1. Set a Primary Objective for Your Campaign
- You should have one main objective for each campaign that you run.
- Although everyone would like to increase sales immediately, you can’t jump to a buying objective if you haven’t achieved awareness, so be sure you’re working through these Steps to a Sale in order.
- Steps to a Sale: Awareness, Contemplating, Purchasing, Building Loyalty
2. Highlight Your Key Competitive Advantage
- Focus on your key competitive advantage.
- Be sure to tailor the benefit to the market you’re targeting. What is their key pain point? Why do they want to use your service?
- What do you do that’s different from your competition?
3. Keep it Short
- An ad is not a brochure, so do not list every feature of your product.
- Highlight a maximum of 3 short advantages in an ad and less if it’s a small ad.
4. Generate Interest with the Headline
- The headline is the most important aspect of your ad and draws you in to read more.
- 5 times more people will read your headline than your body copy.
- Does your headline grab the attention of your target market?
- Studies show 93% of those reading your ad will read only the headline.
- A question can make a good headline as people want to read the answer.
- Your logo is not a headline.
5. Use Compelling Photos & Graphics
- A vivid photo or graphic will also grab people’s attention.
- A photo and testimonial from a client are a great way to prove your advantage.
- Bright and contrasting colours will also make your ad stand out.
6. Choose Space Wisely
- Size does matter when it comes to getting readers’ attention.
- As a rule of thumb, a full page will double the amount of attention of a ¼ page ad, and a ½ page will generate 1.5 times the attention of a ¼ page ad.
- However, don’t expect success with one ad. You will have a more profitable campaign if you spread your budget over a year and run smaller ads more frequently than if you put it all in one ad, as you need frequency to achieve success in a campaign.
7. White Space is Good
- Be sure to use enough white space so that your ad copy stands out.
- If you cram too much information in your ad, it will be too difficult to read.
8. Make An Offer
- An offer does not have be a discount, unless you are competing on price, which is not a great playing field.
- What added value can you offer?
- Relevant information can help educate a prospect about your product or service while building awareness and credibility for your company.
9. Call To Action
- Go back to your objective and be sure to ask the reader to take specific action towards that goal.
- Always ask the reader to act NOW.
- Examples: 1. Call today for a free demo. 2. Download our white paper on____. 3. Visit www.mydomain.com. 4. Sign up for ____ 5. Order now at www.mydomain.com
- The first action most prospects take is to go to your website, so be sure to direct them to a specific page tailored to the audience you’re targeting with each ad.
- Make it easy for people to contact you by including your phone number, email, and website.