If you're like most small business owners, you can't always afford to hire an advertising agency and sometimes find it necessary to create your own print ads. These nine tips will help you to design ads that get better results and make more money.
1. Start With A Headline That Contains An Important Consumer Benefit,
Or News, Or Promises A Reward For Reading The Ad
The headline is the most important part of any advertisement. David Ogilvy, world-famous copywriter says, "If you haven't done some selling in your headline, you have wasted 80% of your money."
The headline has four functions:
1. To get attention
2. To select the audience
3. To deliver a complete message
4. To draw the reader into the body copy
Let's take a look at how headlines perform each of these tasks.
1. Getting Attention: Headlines get attention by appealing to the readers' self-interest (e.g.. "Give Your Kids a Fighting Chance" - Crest). Or headlines can give the reader news. These often include words such as new, discover, introducing, announcing or now. The most powerful selling word is FREE.
Other attention-getting words are how to, why, sale, quick, easy, guarantee, results, proven and save. Avoid headlines that are cute, clever and titillating but irrelevant. They may get attention but they do not sell.
2. Selecting The Audience: Don't attempt to be all things to all people. Why target your advertising at anyone but your potential customers? Choose words that select the right audience and screen out others. Life insurance companies do this all the time (e.g.. "To Men and Women Over 65 Who Need Affordable Life Insurance Coverage".)
3. Delivering A Complete Message: Make your entire offer in the headline. Here are some examples:
"Buy One Record or Cassette for $3.99 and Take 10 More Records or Cassettes of Your Choice for 1 Penny" - Columbia House
"Own a Leather-Bound Masterpiece for $4.95 -the Price of a Paperback!" - The Easton Press
Or here's my personal favourite:
"How to form your own corporation, by phone, totally legal, in any state in the union, in as little as 8 minutes, as low as $45" - The Company Corporation
That's six consumer benefits, separated by commas packed into one headline. Whew!
4. Drawing The Reader Into The Body Copy: Only a few products - perfumes for example - can be sold with an attractive photo, a powerful headline and a minimum of words. Most items or companies require that the reader be given a lot of information. So the headline must compel the reader to read the whole ad. To do this, arouse her curiosity. Ask a question, make a provocative statement, promise a reward or useful information.
The headline for a facial lotion ad reads:
"The $5 Alternative to Costly Plastic Surgery"
A software ad begins:
"If You're Confused About Buying a Personal Computer, Here's Some Help"
2. Use A Picture That Illustrates The Benefit Stated In The Headline
First let me point out that you don't necessarily have to use a picture. Hundreds of successful ads have used words alone to get their message across. Contrary to popular belief, it is the words - not the pictures - that do most of the selling in an advertisement.
If you do use a picture, try to make it illustrate the benefit stated in the headline. One effective way to do that is by using before-and-after photos. Tide uses them, the before shot showing a muddy T -shirt - the after shot showing the same shirt made brighter and whiter with Tide.
Slim Fast uses them too, first showing a chubby Tommy Lasorda, then a slimmer, happier version.
Another way to use visuals in an ad is to appeal emotionally to the reader. An ad asking for a blood donation shows a close-up face of a sad little girl looking directly at you. The picture works well with the headline, which reads:
"How do you tell a 4-year-old she may never be 5?"
3. Expand The Theme Of The Headline In The Lead Paragraph
The ad for the Easton Press begins, "The finest Moby Dick you can find is the Easton Press leather-bound edition. Now, own this luxurious book (a wonderful value at its regular price of $39.50) for the price of a paperback - only $4.95 - with no further obligation." (Note the interesting choice of the word luxurious to describe a book - meant to convey an image of high quality.)
An ad for the Wall Street Journal has the headline, "How to Succeed in Business…And Investing". The first paragraph begins, "One sure way to succeed in business is to make smarter business decisions. And one of the smartest business decisions you can make right now is to subscribe to the Wall Street Journal."
4. Draw the Reader into the Ad and the Body Copy with a Clean,
Uncluttered Layout
The key to getting an ad read is to make it easy on the eyes. Here's a brief list of layout dos and don'ts:
Do:
- Use one central visual
- Set the headline in large, bold type
- Set the body copy in clear, readable type
- Use spaces between paragraphs to enhance readability
- Use subheads to help draw the eye through the text
- Keep paragraphs short
- Use simple visuals without too many elements that confuse the reader
Don't:
- Set headlines and blocks of copy on a slant
- Use tiny type (smaller than eight-point)
- Use long, unbroken chunks of text
- Overuse circles, bursts, arrows and other techniques that call attention to the fact that
the ad is an ad
- Use poorly executed or reproduced artwork or photography
5. Cover All Important Sales Points In Logical Sequence
An effective ad tells an interesting, important story about the company. And, like a novel or short story, the copy should have a beginning, middle, and an end.
Put your most important point in the headline and take the reader from the major benefits to minor features in the body copy. If the sales points are unrelated, you can simply list them using numbers or bullets.
6. Make Sure The Copy Provides Enough Information To Convince The
Greatest Number Of Qualified Prospects To Take The Next Step In The
Buying Process
Perfume ads typically don't contain a lot of words. Perfume is sold mostly on the mystique of what wearing perfume does to enhance your sex appeal. Mail order ads, however, often have a full page of solid type with no pictures and only subheads to break up the copy. That's because the ad writer only has a small space to convince you to part with your money now.
What you say in your ad and how much you say depends on what you want the reader to do. Should he call or write for a free brochure? Should he stop by your store for a demonstration? Or should he use the coupon at the bottom of the ad to make an immediate purchase? Think about what the next step in the buying process should be. That will determine the appropriate length of the copy.
7. Make Your Ad Interesting
With apologies to Moses, let me suggest an eleventh commandment: "Thou shalt not bore your readers". People will only read your ad as long as it appeals to them. The style should be crisp, lively and light. The copy should have rhythm and clarity.
But great style won't save an ad without substance. Here are a few ways you can add interest to your advertisements:
- Speak directly to your reader's needs and desires
- Tell a story
- Tell about people
- Write in a personal style - warm, helpful and sincere
- Use testimonials
- Offer a free gift, brochure or sample
- Provide useful information or news
- Address major issues - beauty, health, security, education etc.
- Answer important questions your readers have on their minds
Here are some sure-fire ways to make your ads boring:
- Focus the copy about your company, its philosophy, or its success
- Write copy that gives features of your product rather than its benefits to the
consumer
- Tell readers things they already know
- Write all sentences the same length (varying sentence length adds snap to writing)
- Present facts without showing the reader how these facts relate to his needs
8. Make Your Ad Believable
Dishonest advertising can convince people to try a bad product once. But it can't convince them to buy a product they've already tried and didn't like.
Don't lie or stretch the truth in your ads. Besides being unethical, it's unprofitable for you and your company. Be sincere, informative and helpful. It comes across to the reader and they'll believe what you've written.
9. Ask For Action
Your ad should ask the reader to take the next step in the buying process. Keep in mind that including a coupon in your ad boosts response between 25 and 100 percent.
You'll also increase response if you can offer something free whether it is a sample, a consultation or just information. Other techniques for getting people to act now are to include lines like: "Supplies are limited," "This offer expires April 4," or simply "Act now!"
There you have it. Nine steps to creating more profitable print ads. Follow these steps when you write your next newspaper or magazine ad and watch your sales increase dramatically.
Tags: website optimization, affiliate marketing, internet marketing, internet marketing tips, article marketing
