ComputerHunter.org |
|
|
|||
|
 |
Design Your Own Newspaper Ads
Many people in business lay-out (design) their own ads. That old adage "If It Is To Be It Is Up To Me" prevails. Do it yourself and you may get what you want. Many newspaper salespeople are poor at conveying customer wants to the design department, and slow are retunring proofs. The result is an ad with errors, not approved by the cusotmer. If your expenditures will be moderate, you might be able to afford a graphic designer or advertising agency. It costs nothing to find out, call a few ad agencies in the phone book and ask for an account rep. Explain you may be in the market for an agency and let them ask the questions. A quick determination will not be long in coming. There is a lot to be said for finding a way for someone else to do your ads so you can use your talents for what you do best, running your business. Designing your own ads (a furniture store I visited had a complete drafting table, magnifying light and glue pot in the corner) is about the same as fixing your own leaks and asking the plumber to come by and inspect it. Your ad will have less than eight tenths of a second to get a reader's attention. You must stop the reader's eye in less than a second, and hold it for at least three seconds to make an impression. Think about the ads you pass when you read the paper, You fly by some of them faster than you can say "one-Mississippi" (a half a second). Collect a folder of ads thet grab your attention. Gather a list of hot words. There are articles and lists throughout the internet of "selling" words. Type "Words that Sell" in any search engine. Always Stress the Benefits A feature is what something is. A benefit is what it does. Advertise the benefits of your product or service, not the features. People don't buy something to get a feature, instead they always buy to get the benefit produced by the feature. The jury is still out on the effectiveness of color vs the cost of color. Look at the big boys, most don't use color in display ads (only the car dealers, for some inexplicable reason). There are Already Enough Egos Look through any paper and count the mug shots of the owner, pics of the kids or staff. Not to mention the photos of the business building or award. Ego is easy to sell to the advertisers, but it doesn't sell the customer. The paper uses ego all the time to sell you more ads. The billboard people are especially notorious for this practice. Focus on the benefits and forget your smiling head and shoulders shot. Put it on the shelf After you put an ad together, put it on the shelf, in a drwaer or file it in your computer for a day. Don't look at it or think about it. Wait at least 24 hours to take a fresh look. Can you remove at kleast 5 words? It will sell harder with less words. You don't read jumbled ads, they don't either. Does it have to be that big? Cut it by a third and you can buy more for the same money. Sell the benefits with class and your advertising can be very effective. For more about advertising, get my article "Your Billboard is Showing" MailTo:Billboards@BigIdeasGroup.com ©2005 BIG Mike McDaniel, All Rights Reserved MailTo:Mike@BIGIdeasGroup.com BIG Mike is a Business Consultant and Professional Speaker. His BIG Ideas Group helps small business grow with mastermind groups, seminars and training. http://BIGIdeasGroup.com Subscribe to "BIG Mike's BIG Ideas" Newsletter MailTo:subscribe-956603364@ezinedirector.net
Google News - Top Stories
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Classified Ads That Get Results Classified ads do not have the big market appeal that a full color display ad has, but they are still one of the most economical ways to get your business into the public eye. And, because classifieds do not demand expensive eye-catching designs or ingenious wording that you often see in direct-mail campaigns, they are a perfect marketing avenue for even new entrepreneurs. Here are some tips to help you write ads that will make the difference between mediocre ads to great ads that get good or even exceptional results. The ONLY Type Of Advertising People LOVE!! Can it be??? The Skinny on Billboards Several years back the billboard people put a big picture of "Sharlene Wells, Miss America" on billboards all over town. She was everywhere. The clever use of the girl had two purposes; the first was to cover up all the unsold boards. The second was to show the effectiveness of billboard advertising. Just What Are Consumers Thinking? Research would indicate that consumers don't know what they're thinking. According to an article written by Jack Shimell (2002) for Quirk's Marketing Research Review, Consumers make their decisions and react to advertising based more on unconscious emotional processes than on conscious rational processes. Sex in Advertising: Does it Sell? We're surrounded by advertisements that desperately compete for our attention. Everywhere we look, we