The Ultimate Formula for Great Business Ads
We all know that print advertising can be costly, which is why putting an ad in a magazine needs to be thought through carefully. It’s a process that takes some creative thinking and a specialist skill set to execute properly. Getting the advert wrong is an expensive mistake to make!
Your print advert could be the only chance you get to make a good impression on potential clients, so you need to ensure that you’re putting your best foot forward.
Unlike social media adverts, which can be changed with just a few clicks, your print advert is set the minute it goes to print meaning you need to think hard about the message you’re trying to convey.
Check out these five things you should do before you submit your advert to a magazine.
1. Don’t Pay for Bad Ads
Work with a professional designer to really make sure your advert is polished and professional. Do some research and take look at your competition’s ad placements. This will give you an idea of not only other designs, but where to place it within the magazine.
Work with an experienced professional who will make sure your ad is perfect, allowing for amendments and a few tweaks along the way. A designer submitting the final artwork correctly ensures a smooth transaction and no last minute panics.
2. Write Headlines that Stand Out
You may only capture the attention of roughly 10% of browsers to your advert, so do your best to engage that percentage. Develop a great headline that entices your readers to become interested in your products or services.
Opt for something clear, catchy, or possibly funny depending on your product or service to grab the reader’s attention.
3. Use Sub-headlines to Say More
You need to leave the headline space clear to write something catchy, not lengthy. Using a designer who can call on the services of a professional copywriter ensures the correct message is conveyed to your customers in the best possible way.
The Little Design Studio is happy to provide a copywriting service if you feel this could be of benefit to your printed advert or other marketing materials.
4. Individuality
You may only have a page (or even less) to tell your potential clients about your business. Right after the headline, the reader should be able to learn more about what makes your business unique – remember your USP!
Make sure your ad mentions why your product or service smashes your competition and if you are using imagery, make sure it looks professional. You don’t want your advert to stand out for the wrong reasons…
5. Call to Action
You need to clearly and carefully tell readers what to do next – for example, “Call for more information” or “Take a look at our website for the latest offers”.
This encourages potential clients to contact you or get to your website to learn more (and hopefully make a purchase) straight away.
Triple check that your contact details are correct – you don’t want to lose business because the telephone number is missing a digit or your web address is incorrect.
If you would like to talk to us about any of your design for print requirements email me at sarah@thelittledesignstudio.co.uk.