as 90 % off a few days after the holiday. That tells me that their cost is about ten percent of the suggested retail price.

My Uncle Clyde did not believe in insurance. He seldom bought it. Fortunately, he never lost his house to a fire or other tragedy. He knew God would take care of him. As far as I know, He always did. Don’t take chances, though.

And if there are questions you have about something you see advertised, ask questions. My wife buys and sells items on Facebook Marketplace. She always tells people that we meet at the Springfield Police Department to exchange goods and money. There are times when the other party is no longer interested. Go figure.

Commercials # Two

July 27, 2024

These ads are insulting.

I watch commercials. I am a fan. Not all advertising meets my criteria. I am critical of those copywriters that make fun of us. The ads running with the councilor that are helping young homeowners not become their parents are especially offensive.

Two of our three daughters and their husbands own their homes. The finance company is also a shareholder. They are not becoming us. They all have some similarities to us and our in-laws. They are their own individuals. However, I shave my father in the mirror most days. On other days, I do not shave.

My children’s parents do not post pictures of meals and parties. Some of them and their children do. My life is not boring. If it was, you would not be reading my columns and books. I rest my case and my backside.

I am friendly, even on elevators. I also have bad jokes. At least my kids and grandkids say they are bad. I do not understand why they use my material if it is not worth laughing at. Some of them have been handed down for generations.

Then there is the TV commercial about the in-house composter. I recycle a lot of things. I follow the adage “reduce, reuse, recycle.” However, I believe that composting is best done in the ground. I have buried the leaves and food waste for many years. My garden beds are raised. That makes it easy to recycle food and yard waste. I no longer dig 3x3x6 foot trenches in my garden. It was an effective visual for the young men who wanted to date my daughters.

All the insurance commercials drive me up the wall. While sitting on the ceiling I compare Flo, Evie, the Allstate guy, the cartoon general, the toucan, and all the other spokespeople. You can insure your car, life, health, pets, and all your expensive toys.

There is even insurance that is represented as a warranty. Everything stops working at some point. Pay a monthly fee and someone else will pay some of the repair expenses. Be sure to read the fine print. What they tell you in the commercial is not what you thought you heard. Listen for “starting at,” “beginning with,” “from,” and all those other words that require thousands of words to cover their rears.

The ads for the portable fire pits that show their product in many settings with different folks around them are some of the best I have seen. They are simple and understated. The main purpose of advertising is to make you remember their name. I remember some of the company’s names, which I have shared here. There are those that I couldn’t give you even if I wanted to.

What are your favorite commercials and why? You may not see many except for the ones that pop up on your phone or streaming service. Mostly those are short and sweet which is what makes the best advertising. If there is small print on the screen or *, &, #, or other non-verbal communication do not agree to anything before you read everything. Happy hunting.

Charles (Chuck) Kensinger