Once upon a time, teachers used repetition to teach important skills.

I can remember sitting in class, and having to repeat my times tables over and over again. And when the school day ended, the teacher set times tables for homework.

We repeated the damn things, over and over and over again. This continued until, eventually, the times tables became a part of us.

They're not necessarily interested

For some people, it comes as a shock to discover that most people simply aren't interested in their ad.

To the advertiser, the ad is the first step in the sale. It's what brings a potential client to his or her website. It's a crucial component to the advertisers' success. To the advertiser, the ad is <i>very</i> important.

To the potential client, the ad is one of many messages he or she will see today. It's certainly not as important as the 101 other things that person has to do.

The fact is, your potential client isn't necessarily interested in what you have to say.

You can't force them to read

Some self-appointed ad gurus claim they know various secrets that will force your prospect to sit up and take notice.

How likely do you think that is?

The fact is, when it comes to advertising, you can't force anyone to do anything. A person has to want to read your ad.

Unfortunately, at the very time your ad is on screen, your potential client probably has better things to do. You're never going to get his or her attention if there's something more urgent or important.

This is why repetition is important.

Give yourself every opportunity

You need to give yourself every possible chance to get your message in front of your client.

A single ad simply isn't good enough. You need many ads, repeated over and over and over again. Eventually, your prospective client will be ready to stop and look at your message.

The more times your ad is displayed, the more potential clients you'll attract. And the more potential clients you attract, the more sales you'll make.

Yes, there's more to it than that. What you say is important too. The fact remains that you benefit by getting as much exposure for your ad as possible. You need to get your ad seen by as many people as possible.

Some ad sites claim to show your ad only once to each visitor. Personally, I doubt it's possible to guarantee that each visitor to a site will see only a single display of an ad. But even if it is possible, I don't think it's useful. Each repeat viewing of an ad increases the chance that a particular person will respond.

That's why I suggest you look for advertising products designed to ensure as many repeat displays as possible.