Different types of ads require different copy guidelines. An effective newspaper ad won't necessarily work in your local Yellow Pages. Your approach in radio commercials may differ significantly from what you say in a magazine ad.
These tips are designed to help you create ads that work. They won't turn you into a skilled copywriter, and you may be want to consider hiring a professional. But be aware that few advertising agencies focus on the needs of the entrepreneur; many are used to working with large corporate clients. Talk with your peers, call a trade group, or get in touch with a local association of artists or copywriters to find someone who is sensitive to your business. Use these tips to help you work with advertising professionals to ensure that any agency you use creates a campaign that works for you.
A newspaper, magazine, radio or TV station may offer to create your ads for you. If that happens, thank them for the offer and say "No thank you" to their help. Rarely, if ever, do they create the kinds of ads that will set you apart from your competitors.
Before you begin considering your ad campaign, do some legwork by looking through magazines, newspapers and phone books, watching TV and listening to the radio, for ads that you like and that inspire you. Once you've done this, analyze the ads to see what they have in common and try to emulate them in the creation of your materials.
Select from the list below to learn about what types of copy work for different media.
Print ads (newspapers and magazines)
Whether you're advertising in your local community newspaper or in People Magazine, your print ads should look and feel professional. Use strong copy and eye-catching graphics to focus the reader on what sets your product or service apart from the competition - your Unique Selling Proposition (USP).
Use these tips to help you get your message across effectively.
- The headline is the most important part of any print ad. It must inspire action. It is what will convince the reader to read more. Take your time and get it right. Guerrilla Marketing guru Jay Levinson says that if you spend 10 hours creating an ad, 9 of those hours should be used creating the headline.
- Headlines should either convey an idea, or intrigue the reader to learn more. If your headline is in the form of a question...ARE YOU UNDERPAID?...make sure that the answer will always be YES!!!
- When possible, use color. The response rate to color ads is significantly higher than that for black & white.
- The length of your ad copy should be appropriate to your product or message. Long ad copy looks informative, and may be useful for technical products. Short copy leaves plenty of room for graphics and is a quicker read; use it if you're advertising an image.
- Keep your message concise. You can't expect a reader to spend a lot of time with your ad. Keep it simple. Stress benefits. Emphasize your USP. Don't beat around the bush or be too cute. Get to the point. And be very careful with humor. Not every reader will get your joke.
- Don't use complicated language or jargon. To prevent yourself from slipping into the jargon habit, think of this...if you're advertising in newspaper with a circulation of 100,000, and just 5% of the readers don't understand a word in your ad, you've alienated 5,000 potential customers.
- Your ad should talk to your potential customer, so don't forget about them. Use "you" instead of "we" in your copy. Think about what specific needs you fulfill for them. In addition, many experts recommend that you think of your ad as speaking to your potential customers "one at a time." In other words, the ad should inspire the reader on a personal level.
- Remember the call to action. What do you want the reader to do once he/she finishes reading the ad. Don't let them guess...spell it out - Write or call for more information; Come in for a free check-up; Come in today, Sale ends Saturday. Think of this as how you close the sale.
- Strong graphics make a strong statement. Keep them focused on your message. Some ad experts recommend advertisers follow the "rule of thirds" - one third of an ad should be a graphic element, one third should be copy, and one third should be white space (no copy, no graphic).
- Too much in your ad makes it look to busy. You will appear unfocused. Readers will avoid your message. Very often, less is more.
- Keep the look of your ads consistent. If you change the copy on a regular basis, don't change the look. You can create an effective image by providing continuity and consistency to the reader.
- Whatever you do, don't let your ads look like your competitors' ads. You need to create a distinct personality for your company. If your ad looks like one from your competitor, whose ad do you think the reader will think he/she is reading?
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Radio
When you place a radio ad, you're speaking to a captive audience - the listener has to take an action (actively change the station) to pass by your ad. Because listeners are often sitting alone (frequently in their cars), speak to them like your having a one-on-one conversation. Address them directly, and your message will get across.
Use these tips to learn more about what it takes to use radio successfully.
- A good radio ad doesn't differ greatly in structure from any other type of ad. Begin with a headline - in this case, a strong opening line that tells the listener what you're going to tell them. Then tell them. Then finish by telling them what you've already told them. End your ad with a call to action - buy our product, read our magazine, call now, etc.
