7 Simple Steps To Creating Print & Online Ads That Kill in Llincoln!!!

1. Know Your USP (Unique Selling Proposition)

• Your Unique Selling Proposition is Your Unique Benefit that people desire.
• What is it about you that’s unique and makes you different than your competitors and that people do/will place additional value onto?
• What is it about your business that makes customers choose you repeatedly and instead of your competitors?
• Try asking yourself this question “What do customers to say they like about me?”
• What do you consider your major strength?
• Key off a unique trait that is not easily replaceable by your competitors.
• Use your USP everywhere, all the time and continually articulate it by delivering that message to clients, prospects, employees and the world.

2. Set Goals for Your Ad

• Follow the formula of A-I-D-A. Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. Use this formula in all sales encounters, including in person, on paper and online. Think of each of these elements of the formula carefully when brainstorming and considering your approach.
• The goal for your advertisement determines the content and the flow.
• Typical goals could be 1. Increase sales, 2.Increase revenue per sale, 3.Awareness, 4.Enhance Image, 5. Reposition, 6. New Market, 7. Create name recognition, 8. Drive Website traffic… etc.
• How would the typical customer, come to decide to do business with you and what is the mental process and physical process they follow… from discovery to making your cash register ring?
• Many times the goal of your ad will be to generate new prospects to your website, and most if not ALL prospects physical action will be to immediately go to your website.
• What specific action do you want the reader to take after reading your ad?

3. Promise A BIG FAT Benefit In The Headline

• The headline is THE most important factor in a successful advertisement. PERIOD.
• Three things stop and grab people’s attention, Headlines, Photos, and Captions… 5 times more people will read your headline than your body copy.
• The headlines job is to get attention, stop the reader, stimulate interest, lure into copy and select prime prospects.
• The four most important qualities for a good headline are 1. Self Interest, 2. News, 3. Curiosity,4, Quick, easy way.
• Don’t use ALL CAPS it slows people down.
• What would be the end result of someone receiving what you claim in your headline?
• What’s the Benefit to reading any further into your advertisement?
• Does your headline grab the attention of your target market?
• It must sell the product
• Must capture interested readers attention
• Studies show 93% of those reading your ad will read only the headline
• Use Active Verbs – get people involved
• Long headlines are OK if its appropriate

4. Use Photos, Captions & Graphics

• Following the Headline the next thing to capture people’s attention is a photo, a graphic and/or captions.
• Photos, even bad ones are usually better that a graphic image or line drawing.
• Show yourself and the people on your team so readers can connect a face to your brand, be sure to include captions under them including names.
• Show pictures of clients who have just realized the results they received from taking advantage of your USP and/or headline.
• Show people enjoying your product or service after purchase.

5. Choose & Use Your Space Wisely

• Size does matter when it comes to getting ATTENTION.
• More attention = more reading=more convincing=more customers=more profit
• 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.
• Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Focus on one person with one big benefit.
• We live in a “headline” world, so just give enough information to accomplish your goal.
• If you must use lots of copy make sure it all stays on point and creates more desire to generates the action you want readers to take as effortlessly as possible.
• Don’t forget you might want to use white space as a graphic element to help bring attention to your advertisement.

6. Make An Offer and/or Invitation

• Is there any type of offer you can use to help generate the response you’re hoping for, to capture the attention and interest of the prospects we are targeting?
• Making an offer doesn’t always have be a discount, unless you are competing on “Price”. To compete on “Price” is most ALWAYS a very tough space to occupy… be careful here.
• If you only idea is a % off coupon prepare to do at least 50% off, which is equivalent to Buy One Get One or better yet offer a completely low cost FREE item. People typically just don’t respond to anything less, thanks to online deal sites like Groupon.
• Ask yourself what is the lifetime value of one of your customers? Is it profitable to use discounts to capture their business?
• Give them FREE information, if you have some relevant important information you can give people who are considering your product or service let them download a “FREE How to Guide” or 5 Steps for a Perfect ______.
• If your goals include increasing awareness, enhancing your image, creating name recognition, becoming an expert, provide some type of valuable information that your target will appreciate and be naturally drawn to when considering their options and in choosing your product or service.
• Use your website and take advantage of the opportunity to deliver more information instantly, —-Closing the sale here really means getting prospects interested in our product and services and inquiring for more information, unless you are a retailer have an online shopping cart, that is.

7. Call To Action

• Go back to your Goal, are you asking the reader to take specific action towards that goal?
• So many advertisements fall short by simply not asking the reader to take any specific action, so in every instance ask the reader to take action NOW. Many times we’re all running on autopilot…. And are able to consume so much stimuli, are easily distracted, and so we all must continually ask for people to take the next form of action.
• Some quick examples are, 1. Call today to see how we can help you 402-444-4444, 2. Download our FREE Guide on Choosing A ______. 3. Visit our website for more details today at www.mydomain.com. 4. Stop in and see all the great ________ today at 444 N 66th St.
• Spell out the action you expect people to take specifically, step by step, make it easy.

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Now that you know the 7 Simple Steps To Creating Ads That Kill!!! you can start accumulating leads.  To put your ad ideas in Strictly Business Magazine just call 402-466-3330 or fill out & submit the contact form above.