If your beer tastes bad, don't call me.

If you've read my column before, you've probably heard me say how important it is to get noticed.

You'll find many television commercials follow this formula really well. They'll show something absolutely bizarre or wacky that you can't help but stare at. The E*Trade commercials with the talking baby, and the cell phone spots featuring the scooter-riding girl with 6-feet long armpit hair flowing in the breeze come to mind.

It's the equivalent of saying "HEY HEY HEY HEY!!" for 25 seconds, and once you have their undivided, saying "Unlimited minutes if you sign up today."

It's a smart strategy, but it's not perfect. Yes, it's better than boring someone to death for 25 seconds. However, getting someone's attention is one thing. Closing the deal is another.

I remember a brewery in Oregon that did some spectacular creative work. Which was to be expected, for Wieden and Kennedy, the agency famous for "Just do it" did the work. The marketing caused a HUGE buzz and people flocked to buy the beer. And within 6 weeks, the brewery was out of business. Why? Because the beer tasted like camel sweat. That's why they say the quickest way to kill a product is with good advertising.

I've personally had to tell clients the equivalent of "your beer tastes like beetle saliva and our marketing might sink you."

So, my advice for today, before promoting your product or service, make sure people want to buy it in the first place. And if you need my opinion, heck, let me know. It's been a while since I've tried a halfway-decent beer.