AD Design Tips $$$

*The Attraction

If your ad doesn't leap off the page and grab the reader, your're wasting money. 1# Goal - is to draw attention to your ad. This can be done by color, border, logo, catch phrase, position of ad, etc.

*The Message

Before putting pen to paper, think about the buyers' decision-making process. What's most important to them? How will you solve their problem better than all of your competitors? What sets you apart from your competition? Customers always ultimately base their buying decision on emotional factors (benefits), so engage your target market with an inspiring headline and supporting body copy that speaks to the heart. Give them a feeling of security: Put phrases in your ad such as ---Bonded & Insured for Your Protection - Protect your Investment - 12 Years Experience - Member of Better Business Bureau - Member of Chamber of Commerce, etc. Use powerful words that ignite their emotions and you will attract a much larger share of the market such as: Ethical, Integrity, Insured, Reliable, Experience, Professional, Experts, etc.

*The Method

1# Rule - BE CONCISE. Eliminate clutter - generic phrases or predictable words that bore readers and do not address the buyers' decision-making process. Also, eliminate bland graphics or photos and replace with eye-grabbing images that help reinforce your message or name of business. Don't worry about listing prices - Create an information ad, encourage customer/reader to call for more information, then make the sale. Educate the customer on your product and make sure the customer realize your competitive advantage over your competition -- meaning: This is why I am different from my competitiors.

*The Image

A successful ad will instantly convey an image of QUALITY, PROFESSIONALISM, and VALUE. Keep in mind that your ad needs "breathing room," so avoid the temptation to fill the entire space with information. Customers will only read your ad if you catch their eye & then you have to keep their attention - unless the customer searching for your services, they do not want to take a whole lot of time and read a long ad or an ad fill with a bunch of stuff. Information ads - Get the customer to call you. An ad that focus on price and sales only will force the potential customer to make a decision before calling you. Information ad allows you to explain your services and the BENEFITS to the customer and their property.

*The Conviction

Integrity Sells! Communicate TRUSTWORTHINESS, and HONESTY by including credentials, testimonials, awards, number of years in business, organization that you belong. Use phrase like: "If your searching for an Ethical contractor for your cleaning needs, give the Professionals a call today" or "Integrity is the Key to Our Success." Put these thoughts in the customers head. If a customers reads it enough through different types of advertisements, sooner or later the customers will refer to your business as ethical or integrity. Tell someone something enough, and they begin to believe it.



Advertising is expensive, but poor advertisment cost even more.

Amen, brother!

Tim,

You are correct across the board!

My full time job as a graphic artist for a coupon/ad magazine with circulation across Ohio presents me with the daily dilemmas of trying to make an ad work when:

a) the client wants to fit an encyclopedia into their ad (Aaarghh!)

b) the client wants me to use photos that are blurry or too small.

c) there is no flow to the ad (i.e., a billion offers, no main pitch)

d) the client wants to use stock photography to represent their work. TAKE QUALITY PICTURES OF YOUR WORK!! Credibility can be huge!


LESS IS MORE. Ads in popular periodicals use a BIG PHOTO and MINIMAL TEXT. Americans DON'T LIKE TO READ!

Exactly

I see ads with all this text and prices - those ads are a dime a dozen and the customer will not read them. Information ads that attract the eye is the most efficient. Its not how much you say, but what you say.


I see a lot logos that serves no purpose. Logos are very important in fostering familarity with the customer. A customer should be able to look at a logo and determine what that business offers or a logo should be able to attract the customers eye so that your text can inform the customer. Easy access to graphic arts software has made a lot of people think they can produce logos for sale. The picture is the easy part, but knowing customers perception and understanding buyers behavior and the pyschology of the buying process is what allows a logo to be most efficient. I've seen your work and have to say that I'm impressed. I see a lot of thought process implemented in your work.


**As with most things - Marketing/Advertisement is based on theory and there is no one perfect method. Just because I feel one way doesn't mean someone elses theory is wrong.


I would like to see some samples of your work - if you ever want to email to me.

Re: Easy Access to Graphics Software

Indeed, people who use Microsoft Publisher and other such low level graphics programs to make their logo are in for a rude awakening.

Most publications (who are MAC based) cannot even open these files. Plus, these programs guarantee a generic look that will not stand out from the rest.

I understand that industry standard programs (i.e, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop) are expensive and complicated for those not familiar, but these are the applications that really enable true creativity as anything is possible.

Also, people will see how little they really know about logos/ads when they try to use these programs without any proper training or experience. What good is a great marketing idea if you can't see it through to its true fruition?

So, do yourself a favor: when it comes time to create your company logo/ad or redesign your existing logo/ad, utilize the services of someone that really knows what their doing, whether it be a freelance artist such as myself or an agency that has a reputation to uphold.

Not only will you get quality work, but they will also provide you with all the proper file formats needed for publication.

Try making a logo in MS Publisher and submitting it to a comany for print a day before deadline. A NIGHTMARE will soon follow!


PS: Tim, I'll email you some images of ads I've done recently as soon as I scan them in. I'll include what I believe to be successful ads as well as ads that should be buried beneath the ocean floor.