- On radio, you need to keep your message simple and focused. Choose one theme and stick to it. Remember that it takes longer to say something out loud than it does read it. The average 30-second radio spot contains only about 70 words. Mention your company name at least three times in those 30 seconds.
- Different radio stations require different types of ads. In his book "Guerrilla Advertising," Jay Levinson identifies two basic types of stations. "Background" stations are on in the background and are typically music stations that are listened to passively. "Foreground" stations require active listening. They would include talk radio, all-news radio, call-in shows, and the like. Make your ad sensitive to the format to keep the listener's attention - don't use a "voice-only" ad on a music station; don't put a country and western jingle on a classical music station; and don't use a music-driven ad on talk radio.
- You have two basic choices when it comes to creating a radio ad. You can provide a script and have it read by the announcer. Or you can provide a tape. If you choose the latter, have a professional announcer read the copy; and consider using background music or sound effects as a way of making the ad stand out.
- If you're using a script, consider placing your ads on the show of a well-known radio personality. By having the personality read your ad, it will sound like a testimonial. And make sure the personality is familiar with your product or service - send them a sample, if appropriate.
- Repetition is very important in radio, because it takes several airings for the listener to become familiar with your name and product or service. Frequency helps you break through the clutter. Consider running your spots at the same time every day for a week. Take a week off and then run it for another week.
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Television
You might think of television as a bastion for big company advertising. But with the growth of cable and the ability to broadcast to a specific region, it can be used effectively by small businesses too. TV must be utilized carefully, because it can be easily misused - a bad ad not only makes you look silly, but can actually lose you customers.
These tips can help you use advertising correctly.
- Television is a visual medium. You need to communicate your message visually - the viewer should be able to tell what the ad is about with the sound off. Therefore, your visuals should be the most important part of your ad. Your script - the actual words used during the commercial - is the least important part.
- Successful television advertising sells through emotions. Television viewers rarely remember the details of an ad, but they can recall how the ad made them feel. Make sure they feel motivated after viewing yours.
- Get to the point. You have about two seconds to grab the television viewer's attention, so use a strong opening image - the visual equivalent of a strong headline. You then have a total of maybe five seconds to say what the ad is about - if its not clear you've lost the viewer for the entire ad.
- Keep your message simple. Stress your benefits. And remember to stress them visually. You can do this by "showing" what they are, rather than just "telling" what they are.
- Be sure to tell the viewer your name visually. Put it right there up on the screen, along with your logo, and your address and phone number. Better yet, hit them twice by having the voice-over announcer read it aloud at the same time.
- Don't forget your call to action. Tell the viewer what to do - Call now!!!; Visit your local dealer; Compare the value; Come see us; etc.
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Yellow Pages
If you have a business phone line, you are automatically listed in the Yellow Pages. In addition, many small business owners also take out a display ad to enhance their message and drive people to their business. You might also want to place your message in Yellow Pages directories in other regions.
No matter what you decide, you can use these tips to help you create an effective ad.
- Do you need to advertise in the Yellow Pages? Only if that's where people look for a business like yours. Retailers, for example, need to be there. Some service providers (plumbers, lawn services, diaper delivery, hotels and inns, for example) need a presence as well. However, if you get most of your business through referrals, networking or other media, then you might want to just stick with the one-time listing that comes with your business phone service.
- If people look for your product or service in different sections, then you need to be listed in different sections. Go where potential customers will look for merchandise or services like yours. If you run a bed & breakfast that also serves dinner, you will need to be listed under "Bed & Breakfasts," "Hotels," and "Restaurants."
- People that consult the Yellow Pages are actively looking for information. For this reason your Yellow Pages ads should be information-driven, not image-driven. Provide as much information about your business as possible in an easy-to-read format.
- Because your ad will be listed along side your competitors, you must find a way to stand out. If color is available, you might want to consider it (even at the additional cost). If your competitors run large ads, your ad needs to be the same size or larger. Otherwise you'll get lost on the page.
- Consider beginning your Yellow Pages ad with a bold headline that grabs the reader's attention. If you had an auto rental company, you might use something like "Need to Rent a Car This Weekend?" The answer, of course, would be yes (otherwise the reader wouldn't be consulting the phone book).
- Display the name of your company prominently, in a larger type size than your body copy. Also, be sure to identify the area you serve. For the car rental company, it might say "Acme Rent-a-Car....3 Convenient Locations Serving Anytown."