find ourselves inevitably drawn to images of scantily clad attractive men and women that are supposed to somehow inspire us to purchase products they endorse. Sure, this attention-getting strategy is popular. But, is it effective? Media Savvy - Treat Them As You Would Your Best Customer The ability to lead, persuade and influence are integral skills for effective managers. The capability of telling a story that inspires, motivates and informs is an essential part of this process. In an age of convergence in the media and increased scepticism over traditional communication methods, a new breed of managers and leaders is emerging that sees the media as an opportunity and not a threat. They use the media in a pro-active way to build their organisation's image, reputation and identity. Do I Need Raised Letter or Full Color Business Cards? If you've been searching around for business cards that will best represent the image you want to portray for your business, then you've no doubt encountered many options. The Big Two, as I like to think of them, are "Raised Letter" and "Full Color." Using Flyers to Advertise Your Online Business Using flyers is one commonly overlooked method of advertising offline. Flyers are extremely easy to create. They also allow you to exhibit some of your creative side, making it just that much more fun to make money. Why Your Ad Failed So you spent good money on an ad, put it in a magazine or newspaper, and waited patiently for phone calls that didn't materialize. You're upset: you feel that you've wasted money and time, and now you're convinced that advertising doesn't work. Vinyl Banners for the Right Occasion The sinage marketplace is competitive! Consequently, some companies are going to focus on price and neglect quality. To complicate the situation, companies that produce stock vinyl banner material offer a bevy of different materials based on weights/thickness, color, reflective properties, ink absorption properties, etc. Take a gander at just one description of one type of banner from a leading manufacturer's website: http://www.averygraphics.com/pls/avery/avery_ext_util.display?p_name=JUPITER_13_OZ_BANNER.PDF It is not surprising that consumers get overwhelmed (sign makers too). More Cheap Tricks for Promoting Your Business In a recent article, I shared five of my top 10 favorite tricks for promoting your business without spending much (or any) money. Several readers wrote and said they enjoyed the first five tips, so I'm hoping the next five will be just as helpful. Advertising That Annoys: The Real Story Critics conclude that entertaining or "creative" commercials sell better than those that are bland. But liking the commercial may not really be that important in the scheme of things. It all depends on the needs and preferences, motivation and financial reservations of the customer. The question isn't whether people like the advertisement or not, it's whether the advertisement is effective in selling. Get Better Results from Your Advertising with a Disruptor When you spend money on an advertisement you want to get the best return possible. To do that you need to get people to STOP and LOOK at your ad. How To Write Really Good Ads All sales begin with some form of advertising. To build sales, this advertising must be seen or heard by potential buyers, and cause them to react to the advertising in some way. The credit for the success, or the blame for the failure of almost all ads, reverts back to the ad itself. Three Keys to Crafting Successful Print Ads Want to create print ads that get results? Below are three keys to get you started. The Principle Of Advertising Online Advertising online is very similar to advertising in any environment. You really are trying to get your message or your product out there by the most cost effective means possible. Tips On Writing a Successful Ad When knowledge is based on truth it is powerful! Can I Write and Print My Own Business Brochures and Business Cards? If you have a computer and a printer, preferably one that can print in color, then you can make your own brochures and business cards that are very professional-looking! Be sure to use good quality paper (that is available at any office supplies store like Office Depot or Staples) for anything that you are going to hand out or send to potential customers and clients. God Bless The Refrigerator Magnet! Ah, my very favorite promotional product of all, the refrigerator magnet. They are my favorite, because they are so extremely inexpensive, and extremely effective in getting your company name seen in countless locations. Advertising 101 Advertising has truly become a part of all of our lives as consumers, as business owners, as parents, as concerned citizens. We simply cannot escape from its presence no matter how hard we try. Considering how pervasive advertising is in our daily lives, it's no surprise that people have such extreme views about it.
|
|
|
|
|
