The content of advertising is basically the same
no matter what the media. It is good and it works,
or it is bad. Some TV ads are so clever people
tend to remember the cleverness and forget the
product.
Here are seven tips to help you create better ads.
Better ads for Newspaper, Radio, Billboards,
Cable, Yellow Pages, anything with your name on
it.
1 It’s Not About YOU. Sell the benefits. The
benefits of coming to your store or doing
business with you is what the customer wants,
They say “What’s In It For Me?” Your mug shot
on a 40 foot billboard can’t answer that
question.
2 Be Consistent Pick a theme and stick with it,
in all your print, radio and TV ads. Pick a look
and stick with it. Every ad builds on your
brand, don’t change the concept because YOU are
getting tired of it. The exposure level with
potential customers is much less than with you.
3 Sell Benefits not Features. Once you get the
customer in the door you can brag about the
features of your product or company, but lure
them there with a promise of a great benefit.
“Brushless Car Wash” is a feature “Cleaner than
new in two minutes” is a benefit.
4 Be Different. Check your Sunday paper to see
how many ads look alike. In the supermarket,
most mustard is in a yellow package, most Ginger
Ale has a green label. In advertising sameness
is suicide. Don’t look like or sound like your
competition.
5 Use a Great Headline “Jim’s Locksmith Shop” at
the top of an ad is NOT a powerful headline, or
a good opening for a radio ad. “We can Pick ANY
lock!” or “Locked out? We Can Get You Back IN”
are powerful and answer WIIFM (“What’s In It For
Me?”)
6 Make it Easy to Find You The best ads, in
print and in the air are directions, NOT
address. Pay attention to ads you see this week.
“809 Main” doesn’t say much, but “On Main Street
Downtown across from the firehouse” is a good as
a map. Note: If your advertising will cover
several communities (most do) be sure to include
your city or community. No need to use state.
“On Main Street in Downtown Smallville across
from the firehouse”
7 Avoid Phone Numbers With the exception of
Yellow Pages Advertising, where people are
looking for telephone numbers, most folks don’t
carry a pad in the car or keep one next to the
TV to jot down numbers. Remember how hard it
was to find something to write with when you
saw something on a TV news show that you
really wanted to call about? By the time you
found the pencil, it was gone. Same with
advertising. Focus on getting them to remember
your benefits and your name. Phone numbers are a
big NoNo.
To have the best advertising, YOU must become the
advertising expert. Advice from the person selling
advertising is usually best only for the media
being pitched and does not help you with the
others. Become an astute observer of others who
advertise and use the best elements you see.
For more about advertising from get my article “15
Tips for Better Yellow Pages Ads” Send a blank
eMail to the MailTo:15TipsYP@BigIdeasGroup.com