- Briefly state what your business is about - be sure to highlight your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) to set yourself apart from your competitors. (For Acme Rent-a-Car: "Short-term and Weekend Rentals Are Our Specialty"). Then go on to list your benefits - key services, and any incentives you might offer (late model sedans and vans; corporate discounts available; free pick-up and delivery; all major credit cards accepted; money-back guarantee; etc.). Consider setting them apart by using bullets (•) and short phrases, which allow people to pick up the information in a short time.
- Don't forget to make your phone number stand out. It should be in a larger point size than the body copy, and in a second color if you decide to go that way. Remember, that's what readers are looking at the Yellow Pages for. And include your address set apart from the body copy, along with any other pertinent contact information.
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Classifieds
Classified ads can be a cost-efficient, effective tool for small businesses of all kinds. They are less expensive than display ads, and may even get you a better response. Just about every newspaper and most magazines have classified sections in the back. So if you have a local business, you might try your local newspaper. If you have a national clientele, you might want to look at certain magazines. Before you place any ad, read through the classified sections carefully and look for different categories where your product or service would fit.
Then use these tips to help you create your ad.
- Always begin your classified ad with a short, catchy headline to grab the reader's attention quickly. Try to keep it no longer than 3 -5 words. Make sure it is in all capital letters or in bold face type. For example, a stock tips newsletter might use something like "MAKE MONEY IN THE MARKET."
- One-stop classified ads - you are offering a service or product through the ad. The responder sends you money....you send them the product. The transaction is over. For example: "MAKE MONEY IN THE MARKET: Our monthly investment newsletter is filled with hundreds of tips and hints to make you a success in the stock market. Send $25 for a one-year subscription."
- Two step ads - you offer to send free information (with a motivating sales letter or brochure) to get the sale. The responder must either respond again, or you need to follow up with a phone call or another letter to get the sale. For example: "MAKE MONEY IN THE MARKET: Free - 10 tips on how you can make the most of your investment opportunities. Call 800-555-1111" You would respond by sending the 10 tips along with a subscription solicitation. Plus, you get the prospect's name for your database. By the way, be sure to put something on the envelope like "Here's the information you requested."
- Use simple, clear, friendly language. Stick to short words and short sentences. And avoid punctuation marks - exclamation points and question marks slow readers down. Stay away from abbreviations unless everybody reading them will understand what they mean.
- Be sure to tell the reader what action to take. Otherwise, there's a good chance they won't take any. Tell them to "call" or "write" or "send money," etc.
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Brochures
When potential customers request additional information about your company, your product or your service, you need to have a professional-looking brochure to send them. Your brochure should be designed to sell or help sell your product or service to the customer.
Use these tips to help guide you through the process.
- The cover of a brochure, whether it carries a headline or just a title, must do a strong selling job. Graphics should be carefully chosen to entice the reader. The job of the cover is to get the reader to open it to learn more. If its not catchy, the rest of the copy won't get read.
- Don't use graphics, photographs or other artwork just for the sake of having it there. If you use a graph, make sure it tells a story (for example: our sales are increasing), and back up that story with a caption ("Acme's sales have risen tenfold in the past 2 years"). By the way, one large photo or graphic is better than several tiny ones. It makes a bolder statement...and it's easier on the eyes.
- Be aware that some people will only skim your brochure. You can make sure they get key information by using descriptive headlines, and dividing your brochure into short-easy-to-read sections. Separate each section with a subhead - a secondary headline that describes the copy that follows.
- A brochure is an information tool...it needs to support your image, but it also needs to have substance. Stress the benefits of your product or service. Talk about features. If you're writing about a product, show how a typical customer would use it. Describe how your product or service has solved a problem for a specific client. Think about including testimonials from satisfied customers.
- Tell readers what action to take. Don't leave them hanging. Ask for the order. Give them a mechanism for buying your product or service. And don't forget these important details (as applicable):
- Your company's name and address
- Your phone number, toll-free phone number, fax number, and Web address
- Distributors, sales reps, dealers
- Directions, prices, branch locations
- Shipping and service terms
- Guarantee or warranty information
- If you're mailing out your brochure in response to a request, you want to make sure the envelope gets opened. Put something like "Here's the free information you requested" on the outside of the envelope. And don't just send out the brochure - include a motivating sales letter with it.
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