Once upon a time, as a young man just getting started in the real world, I answered an advertisement placed by a Wall Street association of financial firms that promised to send me valuable information about investing and the stock market. I didn't have any money to invest; I just wanted to learn whatever I could.

I expected some literature in the mail. At least, that is what the advertisement seemed to offer. What I got was a telephone call from a stock broker (a trainee, I think) who politely had no time for me after he learned I didn't have any money. I never did get any information about investing and the stock market.

Have you had a disappointing experience in answering advertising that seemed to promise something valuable but delivered either nothing or nothing of value? Much worse, has any of your advertising failed to deliver what you so glowingly presented as the answer to problems in your product or service area? Can you say with certainty that this has never happened and never will?

I hate to disappoint you, but it could happen that one or more of the prospects who may respond to your advertisement might be disappointed. Delivering on the promises of your advertising is not a single action; it is a process that takes place along a continuum or chain of people and events. The process can be broken at any of several different places.

It starts with unvarnished truth in advertising. Never promise more than you can deliver, never make ambiguous or unclear promises, never hint at anything. Consider carefully how and what your advertisement promises and what you will deliver.

That call from a stockbroker early in my career would have been perfectly ok if I had in fact received any information. I might have remembered him and his company later when I was a little more financially able. You must have completely informative literature on hand that will satisfy those who ask for more information.

Do not leave responses to your advertising in the hands of untrained people. Your telephone answerers, whether sales people or office workers, should be carefully trained in this matter. It is common practice to turn inquiries over to sales departments. But the people in the sales department must understand that the inquirer called for information-not to place an order.

Truthfulness, preparedness and training are the keys to delivering what your advertising promises.